Gang membership and criminal processing: A test of the “master status” concept

Miethe, Terance D.; McCorkle, Richard C.

doi:10.1080/07418829700093411

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The research on labeling theory has also been mixed. W l e some research provides support for some portions of the theory (Farrington, 1977;Link et al, 1987; Paternoster and Iovanni, 1989; Miethe and McCorkle, 1997), other research finds evidence contradicting the labeling hypothesis (Smith and Paternoster, 1990). Therefore, a firm conclusion about the effects of criminal sanctions on an offender's future criminal activity has yet to develop.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

A Preliminary and Partial Test of Specific Defiance

Piquero

Bouffard

2003

Journal of Crime and Justice

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Deterrence and labeling theories predict opposing eflects of sanctions on criminal behavior, and this diversity in the expected efects of sanctions is also apparent in the empirical literature. Sherman's (1993) defiance theoly has been proposed to explain the conditions under which punishment may either increase or decrease crime. In a reanalysis of the Police Services Study data, we examine how police behaviors may influence the likelihood that citizens will respond with defiant behavior in encounters with police officers. Consistent with defiance theoly, we find that police actions that are likely to be perceived as unfair and stigmatizing increase the likelihood that citizens behave defiantly toward police officers. Directions for ficture research are also idenhfied.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

A Preliminary and Partial Test of Specific Defiance

Piquero

Bouffard

2003

Journal of Crime and Justice

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“…To date, little attention has been devoted to the investigation of gang membership in sentencing, especially for juvenile offenders (Pyrooz et al, 2011). In addition, studies that have explored this relationship either used a dichotomous variable (Cauffman et al, 2007) or a sample of adult offenders (Miethe & McCorkle, 1997). Our study adds to the incarceration, juvenile justice, and gang literatures in two significant ways.…”

Section: Current Focusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These studies suggest probation reports are taken by judges at face value and may paint certain defendants as more sophisticated or less redeemable (Harris, 2009, p. 254; see also Bridges & Steen, 1998; Gaarder et al, 2004). Gang members are likely to be similarly stereotyped by probation reports (and therefore judges), but relatively little is known about how gang membership interacts with focal concerns in sentencing decisions regarding juvenile offenders (Miethe & McCorkle, 1997; Pyrooz et al, 2011; Zatz, 1985).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the “Gang Penalty” in the Juvenile Justice System: A Focal Concerns Perspective

Walker

Cesar

2020

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice

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There are hundreds of thousands of juvenile gang members in the United States who are at heightened risk of criminal offending, violent victimization, and incarceration. Importantly, however, incarceration in itself is a lifelong risk factor for negative social outcomes. That said, little is known about the effects of gang membership on the sentencing outcomes of juvenile offenders. The primary research question of the current study is: How does self-reported gang membership influence the likelihood of incarceration relative to similarly situated non-gang-involved juvenile defendants? To address this question, the current study uses data obtained from the Pathways to Desistance study. In a sample of 1,067 serious adolescent offenders drawn from Wave I, results show that gang affiliation is a significant predictor of incarceration. This finding was consistent across the two study sites (Phoenix, AZ, and Philadelphia, PA), ultimately providing support for a “gang penalty” in juvenile sentencing outcomes. The implications for future research, juvenile justice policy, and youth development are discussed.

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“…Battin et al (1998), however, has found that gang membership contributes to self-reported delinquency independent of peer delinquency. In more recent research using court data gathered in Las Vegas, Miethe and McCorkle (1997) found that sentencing decisions for gang members were less likely than for nongang members to be affected by other offender and offense characteristics. Interestingly, gang members were treated more leniently in charging and sentencing decisions than comparable nongang members, supporting the group hazard/master status hypothesis that gang members are routinely rounded up for political purposes.…”

Section: Gangsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gang members are known to hang out collectively and violate the law in groups (Klein 1995). Being a gang member engenders special meaning as a master status in the law enforcement community, neutralizing the importance of offender and offense characteristics (Miethe and McCorkle 1997).…”

Section: Gangsmentioning

confidence: 99%