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Changes in Personal Social Networks across Individuals Leaving Their Street Gang: Just What Are Youth Leaving Behind?

Author

Listed:
  • Caterina G. Roman

    (Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA)

  • Meagan Cahill

    (RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA 22202, USA)

  • Lauren R. Mayes

    (Department of Criminology, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5, Canada)

Abstract

Despite a small but growing literature on gang disengagement and desistance, little is known about how social networks and changes in networks correspond to self-reported changes in street gang membership over time. The current study describes the personal or “ego” network composition of 228 street gang members in two east coast cities in the United States. The study highlights changes in personal network composition associated with changes in gang membership over two waves of survey data, describing notable differences between those who reported leaving their gang and fully disengaging from their gang associates, and those who reported leaving but still participate and hang out with their gang friends. Results show some positive changes (i.e., reductions) in criminal behavior and many changes toward an increase in prosocial relationships for those who fully disengaged from their street gang, versus limited changes in both criminal behavior and network composition over time for those who reported leaving but remained engaged with their gang. The findings suggest that gang intervention programs that increase access to or support building prosocial relationships may assist the gang disengagement process and ultimately buoy desistance from crime. The study also has implications for theorizing about gang and crime desistance, in that the role of social ties should take a more central role.

Suggested Citation

  • Caterina G. Roman & Meagan Cahill & Lauren R. Mayes, 2021. "Changes in Personal Social Networks across Individuals Leaving Their Street Gang: Just What Are Youth Leaving Behind?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:10:y:2021:i:2:p:39-:d:487119
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pyrooz, David C. & Decker, Scott H., 2011. "Motives and methods for leaving the gang: Understanding the process of gang desistance," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 417-425.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bright, David & Whelan, Chad & Jones, Callum & Edson-Wilkinson, Kelly, 2025. "The utility of social network analysis to examine conflict and collaboration across boundaries: A review and research agenda for Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Gravel, Jason & Bouchard, Martin, 2025. "The tangled history of social network analysis and gang research—A long way from Street Corner Society," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    3. Wong, Jennifer S. & Lee, Chelsey, 2025. "Promoting disengagement: Effects of a gang intervention and exiting Program on negative police contacts," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. Matthew Valasik & Shannon E. Reid, 2021. "“The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same”: Research on Gang-Related Violence in the 21st Century—Introduction to Special Issue," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-5, June.
    5. Roman, Caterina G. & Nguyen, Thuy-Trinh, 2025. "Beyond the collective: Personal networks in the study of street gang processes," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).

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