peer groups

Question 1

how do social lives of individuals change in adolescence

Answer 1

from age 12 on there is a dramatic increase in the time spent hanging out with friends and a decrease in supervision from authority figures. At this same time, we see a dramatic increase in delinquency this time- associating with delinquent friends is one of the strongest correlations of crime

Question 2

crime as a group phenomenon

Answer 2

• relationship between associating with delinquent friends and one’s own delinquency is particularly strong for juveniles
• adolescent delinquency tends to be a group phenomenon- depending on the crime, between 50%-90% of crimes are committed with at least one other person
• most delinquent acts show some evidence of spontaneity- adolescents do not engage in long-term planning when with others

Question 3

peers and the three elements of causality

Answer 3

• statistical association
• temporal ordering
• ceterus parabius (all else is ruled out)

Question 4

statistical association

Answer 4

• associating with delinquent friends is one of the strongest correlates of crime- this is a fact of crime and is not disputed
• also evidence that individuals engage in the same crime types as their friends

Question 5

temporal ordering

Answer 5

some argue that delinquent tendencies precede associating with delinquent peers
- however research indicates that associating with delinquent friends tends to precede the onset of delinquency
- evidence of reciprocal effects

Question 6

why/how do peers matter

Answer 6

• normative influence
  -situational opportunities
  -rewards/threat of losses in status

Question 7

gangs

Answer 7

• prior research has indicated that gang members are at particularly high risk of engaging in crime
• there are a number of misconceptions and concerns exist with gang literature

Question 8

what is a gang member

Answer 8

• a durable group whose involvement in illegal activity is part of a group identity
• self report nominations

Question 9

what we know about adolescent gangs and gang members

Answer 9

• most adolescent gangs are not affiliated with “known” gangs, despite claims otherwise
• gangs and gang membership tend to be short-lived and lonely organized
• females are not excluded from gangs but tend to have a different image/role