Criminal Behavior and Strain-Related Factors Among Youth Gang Members: Evidence From Finnish Survey Data

Abstract

This study examines Finnish youth gang members, their criminal behavior, and associated risk factors using Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory. It utilizes Finnish data from the International Self-Report Delinquency Study’s (ISRD-4) collected in schools in Helsinki and Turku in 2022 (N=1 913). The study explores collective strain (measured as experiences of discrimination), economic strain, adverse childhood experiences, and crime victimization as theoretical explanatory factors. Youth gang members are compared to young people who had not committed crimes and other delinquent youth to determine whether certain risk factors are unique to gang members. The findings indicate that 5,3% of the youth meet the Eurogang criteria for gang membership and have committed at least one crime in the past year. The most common offenses among gang members are property crimes (76,9% of youth gang members), while violent crimes are less prevalent (39,0%). Compared to non-criminal youth, gang members are more likely to have experienced crime victimization, adverse childhood experiences, and economic strain. However, collective strain does not have a statistically significant association with gang membership. None of the measured strains appear to be exclusive to gang members; similar risk factors are also linked to non-gang-related delinquency.