Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective

To reveal how membership in adolescent street gangs influences human development, the authors examine the origins of gang membership and the social and psychological factors that lead to joining. After demonstrating that gang members are responsible for the major share of serious and violent delinquency, they indicate how membership facilitates delinquent behavior and other developmental problems such as teen pregnancy and school dropout.

This book examines how membership in adolescent street gangs influences human development. The authors first examine the origins of gang membership and the social and psychological factors that lead some youth to join a gang. They then show that gang members are responsible for the lion's share of serious and violent delinquency and that it is gang membership itself that facilitates these behaviors. Finally, they demonstrate that gang membership increases the chances of dropping out of school, becoming a teen parent, and other developmental problems.