Preventing Street Gang Membership in Marginalised Communities

Abstract

The paper aims to highlight the importance of bridging as a means of preventing street gang membership in marginalised communities. Two samples of participants were drawn from gang-prevalent areas. Data collection involved breaking away from the semi-structured interview using a specially adapted version of Wengraf's Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method. The study observed that in terms of gang member participants and those who disengaged from membership, social mixing was found to be a highly significant factor existing in the individual and peer domains. In addition, the study noted that the ability to form friendships beyond just school and street acquaintances was instrumental in providing protective buffering against the introduction into street membership or continued sustainment of membership. This process can be instrumental in preventing recruitment not only to street membership but also youth crime. Based on the evidence presented, the paper calls for this practice to be explored further in other socially excluded areas where violent youth crime and gangs are prevalent.