Description of Articles
(Bell, 2009) aims to identify whether males and females have similar risk factors when they join gangs. It utilizes quantitative methods to analyze characteristics such as parent-child relationships, community characteristics, and how different genders associate with deviant friends. The analysis gathers information from social control, feminist perspectives on crime, and social disorganization. The results obtained indicate that there are several factors that influence how girls and boys are involved in gangs. These factors include school safety, social control and involvement, race, age, and peer fighting.
(O’Neal, Decker, Moule Jr, & Pyrooz, 2016) tries to examine how gender influences the manner in which males and females leave gangs. The study collects data from 143 individuals by interviewing them. The individuals interviewed were former gang members drawn from Phoenix, AZ and Los Angeles, CA. The objectives of the study were to find out what motivated them to leave the gangs, what sources supported the individuals as they left, and the concerns and consequences the individuals had and faced as they left their gangs. From the results, more females had their families threatened by the gangs they left. Males were constantly harassed by the police after they exited the gangs. Generally, disengagements from the gangs were shaped by group processes regardless of gender.
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Similarities
Although the two studies have different objectives and take different approaches in their research methodologies, they have common aspects since the topic being addressed involves gangs and gender. Both studies have a section that highlights gender differences in gang membership. The arguments from the two are similar. For example, both studies agree that females join gangs because they come from disadvantaged neighborhoods and tend to seek connections to their mates who they will share an emotional relationship with. Members of female gangs, therefore, are more likely to come from families that are underprivileged, abusive, or both. Females, however, tend to be pushed into joining gangs whereas males join more willingly. Male gangs tend to consist of members that come from conventional working-class families.
Differences
The two studies apply different methodologies in their studies. While (Bell, 2009) takes a quantitative approach, (O’Neal, Decker, Moule Jr, & Pyrooz, 2016) utilizes a qualitative approach in the form of interviews. This certainly brings about a difference between the results obtained. (Bell, 2009) tends to be generalized whereas (O’Neal, Decker, Moule Jr, & Pyrooz, 2016) tends to factor in perspectives of individuals. For instance, (O’Neal, Decker, Moule Jr, & Pyrooz, 2016) states that risk factors for members of gangs are similar across genders whereas (Bell, 2009) differs. The latter indicates that the sources of risks for females are different from that of males. Furthermore, (O’Neal, Decker, Moule Jr, & Pyrooz, 2016) offers more insights into the factors that determine the behavior of females and males when in gangs and as they exist as compared to (Bell, 2009) which generalizes.
Conclusion
The two studies outlined and achieved their objectives well. However, there are loopholes that the two have and that may be addressed in future studies. For instance, a better study would combine both qualitative and quantitative research methods to get insights from all directions. This may be more expensive but will definitely help to draw more accurate results. Secondly, the gang members should be drawn from more diverse places and not only centralized to a small location. This would help to compare if the factors that affect gang members in different locations are similar.
References
Bell, K. E. (2009). Gender and gangs: A quantitative comparison. Crime & Delinquency , 55 (3), 363-387.
O’Neal, E. N., Decker, S. H., Moule Jr, R. K., & Pyrooz, D. C. (2016). Girls, gangs, and getting out: Gender differences and similarities in leaving the gang. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice , 14 (1), 43-60.
