Testing Street Gang Typology in Philadelphia and Washington DC using Latent Class Analysis

• In Event: Understanding the Diverse Consequences of Gang Membership

Abstract

In 2013, more than 200 identified gang members from Philadelphia, PA, and Washington, DC, participated in the first wave of the “Connect Survey,” in which they were asked questions about their gangs, their behaviors, and their social networks. Around the world there is no singular definition of street gangs, but the Eurogang Network has attempted to create one definition for researchers. At the same time, there have been five gang typologies developed determining differences between specialty gangs and traditional gangs. This presentation examines the adequacy of the Eurogang Network’s survey measurement of gang members who participated in the Connect Survey, while also determining how the groups in Philadelphia and DC fit the typical typologies of gangs based on group size and territory. Latent class analysis was used to determine subtypes within the Connect Survey sample, focusing on Eurogang questions, behaviors related to drug dealing and violence, and group characteristics such as size of group and age of members to determine latent class group membership.

Authors

• Hannah Klein, Temple University

• Caterina Gouvis Roman, Temple University