To gang or not to gang? The role of perceived costs and benefits in the procedural justice and gang membership relationship

• In Event: Eurogang WG Session

Abstract

Objective: Procedural justice has been linked to several outcomes such as conformity and violence. In this research, we explain how procedural justice affects the perceived costs and benefits of gang membership. We argue that the procedural justice and gang membership relationship can be explained by self-help behaviors.

Data and Methods: Using data from the Gang Resistance Education and Training evaluation (G.R.E.A.T; Esbensen et al,. 2016) (n=2643), a broad sample of youth nested in 31 schools across seven cities, we use structural equation modeling to examine the procedural justice and gang membership relationship through perceived costs and benefits.

Results: Our results suggest there is a positive association between procedural justice and gang membership, but the direct effect of this relationship becomes nonsignificant when the perceived costs and benefits of gang membership are in the model. We also find an indirect effect of the procedural injustice and gang membership relationship through these perceived costs and benefits

Conclusions: The results indicate that youth who perceive police as uncourteous, disrespectful, and unjust may discount the perceived costs of gang membership and embrace the perceived benefits. We discuss future directions for how low levels of procedural justice may enable self-help behaviors in individuals who feel the need to fend for themselves.

Authors

• Robert Geibler, The University of Texas at Dallas

• Jun Wu, Angelo State University

• Arthur Vasquez, The University of Texas at Dallas

• Andrew Krajewski, The University of Texas at Dallas