The Path and Promise of Fatherhood for Gang Members

Abstract

While an increase in research on criminal desistance has occurred in recent years, little research has been applied to the gang field. Using qualitative interview data, this article examines fatherhood as a potential turning point in the lives of 91 gang members in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fatherhood initiated important subjective and affective transformations that led to changes in outlook, priorities and future orientation. However, these subjective changes were not sufficient unless accompanied by two additional features: first, changes in the amount of time spent on the streets and, second, an ability to support oneself or one's family with legal income. Though fatherhood is no panacea, becoming a father did act as an important turning point toward desistance and motivator for change for some.

Crime and parenthood: Age and gender differences in the association between criminal careers and parenthood

“…Despite arguments from criminological theory and evidence from qualitative studies that support a crime reducing effect of parenthood, particularly due to a new self-image and cognitive changes (Giordano, Cernkovich, & Rudolph, 2002;Moloney et al, 2009;Shannon & Abrams, 2007), quantitative results are best described as inconclusive. Whereas some studies have found a crime-reducing parenthood effect for men (Kerr et al, 2011;Savolainen, 2009;Zoutewelle-Terovan et al, 2014), other studies have found no effect (Blokland & Nieuwbeerta, 2005;Giordano et al, 2002;Monsbakken, Lyngstad, & Skardhamar, 2013;Warr, 1998) or even a crime-enhancing parenthood effect (Farrington & West, 1995).…”

“…Male offenders who are asked about their fertility intentions often state that they feel not fit to be a parent in terms of finances or lifestyle (Buston et al, 2010;Moloney et al, 2009;Shannon & Abrams, 2007;Wilkinson et al, 2009). There is a continued ideal of a stable relationship and a good job providing M a n u s c r i p t 5 financial security before having children.…”

“…Possible reasons for a limited attractiveness are a limited economic perspective, and the perception of individuals with a criminal conviction as being more prone to violent, aggressive, and anti-social behavior (Anderson, 1999;Pager, 2003;Western, 2002). Secondly, those embracing a criminal lifestyle, as signaled by their long and frequent criminal careers, and building their identity around it, may be less likely to see parenthood as fitting with their way of life (Augustine et al, 2009;Buston et al, 2010;Edin et al, 2001;Moloney et al, 2009;Shannon & Abrams, 2007;Wilkinson et al, 2009). A criminal career may thus directly prevent a more conventional parental career due to offenders being found wanting as a desirable partner by others or due to offenders themselves not feeling ready to live in conformity and to take on responsibility.…”

Street gang theory and research: Where are we now and where do we go from here?

“…However, evidence shows that it is the effect of social controls that urge people to stop offending. For instance, gang members leave the gang in favor of fatherhood (Moloney, Mackenzie, Hunt & Joe-Laidler, 2009) and employment, military service and marriage all contribute to a cessation of offending (Sampson & Laub, 2001). It therefore seems that social controls may be more flexible than control theory suggests and that even if informal social controls break down to the extent that youth become involved in delinquency, they maintain influence during the period of delinquency and can be re-established sufficiently to facilitate desistance.…”

Family literacy in prisons: fathers’ engagement with their young children

“…Maruna, LeBel, and Lanier (2003) reported that close family attachments give prisoners some sense of direction and meaning in their lives, bringing up children being incompatible with imprisonment (Edin, Nelson, and Parnal 2001;Moloney et al 2009). …”