Guns and Gangs
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Abstract
The Guns and Gangs measure is a 30-item instrument based
on a measure used in a previous study (Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1995).
Fast Track's version was added to the child instrument battery in
study Year 8 (end of Grade 7). The measure assesses life-time and
recent involvement in gangs and use of weapons within the past year
(i.e., small knife, large knife, and gun). For weapons use, specific
questions assess greater detail if a subject indicates that a weapon
is owned (i.e., have they carried it, pulled it on someone, or hurt
someone with it).
For most items in this instrument, there is no obvious scoring.
Most constructs are naturally dichotomous (e.g., are you a member
of a gang? do you own a gun?) or are scaled to indicate a range
of answers. This measure involves a difficult skip pattern, of which
the analyst should be aware. Only students who reported having been
in a gang were asked subsequent questions about that gang. They
were asked the name of the gang in an open-ended question, the number
of members in the gang (measured on a three-point scale ranging
from 1=1-5 to 3=more than 10), when they joined that gang (measured
on a 4-point scale ranging from "this year" to "more than two years
ago"), and their position in the gang (measured on a 4-point scale
ranging from "leader" to "just hang out"). Likewise, only if students
indicated that they had never been in a gang were they asked if
they knew anyone or were friends with anyone in a gang, and how
much pressure they got to join a gang (measured on a 4-point scale
ranging from "none" to "A lot"). Only if the students indicated
"yes" for owning a small pocket knife, a big knife, or a gun that
is not for hunting, were they asked subsequent questions about whether
they carried it, pulled it on another person, or hurt someone with
it in the past twelve months. Students who indicated that they did
not own a small pocket knife, a large knife, or a gun were only
asked whether they could get one. Finally, students were asked whether
any adults in their home owned a gun. Only students who indicated
that someone owned a gun were asked subsequent questions about their
use of the gun.
Most items are straightforward in use and interpretation. The low
number of subjects that reported having been in a gang by this age
or owning a gun indicates that this measure should be used with
caution when assessing gang involvement or gun use.
Keywords: Gang Involvement, Gun Use, Weapons, Gun Ownership.
Administration History
See study
years administered.
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19 November 2002
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