Natalie Beck successfully defends her MA thesis

Congratulations to Natalie Beck for successfully defending her MA thesis titled “The Gang, the Myth, the Legend: Effects of a Gang Awareness Campaign on Gang-Related Attitudes, Beliefs, and Knowledge Among Youth”.

ABSTRACT

Increasing rates of gang homicides and numerous instances of public gang violence have raised public safety concerns among British Columbians (Pullen, 2023; Statistics Canada, 2023a; 2023b). Young people are especially at risk of gang involvement, with gangs recruiting youth in their mid to late teens to participate in ‘dial-a-dope’ drug trafficking ventures. This study examined the impacts of the End Gang Life (EGL) school program on gang-related attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge among youth. Mixed-factor repeated measures analysis of variance models examined the interaction of time and program exposure on three dependent variables: pro-gang attitudes, beliefs about gangs, and belief in gang myths. Results indicate that students who saw EGL presentations experienced significant decreases in pro-gang attitudes and beliefs. Qualitative analyses revealed positive findings on student recall, comprehension, and satisfaction with the program. End Gang Life appears to be a promising avenue for promoting anti-gang attitudes and beliefs among youth.