Stanislaus State Professor of Criminal Justice Huan Gao is bringing new attention to an understudied issue: youth gang activity in California’s Central Valley.
With assistance from criminal justice students, Gao completed research on the topic and the study resulted in her new book, “Youth Involvement in Street Gangs in California’s Central Valley,” (Routledge) released on Nov. 13. The 234-page book is the first study to comprehensively examine youth gang involvement in rural areas. The book’s release coincides with the American Society of Criminology’s annual conference, happening this week in San Francisco.
For Gao, the goal of her work was twofold: to unearth new knowledge about a significant and complex challenge affecting the Central Valley and to demonstrate her gratitude through service. Her study, which started in 2013, is rooted in her nearly two decades of academic experience.
Originally from China, she studied law there as an undergraduate and went on to earn a master’s degree and obtain a law license. She completed a master’s in criminal justice at Buffalo State College in 2002, followed by another master’s degree and a doctorate, both from the School of Criminal justice at Rutgers University. Shortly after, in 2007, she joined Stan State where she has dedicated the past 17 years to researching complex issues relevant to the field of criminal justice.
After she published her first book on women and heroin addiction in China, “I wanted to demonstrate my ability to conduct research in this country, where I received scholarships and fellowships for my education, as a way to give back to the community.”
That led her to focus on the Central Valley’s youth gang problem and the distinct issues — from youth working in the fields to family and community influences unique to rural life — which have been overlooked in gang research across the globe, Gao explained.
She drew on her extensive background in law and criminology for her research, which included interviews with 96 active youth gang members in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties. Her first book, published in 2011, focused on heroin addiction among women in China. While successful, Gao wanted to shift her research focus from international issues to local ones.
Her research into rural youth gang activity began with a simple idea and a partnership with the Stanislaus County Probation Department, which saw the value in her work and provided access to youths who were detained in the Juvenile Hall. What began as a localized effort in Stanislaus County expanded into a comparative study that included San Joaquin and Merced counties, a move that added depth to her findings and made the study unprecedented in scope.
Her methodology was both rigorous and comprehensive, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis that consisted of interviews with youth gang members and associates; reviewing detailed agency records of youths; conducting field observations and collecting survey responses from more than 300 community members including local community leaders, residents, school teachers and others. This across-the-board approach to the research allowed Gao to uncover nuanced perspectives on youth gang involvement.
“There are two ways to look at this issue: at the youths themselves and the justice system’s response,” she said, and her research revealed significant differences between the counties.
Before California eliminated the practice of direct filing — a controversial policy that allowed prosecutors to charge minors in adult court without judicial approval before it was abolished in 2016 with the passing of Proposition 57 — Merced and San Joaquin counties often imposed stricter punishments compared to Stanislaus County, which leaned toward rehabilitation by placing youth in group homes.
In examining the case studies, Gao’s findings were both illuminating and heartbreaking.
“I was shocked by how many youths had experienced child abuse and domestic violence,” Gao said. “Two-thirds of youths in the study had Child Protective Services (CPS) reports in their files. It became clear that many were living in very unfortunate environments, impacted not only by family but also by widespread violence in the community. Many mentioned joining gangs because everyone in the neighborhood was in it, especially extended family members like uncles and cousins.”
Punitive school policies used to discipline troubled students also played a significant role in the youths’ trajectory toward gang involvement. Youths suspended from school for minor infractions often found themselves in continuation schools or placed in independent study classes, environments that connected them with at-risk peers and perpetuated their involvement in gangs. The findings highlighted a cycle that was difficult to break.
Despite the many challenges contributing to the problems, Gao saw hopeful signs.
“One thing that was quite promising was education,” she said of minors who were detained. “They were so motivated and excited to get their high school diploma and most of them got it through Juvenile Hall. Once they were placed there for one or two years, that was their opportunity to finish school. It’s a big change in their life, one that gives them hope, that they can do something to sustain their life in the future.”
To enrich her research, she enlisted 18 criminal justice students to conduct interviews and had undergraduate students from her classes help collect survey data from nearly 300 community members. The hands-on experience strengthened the study while offering students a chance to engage in real-world research that could shape their future roles in public safety and community leadership.
“Academia has a responsibility to serve not just the academic community but also the local community,” Gao said. “At Stan State, we can provide insights and data analysis that local agencies might not have the resources to conduct. By putting various perspectives together, we can guide agencies to improve their practices. It’s also essential for students to gain real-world experience through research. My students, many of whom will work in the Central Valley, are excited to see research that directly relates to their community and future careers.”
Reflecting on her research, Gao emphasized the importance of support systems for at-risk youths for gang prevention and underscored that successful intervention relies on a collective effort.
“This isn’t just about what law enforcement can do,” she said. “It’s about what communities as a whole can do to create environments where young people don’t feel pressured to choose gang life.”
