A Multi-Method, Multi-Site Study of Gang Desistance, United States, 2012 (ICPSR 36446)

Version Date: Dec 8, 2017

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Principal Investigator(s):
Finn-Aage Esbensen, Univeristy of Missouri - St. Louis

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36446.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

These data were collected as part of an effort to gain a more in depth understanding of the processes surrounding disengagement from a youth gang, and come from structured interviews with their parent or guardian. The interview included such topics as parental monitoring practices, attitudes about the youth's peer group, and perceptions about the neighborhood. Study participants lived in seven geographically diverse cities in the United States, making it one of few multi-site studies of gangs or gang members.

Citation

Esbensen, Finn-Aage. A Multi-Method, Multi-Site Study of Gang Desistance, United States, 2012. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2017-12-08. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36446.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2011-MU-MU-0027)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

None

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2012

Date of Collection

2012-05 -- 2012-08

Data Collection Notes

  1. These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  2. Related Data Collection:

    • Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, 2006-2011 [UNITED STATES], ICPSR 34899

  3. Data from the youth interview component is not available as part of this collection.

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Study Purpose

The project is a multi-method, multi-site study of gang desistance that expands on the longitudinal evaluation (2006 - 2011) of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program. The quantitative G.R.E.A.T. component includes six waves of data that were used to examine trends and patterns associated with gang desistance. The project's qualitative component consists of in-depth interviews with youth identified as gang members in the G.R.E.A.T. data. Study participants lived in seven geographically diverse cities in the United States. Structured interviews were conducted with parents with the main purpose to gain parental consent but also to obtain information regarding parental monitoring practices, attitudes about the youth's peer group, and perception about the neighborhood.

Study Design

Data collection took place during May through August of 2012 after most youth had finished their junior year (approximately 18 months after the last G.R.E.A.T. data collection). Given relatively high mobility rates, a number of techniques were used to locate youth, including sending letters via USPS, contacting neighbors and leasing offices, searching for a new address via the white pages, and social media (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter). Interviewers completed a two-day training prior to data collection. Once in the field, interviews were conducted between 10:30 a.m. and sundown (usually around 7:00 p.m.). To avoid interviewer fatigue, researchers conducted a maximum of three interviews per day and, to reduce potential interviewer effect, no interviewer completed more than 20 interviews in a site. Interviews were conducted and transcribed by the same researcher (when possible) using transcription software.

Sample

Sample selection was purposive to include a range of youth who were stable, transient, recent, and distant gang members as well as youth who did not identify as being in a gang but fit the Eurogang criteria. The parents of these youth were interviewed for this study.

Time Method

Cross-sectional

Universe

Parents of students who were surveyed and interviewed as part of the second national G.R.E.A.T. evaluation and the Multi-Method, Multi-Site Study of Gang Desistance

Unit(s) of Observation

Individual

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Description of Variables

Variables describing the parent include age, race, marital status and education. Other variables describe opinions on and aspects of their neighborhood, attitudes towards interpersonal respect and violence, and attitudes towards police officers. In addition, variables encoding responses regarding their child describe school habits, peers, and household dynamics.

Response Rates

Response rate for parents who participated in the study is 60.2%

Presence of Common Scales

A Likert-type scale was used.

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Original Release Date

2017-12-08

Version History

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:
  • Esbensen, Finn-Aage. A Multi-Method, Multi-Site Study of Gang Desistance, United States, 2012. ICPSR36446-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2017-12-08. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36446.v1
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Weight

None

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Notes

  • These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.