Female Gangs

Research papers on female gangs can be anthropologically based or look at gangs from a sociological perspective. The unique elements of female gangs offer our writers the opportunity to produce an interesting and timely research project for you.

The proliferation of and controversies surrounding gang development and participation has been a significant issue in the last several decades. The characteristics of gangs are almost always associated with male members, however there is a growing trend of female participation in gangs as well as in the development of gangs consisting entirely of female members. Although they have major similarities with all-male gangs, there are many aspects that are unique to female gangs. The following research will examine the unique characteristics of female gangs as well as how they are exclusively addressed by law enforcement agencies.

The research of this topic is vital to understanding how gender influences the development, operation and legal management of a social organization that presents significant hazards to society as well as to its members - the street gang. It is also essential to understanding the disparate methods that law enforcement agencies may have for addressing male and female gangs. The research materials that will be used to examine the unique aspects of female gangs include the following:

1. Relevant academic texts
2. Journal articles
3. Internet-based sources of social and legal policies and statistics
4. The research will be confined to the use of the most timely information available on the subject however older research may be used for the purpose of making comparisons

The research will attempt to answer two distinct but nevertheless related questions concerning the dynamics and legal perceptions of female gangs. The first question to be addressed is whether or not participation in female gangs has any positive or liberating consequences for young females or if it is limited by the same psychological, social and legal constraints that gang membership in general exhibits. The second question to be addressed is whether or not law enforcement agencies approach the issue of female gangs in a manner similar to the way in which they approach male gangs.

One of the most comprehensive examinations of the female gang is provided in a report compiled by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency (OJJDP). The report "Female Gangs: A Focus on Research" covers numerous aspects of the female gang that have either been ignored or generally unknown until the research for this report was conducted including the facts that female gangs are largely found in small cities or rural areas and consist predominantly of African American and Hispanic members. According to the report's of two authors, the majority of information available to this point has been derived from reports offered by journalists, social workers or male gang members. Even more, much of that information is written from a male-oriented perspective of gang life and participation.