What are the psychological and sociocultural factors that contribute to disengagement from youth gangs? A systematic review

This systematic review synthesises available empirical studies exploring youth gangs, with a focus on the psychological and sociocultural factors that contribute to gang disengagement. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines and searches were conducted in six academic databases in February 2022. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria for review. Psychological factors (e.g. disillusionment; maturation; experiences of victimisation and self-reflection) and sociocultural factors (e.g. positive and prosocial relationships, school commitment and positive school transitions and reduced unstructured activities) were highlighted as supporting youth gang disengagement. Given that there are numerous factors influencing youth gang disengagement, policy and practice should ensure that each are drawn upon to support disengagement. Implications for policy and practice will be discussed.