Thornberry's Enhancement Model

The enhancement model proposed by Thornberry et al. (1993) best represents the relationship between gang membership and offending. Curry et al. (2014) explain this model, “individuals with elevated criminal propensity select into gangs, which in turn correspond to even greater criminal involvement while in a gang” (p. 81). Essentially this explanation or rather perspective is a blend of the other two Thornberry et al. (1993) developed. The reason for choosing this particular perspective to represent the relationship between gang membership and offending is the other perspectives are too extreme. The facilitation explanation proposes a perspective that illustrates joining a gang with no criminal history and shooting up to a high delinquency

In this, Curry et al. (2014) write, “gang membership is simply a risky behavior that some people select into, provided the opportunity is available” (p. 35). Although the criminal propensity theory seems similar to the selection perspective, I believe that once choosing to join a gang, criminal behavior will definitely become enhanced. The collective aspect of gangs allows for members to engage in increased criminal behavior. Due to the fact that the facilitation and selection perspectives developed by Thornberry et al. (1993) are so extreme, I feel as though the enhancement model is a middle ground that explains the relationship between gang membership and offending more logically. Essentially, the enhancement perspective offers a more rational approach when understanding the relationship between gang membership and

Spergel and Curry (1993) discuss suppression and the activities under as, “arrest, special prosecution, incarceration, intensive supervision, gang intelligence, and networking” (p. 374). The implications of Thornberry et al.’s (1993) models illustrate increased criminal behavior during gang membership, thus suppression techniques could potentially reduce crime. These suppression efforts are an approach used against gangs in general, rather than preventing membership, which is the primary goal of community organization programs. Curry et al. (2014) explain the suppression efforts in detail as including, “prosecution, specialized enforcement efforts, specialized probation, targeting of gang members by the California Youth Authority, summer projects, and the use of gang injunctions” (p. 179). While these suppression efforts are extreme, they attempt to answer the issue of gangs and their criminal behavior. This in turn may lower crime and decrease gang expansion. Ultimately, programs that focus on gang membership prevention have the potential to inhibit increased delinquent behavior caused by gangs, while suppression strategies attempt to interrupt criminal behavior in gangs as a