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Life‐course events, social networks, and the emergence of violence among female gang members
Author(s) -
Fleisher Mark S.,
Krienert Jessie L.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.20022
Subject(s) - life course approach , poverty , childbirth , context (archaeology) , criminology , social isolation , psychology , pregnancy , sociology , social psychology , psychiatry , political science , geography , archaeology , biology , law , genetics
Using data gathered from a multi‐year field study, this article identifies specific life‐course events shared by gang‐affiliated women. Gangs emerge as a cultural adaptation or pro‐social community response to poverty and racial isolation. Through the use of a social‐network approach, data show that violence dramatically increases in the period between gang affiliation and first pregnancy and decreases with pregnancy and childbirth. Policy recommendations addressing the delivery of services are offered within the context of gang women's personal networks. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 607–622, 2004.