| ID | 188098 |
| Title Proper | Comparative Study of Initial Involvement in Gangs and Political Extremism |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Becker, Michael H |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | There is a paucity of research comparing gang members and domestic extremists and extant studies find few explicit linkages. Despite this, there remains a great deal of interest in possible similarities between these criminal groups. Driving this interest is the possibility of adapting policies and practices aimed at preventing entry into criminal groups. A critical first step to determining compatibility is to examine the circumstances of the individuals who enter these organizations and better describe the entry processes. This study provides a unique comparison of entry into these groups by drawing on four broad empirically derived mechanisms of group entry using forty-five in-person interviews of U.S. gang members and thirty-eight life history narratives of individuals who radicalized in the United States. Our results reveal that each of the four conceptual categories appeared to influence initial involvement; however, no single mechanism described involvement in criminal groups or differentiated involvement across the gangs and extremist groups. |
| `In' analytical Note | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol. 34, No.5-8; Jul-Nov 2022: p.1647-1664 |
| Journal Source | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol: 34 No 5-8 |
| Key Words | Gangs ; Violent Extremism ; Criminal Groups ; Terrorismentry Processes |