Explaining the directionality of gang violence with court records

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12936643
AutoresGisela Bichler (0000-0001-8686-9353, California State University, San Bernardino, autor correspondente), Alexis Norris (California State University, San Bernardino), Citlalik Ibarra (California State University, San Bernardino)
Ano2021
Volume13
Fascículo2/3
Páginas83-95
Data de publicação2021-05-28
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1759-6599 • E-ISSN: 2042-8715
EditoraEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/jacpr-11-2020-0558
OpenAlexW3167963769
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas6
Referências citadas23

Purpose Studies of gang violence typically use police reports to investigate the structure of gang conflict, but overreliance on a singular data source could impede crime control efforts. Extending networked criminology, this study aims to explore what court records reveal about the directionality of gang conflicts. Design/methodology/approach Controlling for the presence of a civil gang injunction (CGI), the authors use multivariate quadratic assignment procedure regression models to disentangle factors thought to account for structural patterns of gang violence mapped from 933 prosecutions involving 307 gangs associated with violent conflict affecting the City of Los Angeles (1998–2013). Specifically, the authors compare competitive advantage to the explanatory power of turf proximity. Findings One measure of turf proximity outperforms all other explanatory factors – gangs with turf centrally positioned in a turf adjacency matrix are significantly more likely to launch attacks, be victimized and exhibit the highest levels of imbalance in their violent involvements. Regarding competitive advantage, the number of cliques and level of internal conflict are significant. Finally, being subject to a CGI is associated with initiating violence. Originality/value Court cases offer a feasible alternative to police data when investigating patterns of intergroup street gang violence

Computer security · Criminology · Explanatory power · Originality · Value (mathematics · Computer Science · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Psychology · Social Psychology