The Impact Of Family Socioeconomic Status On The Involvement Of Youths In Gangsterism

Sreetharan Sreetharan Marimuthu, Kartini Aboo Talib Kartini Talib, Ramalinggam Rajamanickam

Abstract


This study investigates the systemic relationship between family socioeconomic status (SES) and youth involvement in gangsterism, specifically addressing how poverty cripples marginalised families and compels young individuals toward criminal activities. While conventional scholarship identifies causal factors such as family disintegration and educational disruption, youth aggression remains on the rise globally. To address this, a systematic thematic review was conducted using the Thematic Review FlowZ (TreZ) method. A total of 26 peer-reviewed journals published between 2021 and 2025 were synthesised through five distinct phases; Triage, Refinement, Exclusion, Eligibility, and Zeroing-In, supported by qualitative tools such as ATLAS.ti25. The findings categorise the research landscape into five major themes: socioeconomic determinants, urbanisation/environmental factors, psychological aspects of criminality, policy approaches, and theoretical methodologies. The review demonstrates that absolute and relative poverty act as foundational drivers that undermine parental authority and normalise gang culture as a survival mechanism. Furthermore, the study identifies ‘Policy Disorganisation,’ where fragmented governance and punitive legislative responses often fail to address the root causes of systemic marginalisation. This paper contributes a comprehensive overview of global trends, highlighting a critical research gap regarding longitudinal analyses of criminal trajectories. The research concludes that a paradigm shift from punitive containment to structural justice and culturally embedded governance is mandatory. By institutionalising the Social Impact Framework (SIF) as a diagnostic tool, policymakers can move toward restorative transformation, ensuring marginalised youths are viewed as national assets rather than social liabilities.

Keywords: Family Socioeconomic Status; Youths; Gangsterism; Poverty; Social Impact Framework

 


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References


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