We tend to think of gang involvement as an urban issue, but rural gang-involved youth have many of the same poor outcomes associated with involvement. Prevention and intervention would be well served in not overlooking or minimizing gang involvement as a meaningful risk factor.

Some of the rates were startling. Males from the gang member class had >10x greater odds of incarceration in the past year at age 19. Rates and adjusted odds of substance use, violence, and other outcomes were substantially higher for both members and associated youth.

The data came from a longitudinal study of youth from 12 rural/small town communities in 7 states. We looked at profiles of gang involvement over time to capture diverse patterns of involvement (e.g., intermittent) and association with gang-involved peers. We also examined outcomes by gender.

Neil Young's 80th birthday, I'm sharing the most dad rockin', head noddingest song of his I know.

Tbf I absolutely ate this up when I was 14, when Neil Young was just slightly older than I am now... 🫠

This album was released shortly before he died. When I heard this song, I knew it was near. It remains the saddest song I've ever heard--it's just so goddamned resigned to giving up.

I can't listen to him much anymore, not from fading value, but because I can't live in that space much anymore.

Drove to Wilmington on a lark the next day to catch him again. Was already a fan, but it made a profound impact on me. Some years later, I got a recording, and photos a couple more, including one that's basically just the back of my head as I watched him play. Magic.

Saw a bunch of Jason Molina shows, but this was one of the most memorable. Fire marshal shut down the venue, so Jason took it outside to the courthouse. Then police showed up in the middle.

Amazing to see a video of it decades later. That's me, about a day shy of 21, sitting two steps down.

Hard pass.

I didn't know Jim Howes (@nickhexum311.bsky.social) except through tweets/skeets, but even
from just those I knew they were such a creative force unto the world. A mix of all different directions that somehow make a cohesive whole. I feel this track is good representation.