Guns and Gangs – Revised

Abstract: The Guns and Gangs-Revised measure is a 67-item instrument based on a measure used in a previous study (Dodge, Pettit, and Bates, 1995). Fast Track's original version (Guns and Gangs) was added to the child instrument battery in Grade 7. Beginning in Grade 10, 37 new items were added to the 30-item Guns and Gangs measure to collect additional information on gang participation. The measure assesses recent involvement in gangs and use of weapons in the past year. The measure is divided into five sections: gang involvement, use/availability of small knives, use/availability of large knives, use/availability of guns owned by the child, and use/availability of guns owned by parents or other adults in his/her home. These items were only asked if the child reported gang membership in the last 12 months. They capture how the child found out about the gang, reasons for joining, gang initiation, potential consequences for not joining, how important the gang is to the child, how often the gang gets together, and gang activities (i.e. community activities, helping neighborhood residents, helping neighborhood kids, fighting with other gangs, providing protection for gang members, and illegal activities). Children who report that their gang participates in illegal activities are asked about specific illegal activities (i.e. stealing, joyriding, attacking people, selling drugs, other illegal activities, and other fun activities that are not illegal). The additional items include 6 Likert scale items capturing how being in the gang makes the child feel. The original 30 items of this measure have been combined to create 12 scales: 11 scales related to weapons and 1 related to gangs. The additional 37 items added in Grade 10 are used to create 3 additional scales for children who report gang membership in the last 12 months. Analysts should note that none of the scales are normally distributed. Due to the low rates of weapon use/availability and gang involvement, the scales are skewed to the right.

Who Completed this Measure?: select one

Cohort 1 - Administrative History

  • Year 11 | grade 10 | age 16
  • Year 12 | grade 11 | age 17

Cohort 2 - Administrative History

  • Year 06 | grade 5 | age 11
  • Year 07 | grade 6 | age 12

Cohort 3 - Administrative History

  • Year 11 | grade 10 | age 16
  • Year 12 | grade 11 | age 17

Technical Reports:

Raw Dataset Name: CyAW

Scored Dataset Name: GGRySCc

Keywords:
Assault, Gang Activity, Gang Involvement, Gun Ownership, Gun Use, Illegal Actions, Theft, Weapons

Is this Measure Available for Public Use?: Yes

Obtain Measure:
Download the measure here

SAS Code for Scale Creation:
Download the code here

Measure Items and Scales:

site Study Site
tcid Study ID Number
C11AW1a What Is The Name Of The Gang?
C11AW10 Think about the time you joined the gang. How did you find out about this gang?
C11AW11 What were your reasons for joining?
C11AW13 What did you have to do?
C11AW15 What would have happened?
C11AW16a Please describe how this group gets involved in community activities?
C11AW17a Please describe how this group provides help to neighborhood residents?
C11AW18a Please describe how this group takes care of or helps other kids in the neighborhood?
C11AW19a Name of the other group?
C11AW19b What are the fights about?
C11AW20a Please describe how weapons are used?
C11AW29a Please describe anything else illegal.
C11AW30a Please describe things done together that are fun and exciting but not illegal?
cohort Cohort
intid Interviewer ID Number
C11AW1 Member of Gang/Posse Last 12 Months
C11AW1b How Many Members Are There In Your Gang?
C11AW1c When Did You Join This Gang?
C11AW1d Are You Still A Member of The Gang?
C11AW1e If you are still a member of this gang (or you were a member at one time), which of the following best describes your position in the gang?
C11AW1f Do You Know Anyone in a Gang?
C11AW1g Are You Friends With Anyone Who Is In a Gang?
C11AW1h How Much Pressure Do You Get To Join a Gang?
C11AW2a Small pocket knife-Do you own one of these?
C11AW2b Small pocket knife-Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW2c Small pocket knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever carried one around with you?
C11AW2d Small pocket knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever pulled one on another person?
C11AW2e Small pocket knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever hurt someone with it?
C11AW3a Switchblade, razor, or other big knife-Do you own one of these?
C11AW3b Switchblade, razor, or other big knife-Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW3c Switchblade, razor, or other big knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever carried one around with you?
C11AW3d Switchblade, razor, or other big knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever pulled one on another person?
C11AW3e Switchblade, razor, or other big knife-In the past 12 months, have you ever hurt someone with it?
C11AW4a Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-Do your parents or any adults in your home own a gun?
C11AW4b Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-Is the gun locked up?
C11AW4c Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-Do they let you use it?
C11AW4d Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever taken it without their permission?
C11AW4e Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever pulled it on another person?
C11AW4f Guns in your home that your parents own for their protection or for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever hurt some one with it?
C11AW5a A gun that is not for hunting-Do you own one of these?
C11AW5b A gun that is not for hunting-Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW5c A gun that is not for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever carried one around with you?
C11AW5d A gun that is not for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever pulled one on another person?
C11AW5e A gun that is not for hunting-In the past 12 months, have you ever hurt someone with it?
C11AW12 Did you have to do anything special to join the gang, such as something special to prove that you were good enough to be a member?
C11AW14 Would anything have happened to you if you had not joined the gang?
C11AW16 Does this group get involved in community activities?
C11AW17 Does this group provide help to neighborhood residents?
C11AW18 Does this group take care of or help other kids in the neighborhood?
C11AW19 Does this group get in fights with other gangs or groups?
C11AW20 Are weapons used?
C11AW21 Does this group provide protection for each other?
C11AW22 Does this group do things that are illegal like stealing things, robbing someone, or selling drugs?
C11AW23 Does this group steal things worth less than $50?
C11AW24 Does this group steal things worth more than $50?
C11AW25 Does this group rob/strong-arm other people?
C11AW26 Does this group go joyriding in stolen vehicles?
C11AW27 Does this group attack someone with the idea of seriously hurting them?
C11AW28 Does this group sell drugs?
C11AW29 Does this group do anything else illegal?
C11AW30 Does this group do things together that are fun and exciting but not illegal?
C11AW31 How important to you is the gang and their activities?
C11AW32 How often do you and some of the gang members get together?
C11AW33 How much agree or disagree-Being in the gang makes me feel important.
C11AW34 How much agree or disagree-The gang members provide a good deal of support and loyalty for one another.
C11AW35 How much agree or disagree-Being a member of the gang makes me feel respected.
C11AW36 How much agree or disagree-Being a member of the gang makes me feel like I am a useful person to have around.
C11AW37 How much agree or disagree-Being a member of a gang makes me feel like I really belong somewhere.
C11AW38 How much agree or disagree-I really enjoyed being a member of the gang.
sitecode Actual Code Number Entered
C11AW2cr Recoded-(SK) Have You Carried It in Past Year?
C11AW2dr Recoded-(SK) Pulled It on Someone in Past Year?
C11AW2er Recoded-(SK) Hurt Someone W/ It in Past Year?
C11AW3cr Recoded-(LK) Have You Carried It in Past Year?
C11AW3dr Recoded-(LK) Pulled It on Someone in Past Year?
C11AW3er Recoded-(LK) Hurt Someone W/ It in Past Year?
C11AW4dr Recoded-(PH) Taken W/O Permission in Past Year?
C11AW4er Recoded-(PH) Pulled It on Someone in Past Year?
C11AW4fr Recoded-(PH) Hurt Someone W/ It in the Past Year
C11AW5cr Recoded-(NH) Carried It With You in The Past Year?
C11AW5dr Recoded-(NH) Pulled It on Someone in the Past Year?
C11AW5er Recoded-(NH) Hurt Someone With It in The Past Year?
C11AW2br Recoded-(SK) Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW3br Recoded-(LK) Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW5br Recoded-(NH) Could you get one if you wanted to?
C11AW4br Parent's Gun Not Locked?
C11AW4cr Recoded- (PH) Do Your Parents Let You Use It?
ggr11own # of weapons child owns
ggr11get # of weapons can easily get, if do not own one
ggr11oog # of weapons child owns or can easily get
ggr11car # of weapons carried in last 12 months
ggr11pul # of weapons pulled on someone in last 12 months
ggr11hur # of weapons used to hurt someone in last 12 months
ggr11ssk Summary of use/availability of small knife
ggr11slk Summary of use/availability of large knife
ggr11sog Summary of use/availability of own gun
ggr11spg Summary of use/availability of parents gun
ggr11saw Summary of use/availability of all weapons
C11AW1r Recoded-Member of Gang/Posse Last 12 Months, Yes=3
C11AW1fg Know anyone or friend who is a member of a gang
C11AW1hr Feel at least some pressure to join a gang
C11AW1cr Recoded-When did join a gang 0=this yr,1=last yr,2=2+ yrs ago
C11AW1er Recoded-Position in gang, 1=leader/top person, 0 else
ggr11exg Exposure to/Involvement in gangs
ggr11gpa # Positive Activities Childs Gang Does
ggr11gna # Negative Activities Childs Gang Does
ggr11ftg Childs Feelings towards Gang