Article type
Abstract
Aim: To assess the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in preventing gang membership and gang-related crime among children and young adults under the age of 30.
Background: In recent years, gang related shootings and explosions have increasingly attracted attention in Sweden as well as internationally. Organized crime is considered as one of the most important societal problems.
Method: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions targeting universal, selective, and indicated populations published between 2000 and April 2023. The included studies had a low to medium risk of bias. The certainty of the evidence for outcome measures was assessed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation System. Different effect measures were calculated.
Results: We included 43 (7 randomized, 15 nonrandomized and 24 Interrupted time series) studies evaluating 33 unique psychosocial interventions. Synthesis without meta-analysis found a preventive effect of psychosocial interventions in middle-schools on gang membership. Furthermore, meta-analysis found that Focused deterrence strategies prevented gang-related violence, and that psychosocial support during probation decreased crime recidivism. Meta-analysis found no significant effect of mediation or Drug market interventions on gun-violence compared to control conditions. However, Drug market interventions significantly prevented drug-related crime.
Ethical and social aspects: Key ethical considerations that should be addressed are the effectiveness of the intervention, risks of burdens, stigmatization and discrimination of the innocent, and reduced trust in the society. Outside the Swedish prison and probation service, coercion, and intrusion of a person´s integrity should be minimized.
Discussion: This systematic review found significant effects of four interventions compared to control in reducing future criminality, especially gun-violence, among children and young adults under the age of 30. To be confident that the results from these interventions are not only restricted to USA, the interventions should be studied in other countries. We also discuss the ethical and practical implications of the present findings for crime prevention.
Background: In recent years, gang related shootings and explosions have increasingly attracted attention in Sweden as well as internationally. Organized crime is considered as one of the most important societal problems.
Method: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions targeting universal, selective, and indicated populations published between 2000 and April 2023. The included studies had a low to medium risk of bias. The certainty of the evidence for outcome measures was assessed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation System. Different effect measures were calculated.
Results: We included 43 (7 randomized, 15 nonrandomized and 24 Interrupted time series) studies evaluating 33 unique psychosocial interventions. Synthesis without meta-analysis found a preventive effect of psychosocial interventions in middle-schools on gang membership. Furthermore, meta-analysis found that Focused deterrence strategies prevented gang-related violence, and that psychosocial support during probation decreased crime recidivism. Meta-analysis found no significant effect of mediation or Drug market interventions on gun-violence compared to control conditions. However, Drug market interventions significantly prevented drug-related crime.
Ethical and social aspects: Key ethical considerations that should be addressed are the effectiveness of the intervention, risks of burdens, stigmatization and discrimination of the innocent, and reduced trust in the society. Outside the Swedish prison and probation service, coercion, and intrusion of a person´s integrity should be minimized.
Discussion: This systematic review found significant effects of four interventions compared to control in reducing future criminality, especially gun-violence, among children and young adults under the age of 30. To be confident that the results from these interventions are not only restricted to USA, the interventions should be studied in other countries. We also discuss the ethical and practical implications of the present findings for crime prevention.