ABSTRACT
Delinquent gangs have been documented in European societies since the middle Ages as serving various functions depending on their membership and the sociopolitical climate in which they existed. One of the most exciting findings concerns the elements in operational definitions of gangs that seem to be constant across historical eras and places. Gangs almost always are collections of individuals whose behavior in the group places them outside the prevailing mores of their society. Despite the problem of access, researchers have noted enough of the activities of nineteenth century gangs to develop a historical literature on which modern researchers can draw. The chapter looks at the modern development of gangs in the United States and explores how their members can be characterized psychologically. An individual's developmental status on the psychological attributes just discussed can provide a good clinical picture of readiness for gang participation.
