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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for female gang members
15 results foundAuthor: Firmin, Carlene Title: Female Voice in Violence Project: A Study Into the Impact of Serious Youth and Gang Violence on Women and Girls Summary: The Female Voice in Violence Project report draws on face-to-face research with 352 friends, relatives, victims or perpetrators of gangs and gang violence. Ranging in age from 13-52, the experiences of these women and girls highlight lessons for policy makers and those working to prevent serious youth violence. The research highlighted concerns about the lack of appropriate services available to those females caught up in gangs, the use of sexual violence by gang members, and the impact of serious violence on their sexual and mental health. It highlights ways of supporting women and girls to exit the lifestyle and culture of serious violence - whether as sisters, mothers or girlfriends of gang members, or gang members themselves. The role of local, regional and national policy in supporting this agenda is also examined. Details: London: Race on the Agenda (ROTA), 2010. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2010 at: http://www.rota.org.uk/downloads/FVV%20PARTNERSHIP%20REPORT%20FINAL_no%20case%20studies.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.rota.org.uk/downloads/FVV%20PARTNERSHIP%20REPORT%20FINAL_no%20case%20studies.pdf Shelf Number: 120403 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Sexual Violence |
Author: Hoogland, Michelle Title: Gangs, Girls and Sexual Exploitation in British Columbia: Community Consultation Paper Summary: In late 2009, the Abbotsford Youth Commission was contacted by Victim Services and Crime Prevention, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (MPSSG) to undertake a literature review and community consultation to explore why and how girls become involved in gangs in British Columbia, what their roles are, and the potential links to sexual exploitation. This paper consists of six main sections: an overview of the scope, key terms and methodology used in developing the paper; background and context out of which this discussion paper was initiated; a thematic analysis of key linkages between girls, gangs and sexual exploitation found in both the literature and community consultations; prevention and intervention models from both the literature and community consultations; a brief discussion of gaps in the current information available on this subject and possible next steps; and a conclusion. The major findings of this review are that little research is available on the involvement of girls in gangs in British Columbia, and the link between gang involvement and sexual exploitation. However, existing research on sexual exploitation and youth gangs indicate that the risk factors for girls’ involvement in the two are similar. While much is known about the heightened risks facing Aboriginal youth, less is known about the situation for other cultural and ethnic groups of youth in British Columbia. A continuum of support services should be developed with sensitivity to the links between both issues using culturally-relevant, gender-specific and relationship-based approaches. Additionally, more research is needed in order to fully understand the scope and nature of this issue in the lives of girls in British Columbia. Details: Abbotsford, BC: Abbotsford Youth Commission, 2010. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-girls-sexual-exploitation.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/docs/gang-prevention-girls-sexual-exploitation.pdf Shelf Number: 125975 Keywords: Female Gang MembersSexual ExploitationYouth Gangs (Canada) |
Author: Khan, Lorraine Title: A Need to Belong: What Leads Girls to Join Gangs Summary: This report follows the largest study of its kind, analysing risk factors related to offending from more than 8,000 young people screened as part of the newly developed youth point of arrest health screening initiative. Entrants to the youth justice system were screened for 28 different risk factors and health issues including histories of poor mental health, family conflict, homelessness and victimisation. On average, young women involved with gangs had more than double the number of vulnerabilities than the other girls who were screened after arrest. The results of the screening shows clear evidence of the psychological vulnerability of gang involved young women. Just over a quarter were identified as having a suspected mental health problem and 30% were identified as self-harming or at risk of suicide. Details: London: Centre for Mental Health, 2013 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 22, 2013 at: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/A_need_to_belong.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/pdfs/A_need_to_belong.pdf Shelf Number: 128783 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangs (U.K.)Mental Health |
Author: Centre for Social Justice Title: Girls and Gangs Summary: This report shines a light on the harrowing reality of gang life for girls and young women. In conducting this research, the CSJ and XLP have engaged with a wide range of individuals and organisations involved in gangs from across the UK, drawing on the expertise of the CSJ's 350-strong Alliance of poverty-fighting charities. We spoke to many girls and young women who are or have been gang-associated and more than 30 organisations working to tackle gang problems. The stories we have heard shocked us, and reveal a parallel world that too few policy makers understand. We have heard about the toll gang life is taking on their education, and their families, friends and communities; the horror of sexual exploitation; and of an increase in criminal activity. Yet we also found several things that can be done to help girls exit gang association such as mapping the problem, and taking advantage of specific 'windows of opportunity' to access girls. We hope that this research gives policy makers and community leaders an insight into a world that has been long-neglected, and empowers them to help support girls to exit gang association. Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2014. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2014 at: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/Girls-and-Gangs-FINAL-VERSION.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/Girls-and-Gangs-FINAL-VERSION.pdf Shelf Number: 132044 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Scott, Terri-Lynne Title: Women Gang Inmates: A Profile Summary: Why we did this study Gangs pose a risk to the safety and security of both the correctional facilities where they serve their sentence, and the communities upon release. The rise in the number of women entering federal custody with gang affiliations, up 85% since 1997, suggests there is an important need to generate a profile of gang-involved women so effective gang management and intervention strategies can be developed. What we did All data were extracted from the Correctional Service of Canada's (CSC) Offender Management System (OMS) for all women gang-affiliated or gang members admitted to the CSC between 1978 and 2009. A comparison sample was generated by matching non-affiliated federal women offenders on sentence length and age. The resulting sample included 337 gang involved women inmates and 337 non-gang involved women inmates. What we found Compared with the non-gang group, women gang-involved inmates typically had more extensive criminal histories, static risk and dynamic risk (needs), lower motivation and reintegration potential, and poor institutional adjustment indicated by involvement in institutional incidents and involuntary segregation. At intake, gang-involved women were more likely to be rated as as medium or maximum security level. In addition, many of the gang-involved women had both prior youth and adult convictions, and had previously served a sentence of up to 4 years. Specific needs in the areas of procriminal attitudes and associates, which translated into difficulties within the institution as increased violent incidents and disruptive behaviour were found for the gang group more often. These women also participated in more core corretional programs for violent offenders, substance abuse, education, living skills, and womens programs than their non-gang involved counterparts. What it means Gang-involved women offenders have more serious criminal histories and are more disruptive in the institution. Identification of high level's of criminogenic needs among these women suggests that program participation and interventions that encourage program participation with resistant offenders might be areas that would lead to effective reductions in gang membership. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2012. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. R-272: Accessed May 15, 2014 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0272-eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0272-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132369 Keywords: Female Gang MembersFemale InmatesFemale Offenders (Canada)Prison Gangs |
Author: Santacruz-Giralt, Maria Title: Summary: The lives and situation of the women in the maras or gangs is a dimension that has been, to date, explored little by empirical research and, in general, little is known about it in civil society. Stereotypes and social images that have been built up around them are, in essence, masculine. The socio-cultural identities prevalent in the social imaginaries are those of young men that are covered in tattoos, are extremely violent and are linked to delinquent activities. Actually, although El Salvador has advanced in its understanding of the phenomenon, from the perspective of academic research, most of the studies have focused their sights on the analysis of its characteristics, the group logic, and the violent social dynamics that are built up within these organizations. The emphasis on these aspects has given rise to great voids in terms of the factors that pressure girls and adolescents to join these groups, the conditions they are inserted in, and the ruptures and contradictions they face once they have joined. The IUDOP, based on a line of investigation about juvenile violence developed since 1996, has sought in most of its research to reveal the gender differences that exist inside these groups, considering the limitations imposed by the study of groups where there are enormous disparities between men and women. In this sense, this approach to the lives of a group of women gang-members who have been deprived of liberty, from the perspective of qualitative research, has made it possible to penetrate the subjective aspects of their lives, and firmly denude the circles of violence, exclusion, oppression, and abandon that they are exposed to from early childhood. The analysis of these personal stories and their life experiences offer clues to the complex processes of group socialization experienced by the girls and adolescents who comprise the gangs, and the breakages with their families and the rest of society following their membership in these groups. Likewise, this paper shows the gains and profit that these groups offer them, in a context of multiple shortages and weaknesses, but above all, the multiple vulnerabilities and risks the adolescents and youth are subjected to once they have entered the gangs. With this as a background, the paper that is being shared presently offers a first approximation to the life and role of the women in these groups, based on their own life experiences and personal stories, in order to contribute to formulating policy that addresses differentially the needs and risks faced by the girls and youth that are inserted in these aggregations. Details: San Salvador: The University Institute of Public Opinion (Instituto Universitario de Opinion Publica-IUDOP), 2010. 400p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 25, 2015 at: http://www.uca.edu.sv/publica/iudop/libros/SegIN.pdf Year: 2010 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.uca.edu.sv/publica/iudop/libros/SegIN.pdf Shelf Number: 134670 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGang-Related ViolenceGangs (El Salvador)HomicidesYouth Gangs |
Author: Southgate, Jessica Title: Seeing differently: Working with girls affected by gangs Summary: While concern has grown in recent years about the extent of gang activity in Britain, the ways in which girls and young women are affected tends to be overlooked, simplified or distorted. Where attention is given to girls' involvement they tend to be depicted either as violent, out of control perpetrators or as vulnerable victims; reflective of a wider tendency to cast girls who offend in a 'false dichotomy' between the extremes of 'autonomous actors' or 'passive subjects' (Batchelor, 2009a). Through experience of working in organisations delivering gender-specific services to young women, I know these representations to be simplistic and rarely reflective of the complexity or reality of girls' lives. One pertinent example of the representation of gang-associated girls is the case of Samantha Joseph, dubbed the "honeytrap killer" for her involvement in the murder of Shakilus Townsend in 2008. Media coverage of the trial fixated primarily on her involvement and responsibility for "luring" Townsend to the place of his death at the hands of seven gang-associated boys. As has been noted in other media representations of women involved in murder cases (Jones & Wardle, 2008), Joseph's picture was shown more regularly and prominently than those of her male co-defendants, suggesting her ultimate responsibility. Despite some coverage which reported Joseph's boyfriend Danny McLean (for whom she had agreed to 'get Shak set' (Clements, 2009)) to have been neglectful and abusive towards her (Bird, 2009), little critical analysis was given to her role, motivation or potentially constrained choices. Both the current and previous Governments have taken a range of actions in an attempt to reduce gang activity and serious youth violence, including the "Tackling Knives and Serious Youth Violence Action Programme" (TKAP), the introduction of gang injunctions, specific funding to tackle "knife, gun and gang" related violence, and a cross-sector Ending Gang Violence team. These measures tended to have been developed without consideration of girls' and women's experiences, however, resulting in a context where they 'fall straight through the gaps at best, and at worst have their situations exacerbated, or their risk increased, due to a lack of consideration for their experiences' (ROTA, 2010:17). The recently published "Ending Gang and Youth Violence" report (HM Government, 2011b) makes a number of references to girls, and when published the Home Secretary was keen to stress that the strategy would have a "new focus" on girls and young women "caught up in gang-related rape and abuse" (Hansard, 2011). The strategy committed money to specialist sexual abuse services for gang-affected young women, and referenced positive outcomes specific to girls and young women, including increased self-esteem, early referral to support services, and reduced sexual assault, exploitation and forced miscarriage. Alongside other indications that policy-makers are considering girls' needs more, this is a step to be welcomed, however, the degree to which this translates to a shift in public discourse or enhanced local service provision remains to be seen. In comparison to the priorities outlined by practitioners I spoke to for this research, gaps in delivering appropriate support to girls and young women remain unaddressed, including having sufficient staff support or expertise, an appropriate balance between prevention, intervention and support services, and addressing attitudes that enable a culture in which violence against girls and women is permissible. Details: London: The Griffins Society, 2011. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper 2011/02: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research_Paper_2011_02_(updated_May_2012).pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research_Paper_2011_02_(updated_May_2012).pdf Shelf Number: 129824 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsGender-Specific ProgramsYouth Violence |
Author: Greater London Authority Title: Strategic Framework for Responding to Gang-Associated Women and Girls Summary: The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) has developed this strategic framework to support London boroughs and agencies in devising their strategic and operational responses to young women and girls involved in or associated to criminal gangs. It has been developed in response to calls from London partner agencies for greater clarity on how to confront this serious problem which until recently had received very little attention. To date, approaches to tackling gang violence have been centred on the experiences and needs of men and boys. The Mayor has made a commitment to improve the way agencies identify and respond to gang-associated women and girls. This framework suggests ways in which local areas can start to tackle these issues. This is not intended to be a prescriptive and definitive guide on how to respond to gang associated women and girls. Approaches to girls and gangs are still in the early stages of development and we need more evidence about what works in practice. This document is a first step in attempting to develop a strategic response to these complex issues. It will provide pointers, checklists and minimum standards for local areas embarking upon this area of work so that London responds more effectively and consistently to gang-associated young women and girls. Details: London: MOPAC, 2013. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Gangs%20and%20girls_strategic%20framework.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Gangs%20and%20girls_strategic%20framework.pdf Shelf Number: 136419 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Nimmo, Melanie Title: The "Invisible" Gang Members: A Report on Female Gang Association in Winnipeg Summary: This study is based on twenty-four interviews conducted in 1998 with representatives of different agencies in Manitoba (including criminal justice, inner-city schools, social services and community groups) whose job involves intervening in the lives of gang women. In-depth interviews explored the respondents' experiences with, understanding of and responses to gang women. These second-hand accounts of female gang affiliation contribute to the task of making the social and material circumstances of female gang member more visible. Consistent with previous research on female gang members (and traditional criminological research on male gang members), respondents in this study suggest that female gang members typically come from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, survive "dysfunctional" childhoods, have suffered extensive abuse, live in the deteriorating inner-city areas, and are predominantly Aboriginal - that is to say, from a marginalized ethnic group. Gang life satisfies some of the unmet needs of these women. It provides a sense of family and acceptance, it supplies members with money, drugs and instant gratification, and it gives marginalized, alienated and disenfranchised women a sense of power. The comfort, excitement and clout that the gang provides may seem to be the best they can hop" for. The gang world is highly patriarchal - a "macho" environment characterized by male domination of power. As such, while gang affiliation provides a temporary relief from the pains of marginalization, gang women remain in situations that are dangerous and abusive. Female gang members have been largely overlooked in gang research and in prevention and intervention programming. They would benefit from flexible opportunities for educational and occupational training, positive, realistic role models to give them the encouragement and confidence to access those opportunities, and support for their own community involvement and responsibility. Currently most if not all of the gang strategies and programs in Manitoba are created with male gang members in mind, and may not necessarily meet the needs of female gang members. This neglect should be addressed and alternatives and opportunities developed specifically for gang women. Details: Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2001. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.apin.org/uploads/files/invisible-gang-members.pdf Year: 2001 Country: Canada URL: http://www.apin.org/uploads/files/invisible-gang-members.pdf Shelf Number: 136707 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Aulakh, Harpreet Kaur Title: The social and legal context of female youth crime : a study of girls in gangs Summary: Given the relative lack of information about female gang membership in Canada and the hidden nature of this population, a qualitative approach for understanding the lives of female gang members, through a life course perspective guided by feminist standpoint epistemology is utilized in this dissertation. The data for this study are obtained from interviews with fifteen girls and young women who claimed youth gang membership in their lives, from the cities of Saskatoon and Edmonton. .The critical feminist perspective serves as the theoretical framework for this study. It directs us to an understanding in which girls are regarded as active agents in their own lives and who are striving to better their lives albeit with the limited options available to them in the face of locally available constructions of opportunity and possibility. The analyses reflect the lived experiences of the respondents and illuminate the ways in which the personal troubles and daily lives of respondents are explicitly overshadowed by larger public issues. Through critical analysis, this study draws attention to the ways in which girls' experiences of ageism, racism, classism, and sexism interact, resulting in social exclusion, isolation from social institutions, and a subsequent involvement with youth gangs. The study reveals a heterogeneity of respondents' experiences especially with respect to being treated as equals by their male counterparts. From the analysis, it is evident that gangs are highly gendered groups in which gender hierarchies force girls to find ways both to create personas of toughness and independence through participation in violent activities yet also to display appropriate feminine behaviours of sexually non-promiscuous females. Importantly, the decisions to leave the gang are triggered by the negative affects of gang life. Once out of the gang, the girls under study seemed to refocus their efforts toward educational opportunities and obtaining job-related skills. In the end, my research indicates that awareness about the dangers of gang life including the negative consequences of gang membership need to form a core of prevention programs, especially those designed for younger girls and children. Details: Saskatoon: University of Saskatchewan, 2008. 241p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: http://ecommons.usask.ca/bitstream/handle/10388/etd-04072008-123725/Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://ecommons.usask.ca/bitstream/handle/10388/etd-04072008-123725/Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 136864 Keywords: Female Gang MembersFemale OffendersGangs |
Author: Kelly, Ashlin Title: Girls in Gangs: Listening to and Making Sense of Females' Perspectives of Gang Life Summary: This thesis is an exploratory qualitative study that seeks to capture some of the experiences and challenges faced by females who have been gang-involved, either directly or peripherally. A total of eleven interviews were completed with seven women who were either former members of a gang (directly involved) or knew and associated with male and female gang members (peripherally involved) in Canada. The thesis examines my participants' views of why women enter, persist and desist from gangs. My participants reported that girls join and stay in a gang primarily because they have a significant other who is a male gang member. A sense of kinship, financial dependency, and a lack of alternatives were cited as reasons for girls to join and persist in gangs. The main motivators for desisting were pregnancy, physical separation, treatment and hitting "rock bottom". The principal findings indicate that there is a gendered hierarchy within mixed gangs that enables males to maintain power and control over females, impacting girl's expectations, roles and responsibilities in a mixed gang. The significant social, psychological, physical and financial barriers to desistance are outlined and should be considered when devising programming to facilitate gang desistance for females. Furthermore, my participants stressed the need for comprehensive intervention initiatives that account for gender in order to help women desist safely and successfully. The study highlights that desisting from a gang can be a lifelong process, requiring ongoing support structures. The findings speak to the need to make the 'invisible' female gang members visible. Details: Ottawa: University of Ottawa, 2015. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 25, 2015 at: https://www.ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/10393/32202/1/Kelly_Ashlin_2015_thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://www.ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/10393/32202/1/Kelly_Ashlin_2015_thesis.pdf Shelf Number: 136879 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangs |
Author: Schmidt, Rachel Anne Title: No Girls Allowed? Recruitment and Gender in Colombia Armed Groups Summary: There are approximately 11,000-17,000 child combatants in Colombia, and women and girls are estimated to make up 25-50 percent of left-wing guerrilla units. Yet, females do not appear to have a strong presence in Colombian paramilitary groups or gangs. While some research exists on girl soldiers in Colombian guerrilla groups, there is currently very little research asking why so few females appear in other Colombian fighting factions. This paper suggests that girls do not deliberately select the guerrillas from a range of viable options, arguing instead that their choices are largely based on imperfect information, risk tolerance and proximity to groups willing to recruit them. The paper then proposes that if girls are not self-selecting into the FARC, it is the gatekeepers of the armed groups that decide whether or not to recruit girls and how to utilize them. Employing rebel recruitment theories from Weinstein (2007) and Kalyvas (2006), the paper examines whether their models of economic and social resources, collective and individual benefits, and proximity still apply when looking at the recruitment of girls. Details: Ottawa, ONT: Carleton University, Norman Peterson School of International Affairs, 2007. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: https://curve.carleton.ca/system/files/etd/6100dfba-4760-44cb-bbbc-38389c6541a6/etd_pdf/ffbd88a4d8c9ab522e93c5aad997989a/schmidt-nogirlsallowedrecruitmentandgenderincolombian.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Colombia URL: https://curve.carleton.ca/system/files/etd/6100dfba-4760-44cb-bbbc-38389c6541a6/etd_pdf/ffbd88a4d8c9ab522e93c5aad997989a/schmidt-nogirlsallowedrecruitmentandgenderincolombian.pdf Shelf Number: 136944 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangs Guerillas |
Author: Simon, Thomas R. Title: Changing Course: Preventing Gang Membership Summary: Youth gang membership is a serious and persistent problem in the United States. One in three local law enforcement agencies report youth gang problems in their jurisdictions. One in four high school freshmen report gangs in their schools. Limited resources at the national, state, tribal and local levels make it more important than ever that we make full use of the best available evidence and clearly demonstrate the benefit of strategies to prevent gang-joining. In acknowledgment of these realities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) formed a partnership to publish this book. It is critical that those who make decisions about resources - as well as those who work directly with youth, like teachers and police officers, community services providers and emergency department physicians - understand what the research evidence shows about how to prevent kids from joining gangs. The NIJ-CDC partnership drew on each agency's distinctive strengths: NIJ's commitment to enhancing justice and increasing public safety is matched by CDC's dedication to health promotion and prevention of violence, injury and disability. By combining perspectives, lessons and evidence from public safety and public health, NIJ and CDC provide new insights into the complex problems of gangs and gang membership. Public health and public safety workers who respond to gang problems know that after-the-fact efforts are not enough. An emergency department doctor who treats gang-related gunshot wounds or a police officer who must tell a mother that her son has been killed in a drive-by shooting are likely to stress the need for prevention - and the complementary roles that public health and law enforcement must play - in stopping violence before it starts. Given our shared commitment to informing policy and practice with the best available evidence of what works, CDC and NIJ brought together some of the nation's top public health and criminal justice researchers to present core principles for gang-membership prevention. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2013. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/239234.pdf Shelf Number: 130002 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionFemale Gang MembersGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Wolf, Angela M. Title: Girls and Gangs: improving Our Understanding and Ability to Respond: Executive Summary Summary: From 2012 to 2015, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) conducted research in California to examine the individual, family, and community factors involved in girls' experiences with and desistance from gangs and gang-related crime. The goals of NCCD's study included identifying girls' reasons for joining gangs, their experiences and activities related to gang involvement, and their motivations and strategies for transitioning away from gangs.This executive summary presents key findings from NCCD's interviews with 114 gang-involved girls. It also provides recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and others who are interested in improving outcomes for gang-involved girls. Details: Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2017. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2017 at: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/Girls%20and%20Gangs%20Executive%20Summary.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/Girls%20and%20Gangs%20Executive%20Summary.pdf Shelf Number: 147484 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangsJuvenile Gangs |
Author: Kolb, Abigail Faye Title: In or Out?: The Impact of Discursive and Behavioural Performance on Identity Construction among Chicanas in Gangs Summary: Despite the growing interest in female gang membership, there is a gap in the literature regarding the continual identity shifts that occur throughout Chicana female gang association, affiliation, and, especially during the disengagement process. This study seeks to understand the ways in which formerly gang-affiliated Chicanas negotiate their experiences and interactions and how these are implicated in their understanding of their own subjectivity. The research was conducted through twenty-four unstructured interviews with formerly gang-affiliated Chicanas involved with a prominent gang prevention/intervention organization in the Boyle Heights neighbourhood of East Los Angeles, and through observations conducted within the organization and within the neighbourhood. The results demonstrate that identity is in a constant state of flux. The homegirls in this study were able to describe the ways in which their subjectivities have been (co)constructed in ways that were temporally and spatially relevant and how their interactions with the social environment, their communities, families, and their homeboys and homegirls were also implicated. Homegirls explained how their identities changed through different periods in their lives. From "doing gang" in their hoods and among their homeboys and homegirls, to performing gender and sexuality in prison, and then (re)constructing their raced, classed, and gendered identities as they negotiated the process of disengaging from the gang, participants demonstrated how their experiences and interactions played a role in their worldviews, the ways in which they understood their own subjectivities, and how these perceptions inform(ed) their decisions, both past and present. Many of the findings support the extant literature describing the role of discursive and behavioral expression(s) in the (co)construction of identity, on an individual level and for "others." Specifically, marginalized girls/women are subject to engaging in social practices in order to avoid rejection within their social milieu. The findings reveal that while gang-affiliated Chicanas do experience multiple forms of marginalization like many gang-affiliated girls/women, they have the added dimension of socio-cultural positioning. In other words, these women must actively negotiate the traditions, values, and expectations of two cultures: Mexican and American-a process that leads to a Chola identity and subculture. Details: Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser University, 2015. 228p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 8, 2018 at: http://summit.sfu.ca/item/15290 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://summit.sfu.ca/item/15290 Shelf Number: 150097 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGangsHomegirls |