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The Onset of (Euro)Gang Membership as a Turning Point in the Life Course

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Youth Gangs in International Perspective

Abstract

Even though gang-involved youth are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime, the processes accounting for this enhanced illegal activity are speculative. Employing a life-course perspective, we conceptualize the onset of gang membership as a turning point in the lives of youth. As such, we examine the association between onset of gang membership and changes in emotions, attitudes, and routine activities typically associated with delinquent behavior. Using prospective data from a multisite sample of over 1,400 youth, findings suggest that the onset of gang membership is associated with a substantial change in emotions, attitudes, routine activities, and delinquent behavior, consistent with the turning point framework.

*This is a revised version of a paper presented at the 2010 Eurogang Workshop in Neustadt/Weinstrasse, Germany. This research was funded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice, Award No. 2003-JN-FX-0003. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the US Department of Justice. Direct correspondence to Chris Melde, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 560 Baker Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Chris Melde

  2. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Finn-Aage Esbensen

Authors
  1. Chris Melde
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  2. Finn-Aage Esbensen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chris Melde .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Criminology and Criminal J, University of Missouri- St. Louis, University Blvd 1, St. Louis, 63121, Missouri, USA

    Finn-Aage Esbensen

  2. , Department of Criminology, Law, and Soci, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, 92697-7080, California, USA

    Cheryl L. Maxson

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Melde, C., Esbensen, FA. (2012). The Onset of (Euro)Gang Membership as a Turning Point in the Life Course. In: Esbensen, FA., Maxson, C. (eds) Youth Gangs in International Perspective. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1659-3_10

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