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Contribution to Book
Leaving the Gang: A Review and Thoughts on Future Research
The Handbook of Gangs
  • Dena C Carson, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
  • J. Michael Vecchio, Loyola University Chicago
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
9-1-2015
Pages
257-275
Publisher Name
Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher Location
New York, NY
Abstract

Researchers have examined aspects of gangs and their members for almost a century. This work, however, focuses primarily on youth prior to joining as well as during gang involvement. While comparatively less is known about the leaving processes, work in this area has been increasing in recent years. This chapter will discuss the growing body of research on the processes associated with leaving the gang. Specifically, it will review difficulties associated with defining gang desistance, theoretical perspectives on desistance, variations in motives, methods, and consequences of leaving, barriers to desistance, as well as make recommendations for policy and future research.

Identifier
9781118726877
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
Citation Information
Carson, Dena C., and J. Michael Vecchio. 2015. Leaving the gang: A review and thoughts on future research. In The Wiley Handbook of Gangs, eds. Scott H. Decker and David C. Pyrooz, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.