Global Perspectives on Youth Gang Behavior, Violence, and Weapons Use

The Advances in Psychology, Mental Health, and Behavioral Studies (APMHBS) book series presents comprehensive research publications focusing on topics relating to the human psyche, cognition, psychiatric care, mental and developmental disorders, as well as human behavior and interaction. Featuring diverse and innovative research, publications within APMHBS are ideally designed for use by mental health professionals, academicians, researchers, and upper-level students.
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Whereas there are hundreds of books on youth gangs, at the time of creating this edited book there was not a single one devoted exclusively to youth gang behavior in relation to "weapons." Given the key role that weapons serve in urban crime, addressing this deficit in understanding youth gang behavior and violence is long overdue. Weapons are ubiquitous. They are readily available everywhere and they come in many shapes and sizes, sometimes taking the form of ordinary objects that we use on a daily basis. They are often the ultimate intermediaries between victims and offenders. Studying victims and offenders alone in Psychology and Criminology is insufficient. To understand the relationship between victims and offenders more fully, such intermediaries must be put under scrutiny.