Deck 5: Micro-Level Theories: Developmental Life Course Pathways and Other Micro-Level Explanations for Gang Involvement

Question 1

Which of the following is a patterned sequence of behaviors that ranges from minor to more severe?

A) trajectory
B) life course
C) developmental pathway
D) environmental

Answer 1

C

Question 2

At which of the following developmental age periods does gang membership peak?

A) late childhood
B) middle adolescence
C) late adolescence
D) early adulthood

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is an implication of Loeber and colleagues' (1997, 1999) pathways model?

A) It challenges the age-crime curve in its entirety.
B) It provides detailed, visual support for the age-crime curve.
C) It challenges the notion that youth who engage in earlier delinquency tend to engage in later delinquency.
D) It supports macro-level theorizing on delinquency.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of "minor concealed behavior" in the covert pathway of Loeber and colleagues' (1997, 1999) pathways model?

A) tagging
B) breaking into a home
C) getting into a fistfight
D) stealing from a convenience store

Question 5

______ is a common variable used for testing gang involvement and delinquency among researchers who employ a developmental pathway model.

A) Gang tagging
B) Self-reported gang membership
C) Gang fighting
D) Drug dealing

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a reason developmental theories have been widely accepted as explanations for delinquent careers and gang activity?

A) They explain the role of neighborhood structure in producing local gangs.
B) They explain the onset and desistance of criminal activity.
C) They explain varying patterns of gang involvement.
D) They explain why individuals may continue to be involved with gangs over time.

Question 7

According to their interactional theory, which of the following interventions would Thornberry and Krohn be likely to support?

A) mandatory minimum prison sentences for gang crimes
B) holistic support services to the youth and family
C) after-school activities
D) the removal of opportunity for gang membership

Question 8

______ was originally developed to explain gang involvement among Mexican-Americans.

A) Developmental pathways theory
B) Interactional theory
C) Multiple marginality theory
D) The social development model

Question 9

Which of the following reflects a way in which the social development model (SDM) is unique?

A) It argues that antisocial behavior may occur in the absence of social controls.
B) It accounts for protective factors that may reduce gang membership.
C) The model does not account for peer interactions.
D) The developmental pathways of youth gang membership theory serves as its foundation.

Question 10

According to findings from Esbensen and colleagues (1999), which of the following was the least important reason that youth reported for joining a gang?

A) because a friend was in a gang
B) for safety
C) for fun
D) for money

Question 11

Esbensen and colleagues (1999) found ______ to be the most important factor in determining whether or not youth joined a gang.

A) respect
B) protection
C) money
D) fun

Question 12

According to the text, which of the following is NOT an attraction for joining a gang?

A) protection
B) romantic interests
C) social support
D) professional development

Question 13

Howell and Egley (2005) found that risk factors for gang membership ranged across ______ risk factor domains.

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) five

Question 14

______ studies are ideal for assessing the pathways to and consequences of gang involvement.

A) Cross-sectional
B) Longitudinal
C) Focus group
D) Ethnographic

Question 15

In Thornberry and colleagues' developmental model of delinquency and gang involvement, delinquency is first expected during what stage?

A) preschool
B) school entry
C) later childhood
D) early adolescence

Question 16

The developmental theoretical model proposed in this chapter asserts that, for some individuals, a risk factor can present itself as early as ______.

A) prior to birth
B) early childhood
C) during preschool
D) elementary school

Question 17

Loeber and Farrington (2001)'s research finds that ______ of child delinquents become serious, chronic, and violent offenders.

A) less than 10%
B) less than half
C) more than half
D) nearly 100%

Question 18

Research on the school entry stage of the developmental theoretical model implies that which of the following influences exerts the most significant impact on subsequent delinquency?

A) peers
B) school officials
C) parents
D) older siblings

Question 19

Which term best influences the likelihood and/or speed at which an individual may choose to leave his/her gang?

A) multiple marginality
B) developmental pathways
C) gang embeddedness
D) cyberbanging

Question 20

Which of the following are delinquency pathways identified by Loeber and colleagues (1997, 1999)?

A) developmental pathway
B) authority-conflict pathway
C) peer-conflict pathway
D) covert pathway

Question 21

Which of the following is true of youths' criminal behavior and gang membership?

A) Despite prior delinquent activity, youth are likely to become more actively involved in delinquent activity while involved with a gang.
B) Youth are unlikely to engage in delinquency while actively involved with a gang.
C) Youth exhibit elevated levels of delinquency during times of active involvement with a gang.
D) Youth involved with a gang are likely to commit their first offenses only after joining the group.

Question 22

According to research studies, which of the following has NOT been found to be associated with gang involvement?

A) Gang members are more likely to engage in multiple crimes at the same time.
B) Gang members have worse educational outcomes than non-gang members.
C) Gang members are less likely than non-gang members to suffer from mental health issues.
D) Gang members achieve greater long-term economic success than non-gang members from similarly disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Question 23

Which of the following school-related variables have been associated with gang involvement?

A) low attachment to school
B) lack of sports involvement
C) low achievement in elementary school
D) having a learning disability

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT true of the developmental gang theory?

A) Preschool experiences are insignificant to future gang membership.
B) Aggression and disruptive behaviors increase the likelihood of future delinquency.
C) Family risk factors interact with childhood delinquency to affect future gang membership.
D) Risk factors for delinquency vary with an individual's age.

Question 25

Which subset(s) of gang members is/are most likely to experience higher than average rates of mental health problems?

A) Those who have been victimized.
B) Those who are relatively older.
C) Those who have dropped out of school.
D) Those who have fewer friends in their gang.

Question 26

The age-crime curve that explains onset of and desistance from criminal behavior does not apply to gang activity.

Question 27

Several longitudinal studies reveal no association between gang involvement and escalation of delinquency.

Question 28

In Loeber and colleagues' (2010) pathways model, all youth starting in the authority-conflict pathway will subsequently enter the covert pathway.

Question 29

Each pathway in Loeber and colleagues' (2010) pathways model contains multiple stages of delinquency and/or criminal behavior.

Question 30

Developmental theories are unique for their attention to group processes and group offending.

Question 31

Peterson and Panfil (2017)'s foundation for a developmental theory of female gang membership highlights the need for understanding of females' gendered experiences of gang involvement as distinct from males'.

Question 32

Contemporary research has confirmed Thrasher's (1927) assertions that joining gangs is a natural process.

Question 33

One possible motivation for a youth to join a gang is for instrumental purposes.

Question 34

"Cyberbanging" refers to gang members' use of the Internet as a venue for gang-related activity.

Question 35

Some characteristics of modern-day schools, including zero-tolerance policies, may increase gang activity in schools by eroding student-teacher bonds.

Question 36

Gang members have a relatively low risk of victimization.

Question 37

What is "cyberbanging"? Select and explain one of the five purposes Patton and his colleagues (2013) proposed for its increased use.

Question 38

What is the key distinction between Loeber and colleagues' developmental delinquency pathway model and Howell and Egley's developmental gang membership theory?

Question 39

How are macro-level and micro-level theories of delinquency and gang development linked? Be sure to provide examples of at least two theories that link the two levels of theorizing, and implications for empirical testing.