The Handbook of Gangs

Over the last two decades, there have been a number of developments in our understanding of, and responses to, gangs; in addition, the field has developed to become interdisciplinary and internationalized. This timely handbook reflects all of these trends. Offering original scholarship on the most salient issues in the field today,

The Handbook of Gangs provides a significant assessment by leading international scholars of key topics related to gangs, gang members, and responses to gangs. International in scope, with chapters dedicated to gangs and the responses to gangs in Great Britain, Latin America, Australia and Europe, this handbook is an invaluable tool in providing students, scholars, and professionals in the field with cutting–edge reviews of the current state of research and practice.

Notes on Contributors vii

1 Introduction 1
Scott H. Decker and David C. Pyrooz

2 The Logic of Defining Gangs Revisited 7
G. David Curry

3 Little Gang Research, Big Gang Research 28
David C. Pyrooz and Meghan M. Mitchell

4 Documenting Gang Activity: Intelligence Databases 59
C. Ronald Huff and Julie Barrows

5 Gang Membership in a Developmental and Life ]Course Perspective 78
Beidi Dong, Chris L. Gibson, and Marvin D. Krohn

6 Neighborhoods and Street Gangs 98
Andrew V. Papachristos and Lorine A. Hughes

7 Gangs and Social Learning Theory: What We Know, What We Need to Know, and Why it Matters 118
L. Thomas Winfree, Jr. and Adrienne Freng

8 Social Psychology of Gangs: An Intergroup Communication Perspective 136
DaJung Woo, Howard Giles, Michael A. Hogg, and Liran Goldman

9 Social Network Analysis and Gangs 157
Michael Sierra ]Arevalo and Andrew V. Papachristos

10 Gangs, Guns, and Violence: Synergistic Effects 178
Arna L. Carlock and Alan J. Lizotte

11 Gangs and Drugs: Connections, Divergence, and Culture 193
Mark S. Fleisher

12 Gender, Sexuality, and Gangs: Re ]envisioning Diversity 208
Vanessa R. Panfil and Dana Peterson

13 Joining the Gang: A Process of Supply and Demand 235
James A. Densley

14 Leaving the Gang: A Review and Thoughts on Future Research 257
Dena C. Carson and J. Michael Vecchio

15 Micro ]Level Processes of the Gang 276
Jean M. McGloin and Megan E. Collins

16 Street Gangs, Terrorists, Drug Smugglers, and Organized Crime: What s the Difference? 294
Scott H. Decker and David C. Pyrooz

17 Police Gang Units and Effective Gang Violence Reduction 309
Anthony A. Braga

18 Gangs in Correctional Institutions 328
Shytierra Gaston and Beth M. Huebner

19 Legislative Approaches to Addressing Gangs and Gang ]Related Crime 345
Beth Bjerregaard

20 The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program: An Evaluator s Perspective 369
Finn ]Aage Esbensen

21 The OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Strategy: The Comprehensive Gang Model 392
Erika Gebo, Brenda J. Bond, and Krystal S. Campos

22 The Legacy of Malcolm W. Klein 406
Cheryl L. Maxson

23 The Legacy of Irving A. Spergel 424
James C. Howell

24 The Legacy of James F. Short, Jr. 440
Lorine A. Hughes

25 The Legacy of Walter B. Miller 458
Richard K. Moule, Jr.

26 Understanding Gangs in Contemporary Latin America 478
Dennis Rodgers and Adam Baird

27 Understanding European Gangs 503
Frank van Gemert and Frank M. Weerman

28 European Responses to Gangs 520
Rob Ralphs and Hannah Smithson

29 Gangs in African, Asian, and Australian Settings 538
Angela Higginson and Kathryn Benier

Author Index 558

Subject Index 572

Scott H. Decker is Foundation Professor of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. His most recent books include European Street Gangs and Troublesome Youth Groups (edited with Frank Weerman, 2005), Drug Smugglers on Drug Smuggling: Lessons from the Inside (2008), and Criminology and Public Policy: Putting Theory to Work (with Hugh Barlow, 2010).

David C. Pyrooz is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of Colorado Boulder. He is the author of Confronting Gangs: Crime and Community (with G. David Curry and Scott H. Decker, 2014).