Citation

Bolden C. J. Gang Res. 2010; 17(4): 39-70.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, National Gang Crime Research Center)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Charismatic role theory is a theory about cultural transmission. The theory assumes that culture is learned and that particular members of groups teach the culture to others. Build on Cohen's (1955), and Merton's (1966) ideas about motivation of youth to join delinquent subcultures and participate in deviant modes of innovation. The theory was examined on four hypotheses: the first premise stated that there were charismatic core members met with universal agreement among the respondents; the second premise suggested that these core members recruited the new members; the third premise was that core members were neutralized through death and possibly through incarceration; the final premise proposed that remaining gang members and newer generations of frustrated youth would begin to join retreatist subcultures. Results conclude that charismatic role theory needs revision. The accuracy of the first and third premise suggests that the theory is somewhat fruitful in investigating the dissipation of gangs. The second premise, recruitment, can be eliminated because the respondents did not indicate that core members or any other particular type was vital to the recruitment of others. The last premise, while not accurate in describing the dissipation of gangs, was highly useful in examining the evolution of late-onset gangs into criminality oriented gangs.