| This presentation examines conceptual and empirical issues surrounding the definition of risk and protective factors for gang membership. Can the same factor be at the same time both a risk and protective factor? And, if so, what characteristics does such a factor possess that permit it to be both fish and fowl? Do protective factors other than the absence or inverse of a risk factor actually exist? Data from the Denver Youth Survey, a 12 year longitudinal study, is used to empirically identify factors that increase the chance of gang membership, examine the ability of these same factors to reduce the chance of gang membership, and determine the existence of factors that are not risk factors but interact with risk factors to reduce the chance of gang membership. Clearly this is a "fishing trip," but is the outcome "foul"? |
Updated 05/20/2006