Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Juvenile
Gangs Halee Moriarty
CJUS 310
Liberty University
Abstract
To fully understand Juvenile gangs and what creates and continues to fester their growth,
we need to understand any and all correlations. These correlations can look like family structure,
grades, past trauma and other effects. Looking at the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on
juveniles entering gangs is important because while the appeal of gangs to children can not be
changed, if teachers and different adults are aware to look for signs or symptoms of post-
traumatic stress disorder, these kids can go into therapy instead of going into a gang.
Keywords: gang, trauma, family
Annotated Bibliography
Thornberry, T. P. (1993). The Role of Juvenile Gangs in Facilitating Delinquent Behavior. The
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency., 30(1), 55–87.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427893030001005
This paper dives into why gang memebers have higher rates of serious crime offenses than non-
gang members. It seperates into three different groups to look at; the kind of people, the
kind of groups and the selection process. It looks specifically at the rate of offenses
before the juvenulle is in the gang and then after gang membership. It uses quantitative
methodologies research from the Rochester Youth Development Study to provide data.
The paper states that there is indisputable evidence regarding the high rate that gang
members commit crimes but, little is known about whether or not gangs attract
adolescents who are already commiting those crimes or if it starts after. Thornberry
(1993) says, “Thus the relationship between gang membership and high rates of
involvement in delinquency and drug use is not at all surprising” (p. 57).
Kerig, P. K., Chaplo, S. D., Bennett, D. C., & Modrowski, C. A. (2016). Harm as harm: Gang
membership, perpetration trauma, and posttraumatic stress symptoms among youth in the
juvenile justice system. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 43(5), 635-652.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854815607307
This paper evaluates the relationship between youth gang members and and their exposure to
violence and perpetration-induced trauma. The methodology used is a quantitative study
of 660 youths at a detention center who were gang affiliated compared to non-gang
affiliated youth. Research found that more gang affiliated youths recorded having more
SOURCE: Maxson, C. L., Matsuda, K. N., & Hennigan, K. (2011). “Deterrability” Among
Gang and Nongang Juvenile Offenders: Are Gang Members More (or Less) Deterrable Than
Other Juvenile Offenders? Crime & Delinquency, 57(4), 516–543.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128709343137
violent interactions than non-gang affiliated youths. It was found that youths involved
with gangs would have almost a double chance of matching the criteria for being
diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Keirig et al (2016) says, “However,
evidence also suggests that the associations between delinquency and trauma are
reciprocal: Although trauma increases the risk for delinquency, involvement in antisocial
behavior also in turn increases the risk for traumatization through exposing youth to
violence (Begle et al., 2011)” (p. 2).
Evaluation Form
CONTENT ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES
Professor Presley
Liberty University
1. ISSUE What things can be a deterrence for gang
members
2. CONTENT: Journal Article
3. SAMPLE Sage Journals
4. CODE WORDS Gangs-23
Deter-123
Youth- 71
Future-29
5. FINDINGS/ANALYSIS Overall negative
We found evidence of weak negative
effects (p.20)
We find no significant effects
on future offending from the loss of respect
(p.21)
6. CONCLUSION We find little support for the notion that
more punitive laws
targeting gang members will deter their
intentions to offend in the future.
(p.22)
SOURCE: Walker, D., & Cesar, G. T. (2020). Examining the “Gang Penalty” in the Juvenile
Justice System: A Focal Concerns Perspective. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 18(4),
315–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204020916238
1. ISSUE Gang membership affecting sentencing
2. CONTENT:
Journal Article
3. SAMPLE ACJS
4. CODE WORDS Juvenile –130
Crime-42
Incarceration-118
Penalty-15
Justice-76
5. FINDINGS/ANALYSIS Overall negative
But no research has demonstrated that
incarceration is a protective factor for
youth who are placed in custody. (p. 17)
That self-reported gang members would
receive harsher punishment than non-gang-
involved members (p. 6)
6. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we found support for a gang
penalty in the sentencing of juveniles for
serious crimes. (p. 22)
Evaluation Form
NAME: Halee Moriarty Date: 10-27-21
Reference Citation in APA format
Gatti, U., Tremblay, R. E., Vitaro, F., & McDuff, P. (2005). Youth gangs, delinquency and
drug use: a test of the selection, facilitation, and enhancement hypotheses. Journal of
Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 46(11), 1178–1190.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.00423.x
1. OUTLINE: Use the exact titles and Introduction
subtitles used in the article Methods
Use alphanumeric style Participants
I. (APA level 1)
A. (APA level 2)
1. (APA level 3)
a. (APA level 4)
(1) (APA level 5)
II. (APA level 1) and so on
Instruments and Procedures
Gang membership
Delinquency and Drug Use
Control Variables
Sociodemographic information
Disruptive Behavior
General Delinquency
Parental Supervision
Friends Deviancy
School Difficulties
Results
Selection, facilitation, or enhancement model
Person offences
Property offences
Drug sales
Drug use
Gang membership and risk factors
Discussion
Acknowledgements
References
2. PURPOSE: (Cite, as accurately as
possible, the author’s purpose for writing
the article. What was the research
question?) Explanatory, evaluative,
exploratory or descriptive
Was a theory or theoretical
perspective presented?
[Abstract, summary, conclusion]
Youths who belonged to a gang displayed
rates of delinquent behaviour that were two or
three times higher than those who did not
belong to a
gang; drug use was three or four times higher,
police
arrests were four times higher, and there
were four
times more appearances in the Juvenile
Courts at 15 years of age, and seven times
more at 16 years of
Age. (p. 10)
3. KEYWORDS: (Keywords)
[Keywords after the abstract] or
KEY QUESTION: (Your goal is to figure
out the key question that was in the
author’s mind when he
Keywords: Adolescence, antisocial
behavior, delinquency, peer
relationships, substance use, gangs.
The key question is why youth gang members
are more likely to commit crimes than their
non-gang affiliated counter parts.
READING AND EVALUATING PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL LITERATURE
Professor Presley
Liberty University
or she wrote the article. In other words,
what key question is addressed?)
[the key issue is…., the main point is…]
4. LITERATURE REVIEW
(Identify the most important and relevant
studies, prior literature)
“Some earlier European studies found that
belonging to a gang did not elicit higher rates
of delinquency (Morash, 1983), while others
[Introduction, previous literature
says, other studies]
concluded that the stereotype of the violent
gang could aggrav-ate or induce deviant
behaviour in groups that were not originally
involved in delinquency (Cohen, 1980)”
(p.10)
5. MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Key transitions
Transition signals
Addition-also, another, next, first, other
Cause and effect-because, since,
therefore, as a result
Comparison-like, equally, just as
“Similarly, among youths who did not
belong to a gang during the first period, the
delinquency rate increased on joining the
gang” p. 6
“Despite important differences in the cultural
Contrast-but, yet, on the contrary,
however Emphasis-most, above all, key
factor, especially
Illustration-for example, for instance
Conclusion – finally, in sum, in
conclusion
characteristics of the participants, our findings
are similar to the results obtained in the
Rochester Youth Development Study
(Thornberry et al., 1993),the Seattle Social
Development Project (Hill, Lui, &Hawkins,
2001), and the Denver Youth Study (Es-
bensen & Huizinga, 1993)” p. 10
“Finally, it must be noted that these
conclusions are based on correlational data. “
p. 11
“More recently, however, youth gangs have
come under greater scrutiny outside the USA,
and researchers are now wondering whether
the phe-nomenon has been hitherto
underestimated (Klein,1997; Klein, Kerner,
Maxson, & Weitekamp, 2001).” p. 1
“However, Thornberry later (1998) found
that, in addition to a strong facilitation effect,
a weaker selection effect was also present.” p.
1
“There is therefore an age or period effect
underlying a certain increment in drug sales,
regardless of the group effect.” p.7
“But joining the gang exacerbates their
deviant behaviour.” p. 1
“but that their prevalence and individual
offending rates were higher during the actual
years of membership (Esbensen & Huizinga,
1993)” p. 2
“but that their prevalence and individual
offending rates were higher during the actual
years of membership (Esbensen & Huizinga,
1993)” p. 8
6. METHODOLOGY(Key methods used)
[Methods: What model is used, what is the
experimental design, our data was from,
Are there any
stated hypothesis? If so what are the
independent of dependent variables?
What are the units of analysis (sample)?
Were there any instruments used? Was
this a cross sectional or longitudinal design
or other design like experiment, survey, or
observation? What are the sample
characteristics-selection, participation
rate?]
A longitudinal study was conducted.
The control variables are the socioeconomic
factors, general delinquency, the disruptive
behaviors and the parental supervision.
READING AND EVALUATING PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL LITERATURE
Professor Presley
Liberty University
7. RESULTS/DISCUSSION (Tables, data,
graphical representations, meaning)
[Results: Were there any causal
assertions? Did data support the
conclusions or
assertions? the results show, Table 1 shows]
Table one show the mean frequency of self-
reported delinquency for gang members and
non-gang members.
8. LIMITATIONS/DISCUSSION
(Limitations of the study)
[Limitations, Discussion: One limitation of
our study is, other
“Long-term follow-up of youth in such
experiments will give a better indication of
the effect of gang membership than
longitudinal studies without randomised
limitations, Other studies show…] experiments.” p. 11
9. CONCLUSION
(The main conclusion(s) of the author(s))
[Conclusion: In summary, Finally, In
conclusion, Future studies?]
“Conclusion: Preventing the creation and
participation in such gangs should reduce the
frequency of antisocial behaviour during
adolescence.” p.1
10. YOUR OPINION OF THE PAPER I think the paper is a positive influence on the
knowledge about gang influence on kids. It
gives good depth to what factors really
influence the prevalence of joining a gang..
