Gang Membership, Delinquent Peers, and Delinquent Behavior (NCJ 171119) October 1998 Bulletin 12 page(s) Battin-Pearson, S. R., Thornberry, T. P., Hawkins, J. D., Krohn, M. D. Describes the findings of OJJDP-funded longitudinal research involving juveniles in Seattle, WA, and Rochester, NY. This research addressed a fundamental question: "Does gang membership contribute to delinquency above and beyond the influence of associating with delinquent peers?" The answer was yes in both cities, despite significant differences in demographics. One implication of these findings is that communities developing comprehensive approaches to reducing juvenile violence and victimization must consider the role of youth gangs and the necessity of including youth gang prevention, intervention, and suppression components. PDF HTML