In this article, the authors examine risk factors that predict gang membership among a cohort
of South Florida boys. Using both prospective and retrospective data, the authors evaluated
the role of early exposure to stressful life events in predicting joining a gang, controlling for
other risk factors. The analysis revealed that while cumulative preteen stress exposure was
not found to be a significant predictor of gang membership, the association between such
exposure and the dependent variable might be mediated through other factors. A …