Objective:
This project builds on research efforts led by the PI to investigate longitudinal gang violence in New Jersey. His work funded by the National Institute of Justice seeks to investigate the networked diffusion of firearm violence within the gang conflict landscape, with a primary focus on the connections (i.e., the edges) of violence between actors. However, greater research is needed to investigate the typologies of the individuals who are involved in the violence (i.e., the actors). Thus, this study seeks to fill this void to investigate the typologies of offenders charged with gang-related firearms offenses.
Within the preliminary sample of 40 individuals, we already observe representation from a variety of gangs. While the majority of the sample are captured by the Blood and Crip gang families, other entities, are also present. For example, the Latin Kings have a strong representation in the sample, which is not terribly unexpected given their long-standing presence in the northeast. The team was a bit surprised to see some neo-Nazi groups, such as the Atlantic City Skinheads, captured within the sample, evidence of the racially diverse set of illicit gang-involved actors engaging in firearm violence within the State.
We also ran an analysis looking at the motivations and commitments driving gang involvement. In terms of motivations, the primary driver identified within the sample was for criminal incentive (62.5%), which was a bit surprising, given that gang violence in the northeast is usually associated with the economic benefits of drug trafficking. The majority of the sample (55%) also perceived grievances for a collective group and/or injustice, while 62.5% exhibited lack of understanding, empathy, and/or tolerance to individuals outside their group. This preliminary finding indicates that while gang members identify as an attack on the collective, most also don’t connect with the experiences of other groups, suggesting a lack of familiarity with diverse worldviews.
Funded By:
New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center
Project Status:
In progress
Principal Investigator (PI):
Jared R. Dmello, PhD
Amount Awarded:
$49,959