Gangs, Peers, and Violence: Revisiting an Ongoing Debate

• In Event: Demystifying Gangs: Examining Gangs, Peers, and Culture

Abstract

Research consistently demonstrates that gang members engage in higher levels of violence than their non-gang peers. Despite this, the criminological debate over whether gangs represent a qualitatively distinct social entity or merely an intensified form of delinquent peer groups remains unresolved. Scholars such as Walter Miller and Mark Warr argued that gangs operate as delinquent peer groups with amplified effects, whereas Joan Moore and Malcolm Klein have contended that gangs possess unique characteristics that set them apart from peer groups. However, much of this discourse has been theoretical rather than empirical. This paper engages with this debate by leveraging multiple datasets to explore how peer and gang group characteristics and processes influence violent offending. While the datasets do not allow for a direct comparison of group processes, they provide a foundation for assessing whether different group contexts and characteristics shape violent behavior in distinct ways. By investigating this question, this study contributes a deeper understanding of the intersection between peer influence, gang dynamics, and violence, with implications for both theory and intervention efforts.

Authors

• Jennifer Tostlebe, University of Nebraska Omaha

• Jose Antonio Sanchez, Texas Christian University