Özet:

Gang membership and criminal activity continue to flourish in the US communities.There are approximately 1.4 million gang members in the USA operating in over 33,000 gang groups such as street gang, prison gang, outlaw motorcycle gang, and neighborhood/local street gang. Street gangs could be defined as criminal organizations formed on the street operating throughout the United States.This study examines the concepts of gang membership, gang delinquency/violence in the light of some selected theoretical approaches and models such as developmental and life course perspective, risk factors model, selection, social facilitation and enhancements models, theory of normative ambiguity, anomie/strain theory, control theories/social bonding theory, social learning theory, social disorganization theory, integrated theory, and organizational theory/network approach.It is not aimed to make in-depth analysis of each theoretical approach/model or list all findings in the literature; this study aims at explaining gang membership and violence by linking these concepts to selected theories and models.

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