SEXUAL ACCESS TO FEMALES AS A MOTIVATION FOR JOINING GANGS - AN EVOLUTIONARY APPROACH

Previous theories of gangs have largely ignored a crucial aspect of th e motivation young males have for joining gangs: a desire for increase d sexual access to females. We first argue that an understanding of th e evolutionary psychology of sex: and reproductive competition can. ac count for the typical age and sex compositions of gangs. We then, revi ew the anecdotal evidence from the gang research literature concerning the role of sexual access to females in the motivation. of males who join, gangs. Finally, we present art analysis of a unique study of a s exually transmitted disease (STD) outbreak that occurred in. Colorado Springs, Colorado, between 1989 and 1991. This analysis revealed that the 57 male gang members involved in the outbreak had a significantly (P <.03) higher average number of sex: partners than did the 63 male n on-gang members who were also involved in the outbreak.