Gang organization and violence in youth correctional facilities

Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, < a href="http://emeraldinsight.com/toc/jcrpp/2/2" > Volume 2, Issue 2 < /a > , Page 81-94, June 2016. < br/ > Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine characteristics of gang organization in youth correctional facilities as reported by youth and staff as well as to analyze the relationship between institutional violence and level of gang organization. Design/methodology/approach – The data were col lected through interviews with staff and youth in correctional facilities. Gang organization level averages are compared across youth and official perspectives, and the variability of responses among youth is also examined. Negative binomial regression models are conducted to determine the associati on between perceived level of gang organization and officially recorded violent behavior, both prior to and subsequent to the interview. Findings – Perceptions of institutional gang organization vary notably depending on who is reporting. In contrast with prior studies of street gangs, control ling for youth demographics and offense characteristics, the authors find no significant relationship between gang organization and violence. Research limitations/implications – The sample size is small and the data are cross-sectional. Future studies will need to be conducted in order to conf irm these findings, as they contradict prior studies. The analysis of street gang organization may need to be approach...

Source: Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice - May 19, 2016 Category: Criminology Source Type: research