Gang Violence And Victimization Essay

Generally, the consensus among researchers is that gang members have high victimization rates. Gang members are victimized more often than non-gang members and are more likely to endure violent victimization than non-gang members (Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, & Peterson, 2007). Specifically, gang members have a higher chance of being victimized by dating violence, sexual assault, and violent victimization than non-gang members (Rufino, Fox, & Kercher, 2012). This conclusion is consistent with studies by Peterson, Taylor, and Esbensen (2004) and Taylor et al. (2007), which also found that gang members undergo more victimization than non-gang members. Despite the higher rates of victimization among gang members, many individuals join gangs for protection, and think they can keep themselves safe

The relationship between gang violence and victimization among youth and females will also be explored. To discover the link between gang violence and victimization and the factors that play a role in higher risks of victimization among gang members, a total of sixteen sources will be analyzed, and connections between these sources will be observed. Given the established correlation between gang membership and victimization, I anticipate that highest rates of victimization will be during gang membership, rather than before or after gang membership. The roles of female gang members further induce me to hypothesize that females will encounter more forms of victimization than male gang members. Policy implications indicate that gang membership may not be intrinsically linked with an elevated risk of violent victimization, and there is a need for alternative approaches for gang control in order to decrease violent victimization in neighbourhoods where rival gangs are