Predicting involvement in prison gang activity: street gang membership, social and psychological factors

Journal article

Wood, J., Alleyne, E., Ozcakir Mozova, K. and James, M. 2014. Predicting involvement in prison gang activity: street gang membership, social and psychological factors. Law and Human Behavior. 38 (3), pp. 203-211. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000053
AuthorsWood, J., Alleyne, E., Ozcakir Mozova, K. and James, M.
Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine whether street gang membership, psychological factors, and social factors such as pre-prison experiences could predict young offenders’ involvement in prison gang activity.

Data were collected via individual interviews with 188 young offenders held in a Young Offenders Institution in the United Kingdom.

Results showed that psychological factors such as the value individuals attached to social status, a social dominance orientation, and antiauthority attitudes were important in predicting young offenders’ involvement in prison gang activity. Further important predictors included pre-imprisonment events such as levels of threat, levels of individual delinquency, and levels of involvement in group crime. Longer current sentences also predicted involvement in prison gang activity. However, street gang membership was not an important predictor of involvement in prison gang activity.

These findings have implications for identifying prisoners involved in prison gang activity and for considering the role of psychological factors and group processes in gang research.

Year2014
JournalLaw and Human Behavior
Journal citation38 (3), pp. 203-211
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association
ISSN0147-7307
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000053
Publication dates
PrintJun 2014
Publication process dates
Deposited02 Oct 2018
Output statusPublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/88wx7/predicting-involvement-in-prison-gang-activity-street-gang-membership-social-and-psychological-factors

  • 164
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Justice professionals' perceptions of trauma informed supervision: a possible solution to the impact of trauma
O'Neill, Catherine and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2024. Justice professionals' perceptions of trauma informed supervision: a possible solution to the impact of trauma. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-05-2024-0036
Public protection and victims and witnesses
Dickens, T. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2024. Public protection and victims and witnesses. in: Wood, D., Bradshaw, S., Dickens, T. and Parker-Mcleod, J. (ed.) Blackstone's Handbook for Policing Students Oxford University Press.
Bonds in gangs: understanding the importance of group processes within street gangs
Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2023. Bonds in gangs: understanding the importance of group processes within street gangs. in: Psychology of Gang Involvement Abingdon Routledge.
Facility dogs in UK courtrooms: Public perspective
Dempster, Tammy, Spruin, Liz and Mozova, Katarina 2022. Facility dogs in UK courtrooms: Public perspective. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice. 24 (3), pp. 314-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2022.2133662
Preventing and countering CSE in SE Kent school-based peer mentorship schemes
Bryant, R., Christie, S., Heaton, R., Ozcakir Mozova, K. and Ms Becky Thomson 2020. Preventing and countering CSE in SE Kent school-based peer mentorship schemes.
The use of facility dogs to bridge the justice gap for survivors of sexual offending
Spruin, E., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Dempster, T. and Freeman, R. 2020. The use of facility dogs to bridge the justice gap for survivors of sexual offending. Social Sciences. 9 (6). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9060096
Facility dogs as a tool for building rapport and credibility with child witnesses
Spruin, E., Dempster, T. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2020. Facility dogs as a tool for building rapport and credibility with child witnesses. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice.
Investigative challenges relating to gang-related homicide: senior investigating officers’ perspectives
Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2019. Investigative challenges relating to gang-related homicide: senior investigating officers’ perspectives. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice. 5 (3), pp. 189-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-04-2019-0024/full/html
Does specialized psychological treatment for offending reduce recidivism? a meta-analysis examining staff and program variables as predictors of treatment effectiveness
Gannon, T., Olver, M., Mallion, J. and James, M. 2019. Does specialized psychological treatment for offending reduce recidivism? a meta-analysis examining staff and program variables as predictors of treatment effectiveness. Clinical Psychology Review. 73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101752
Exploring the impact of specially trained dogs on the court experiences of survivors of sexual offending in England and Wales: an exploratory case study
Spruin, L., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Dempster, T. and Mitchell, S. 2019. Exploring the impact of specially trained dogs on the court experiences of survivors of sexual offending in England and Wales: an exploratory case study. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. pp. 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-019-09419-1
The use of therapy dogs to support court users in the waiting room
Spruin, L., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Franz, A., Mitchell, S., Fernandez, A., Dempster, T. and Holt, N. 2019. The use of therapy dogs to support court users in the waiting room. International Criminal Justice Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567719827063
Prisoners’ gang-related activity: the importance of bullying and moral disengagement
Wood, J., Moir, A. and James, M. 2009. Prisoners’ gang-related activity: the importance of bullying and moral disengagement. Psychology, Crime & Law. 15 (6), pp. 569-581. https://doi.org/10.1080/10683160802427786
Incapacitation and imprisonment: prisoners' involvement in community-based crime
Wood, J., Williams, G. and James, M. 2010. Incapacitation and imprisonment: prisoners' involvement in community-based crime. Psychology, Crime & Law. 16 (7), pp. 601-615. https://doi.org/10.1080/10683160902971071
The malevolent side of revenge porn proclivity: dark personality traits and sexist ideology
Pina, A., Holland, J. and James, M. 2017. The malevolent side of revenge porn proclivity: dark personality traits and sexist ideology. International Journal of Technoethics. 8 (1), pp. 30-43. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJT.2017010103
Psychological and behavioural characteristics that distinguish street gang members in custody
Alleyne, E., Wood, J., Ozcakir Mozova, K. and James, M. 2014. Psychological and behavioural characteristics that distinguish street gang members in custody. Legal and Criminological Psychology. 21, pp. 266-285. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.12072
‘I know how they must feel’: empathy and judging defendants
Wood, J., James, M. and Ó Ciardha, C. 2014. ‘I know how they must feel’: empathy and judging defendants. The European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context. 6 (1), pp. 37-43. https://doi.org/10.5093/ejpalc2014a5
Dogs in the criminal justice system: consideration of facility and therapy dogs
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2018. Dogs in the criminal justice system: consideration of facility and therapy dogs. Pet Behaviour Science. 5, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.21071/pbs.v0i5.10084
Specially trained dogs in the UK criminal justice system
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2018. Specially trained dogs in the UK criminal justice system. Seen and Heard. 28 (1), pp. 63-67.
What really matters about teacher education at Cathedrals Group Universities: volume 2 the case studies
Bowie, R. A., Casson, A., Hulbert, S., Benton, M., Holt, J., James, M., Jarvis, P., McGuire, L., Podesta, E. and Stone, G. 2018. What really matters about teacher education at Cathedrals Group Universities: volume 2 the case studies. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
Helping criminal justice system users: utilising specially trained dogs
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2017. Helping criminal justice system users: utilising specially trained dogs.
Using specially trained dogs in the Criminal Justice System
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2017. Using specially trained dogs in the Criminal Justice System. Forensic Update.
Female firesetters: gender associated psychological and psychopathological features
Alleyne, E., Gannon, T., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Page, T. and O Ciardha, C. 2016. Female firesetters: gender associated psychological and psychopathological features. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes. 79 (4), pp. 364-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2016.1185892
Specialist group therapy for firesetting behaviour: evidence of a treatment effect from a non-randomised pilot trial with male prisoners
Gannon, T., Alleyne, E., Butler, H., Danby, H., Kapoor, A., Lovell, T., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Spruin, L., Tostevin, T., Tyler, N. and O'Ciardha, C. 2015. Specialist group therapy for firesetting behaviour: evidence of a treatment effect from a non-randomised pilot trial with male prisoners. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 73, pp. 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.07.007