RT Article
T1 “Every Thought and Dream a Nightmare”: Violence and Trauma Among Formerly Imprisoned Gang Members
JF Criminal justice and behavior
VO 49
IS 10
SP 1418
OP 1436
A1 Gaston, Shytierra
A2 Shamserad, Faraneh
A2 Huebner, Beth M.
LA English
YR 2022
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/181583000X
AB Persons involved in gangs disproportionately participate in violence, as both victims and perpetrators. However, much remains unknown about the prevalence and consequences of violence exposure among adult gang members, particularly among those who have been incarcerated. We draw on semi-structured interviews with formerly imprisoned gang members to provide a contextualized account of the continuum of violence before, during, and after prison and illuminate the consequences of cumulative violence exposure among an understudied subgroup at greatest risk for violence. Findings show that adult gang members experience frequent and ongoing exposure to serious violence, as both victims and perpetrators, before, during, and after prison, and directly and vicariously. Although direct involvement in violence dissipated after prison, exposure to vicarious victimization was substantial and ongoing. In addition, respondents reported physiological and psychological consequences related to their chronic exposure to violence and trauma, including nightmares, anxiety, fear, anger, and hypervigilance.
K1 Prisoner Reentry
K1 Incarceration
K1 Trauma
K1 Victimization
K1 Violence
K1 Gangs
DO 10.1177/00938548211040099