Connecting setting and subculture: A qualitative examination of violent incidents related to gangs, race, and other personal issues from the incarcerated youth perspective

Violent behavior within correctional settings has been a prominent topic in criminological scholarship. Violence is common among gang members within correctional facilities and scholarship has found that violence also occurs due to race issues. Additional research shows that violent incidents in adult correctional settings may also stem from other personal issues. But there has been little research addressing the characteristics of violent incidents related to gangs, race and other personal issues within youth correctional facilities. The current project fills this research gap by utilizing interviews from over 260 incarcerated male youth, which include over 700 violent incident narratives. Qualitative thematic analyses are conducted on the relationship between the institutional setting and violence, and whether there is a distinct violent subculture. The results highlight similarities and differences in situational characteristics and dynamics of violent incidents motivated by gangs, race, and other personal issues. Implications for theory, policy, and programming, and directions for future research are discussed.