Graduation Semester and Year
2015
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Department
Criminology and Criminal Justice
First Advisor
John Rodriguez
Abstract
The aim of this study is to get a better understanding of the different types of gang-related crime. The arrests of 410 gang members in Arlington, Texas from 2010-2014 are the subjects of analysis. These records display the date of arrest, age, committed offense, and gang affiliation of each gang member arrested by the Arlilngton Police Department's gang unit during this time span. Characteristics of gang members, such as age and gang type, were compared to attributes of gang-related offenses. Gang members were broken down into different age groups and gang classifications, while criminal offenses were categorized as being violent, drug-related, or miscellaneous, based on their traits. Descriptive, univariate statistics are utilized to show the basic demographics of gangs and gang crime in Arlington. A bivariate analysis consisting of a chi-square and ANOVA was utilized to calculate the findings. Only one of the gang categories was found to have a connection to drug-affiliated crime. Similarly, age played a significant role in nearly all types of gang-related crime. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that Arlington gangs are more likely to engage in miscellaneous and drug-related offenses than violent crime.
Disciplines
Criminology and Criminal Justice | Legal Studies | Social and Behavioral Sciences
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Nash, Zane Lehman, "Gang Activity: A Deeper Analysis Into The Types Of Crime Committed By Gang Members" (2015). Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses. 110.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/crcj_theses/110
Comments
Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington