Throughout the forty years of his research in gangs, he primarily focused on its structures, processes, and their intervention strategies.
His contributions allowed him to be honored with the August Vollmer Award not only for his research, but also for his "justice or to the treatment or prevention of criminal or delinquent behavior.
"[citation needed] One of the main things that Klein emphasizes throughout his years of research is how our law enforcement strategies against street gangs are not working.
The Group Guidance Project was a program that began back in the 1940s by the Los Angeles Probation Department with a goal of reuniting gang members to their community through different group activities such as weekly club meetings, sports activities, tutoring, individual counseling, and advocacy with community agencies and organizations.
This principle heavily relies on a person's knowledge of what a gang really is, its structure, organization, activities, effects throughout the years, history, and much more.
Klein believes that policy makers must remember that membership of gangs is solidified through opposition from enforcement and society.
On the other hand, a street gang is structured in terms of "loyalty" and "similar rivalries," thus producing a less strict discipline on its members.
Another point that Klein explains is that the liberal method towards the solution of gang activity is not working and instead, is increasing "group cohesion."
From his own personal experience, he tells readers that the programs that will gradually break down the "group cohesion" will take lots of effort to do so.
[8] Klein and Cheryl Maxson provides their insights (in a more philosophical approach) towards the "troubled" youth population.
The three basic social and philosophical principles that they utilize to discuss the troubled youths are "treatment, deterrence, and normalization rationales."
Treatment is the adjustment of emotional problems that are present in the behaviors of status offenses of the troubled youth.
[9] Malcolm Klein and Cheryl Maxson examine the different patterns in characteristics of street gangs (specifically in America) and review many major gang-control programs seen around the world.
Lastly, Klein and Maxson provide their insights on gang prevention and intervention programs in the United States.
Overall, this book highlights the main points that are useful for those interested in the spread of gangs in America, such as criminologists, lawyers, law enforcement, police officers, and much more.
(2) During this three-day time period, he attempted to produce comparative gang criminology into a global context by starting with Europe.
During this time, he included job training, tutoring, recreation in established agencies, and individual therapy in his interventions.
[12] Not only is the recipient tested for their quality of their research, but also their contribution to "justice or to the treatment or prevention of criminal or delinquent behavior."
Malcolm Klein was a member of the American Society of Criminology and they led the giving of the August Vollmer Award.