Shared Endings? Comparing the Group Desistance Processes of Gang and Non-Gang Youth

• In Event: Joining and Leaving Gangs

Abstract

Prior research has documented that gang and non-gang youth differ on a number of risk factors and in offending behavior, suggesting that gang members are qualitatively different from their non-gang peers. Recent research on gang desistance suggests that, when leaving the gang, youth typically become disillusioned with gang life and begin to drift away from their gang friends, and, contrary to popular stereotypes, the desistance process typically occurs with little fanfare or consequences for the departing gang member. Of particular note is the general absence of violent exit rituals. These findings indicate that the process of leaving a gang may be similar to other peer group transitions. In this presentation we utilize qualitative interviews to examine similarities and differences in group desistance processes (e.g., motivations, methods, and consequences) among a multisite sample of 102 gang and 78 non-gang youth.

Authors

• Dena Carson, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis

• Finn-Aage Esbensen, University of Missouri - St. Louis