Gang members exhibit similar Internet and social media use than their non-gang counterparts, but the content of the online activities mirrors their street actions – gang members are 70 percent more likely to commit Internet crimes than non-gang members, according to Criminal and Routine Activities in Online Settings: Gangs, Offenders, and the Internet.
The five-city study, conducted in Cleveland, OH; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and St. Louis, MO, was funded by Google Ideas – a think/do tank that explores the role of technology in dealing with social phenomenon such as violent extremism, illicit networks and fragile states.