What is the best sampling strategy for studying gang members in a major U.S. city?

Using gang members to help recruit other gang members is an effective sampling strategy for this type of study because it leverages existing social networks within the gang community, facilitating access to individuals who are often difficult to reach through conventional methods. Gang members possess insider knowledge and trust within their own community, making them invaluable in identifying and approaching potential participants.

This approach helps to mitigate issues related to stigma, fear of legal repercussions, and mistrust of outsiders, which are common barriers when trying to study marginalized or criminalized populations. By employing peer recruitment, the researcher can foster a more authentic and representative sample of gang members, which is essential for gathering meaningful data about their experiences, behaviors, and perspectives.

In contrast, using random selection from the entire city population may not yield a sample that adequately represents gang members, since these individuals may be underrepresented in the general population. Inviting non-gang members to participate as a control group may provide some comparative data, but it doesn't focus on the target population of interest. Focusing solely on residents near gang areas could introduce bias and not effectively capture the full range of gang involvement.