Advancing Research, Policy, and Community Well-Being
Avelardo Valdez, PhD
Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California
President, Valdez Social Research
A nationally recognized American sociologist whose work has contributed to advancing public health, informing policy, and improving the well-being of marginalized communities. He has a distinguished academic career that includes recipient of numerous National Institutes of Health grants, Fulbright Scholar and member of the National Research Council Committee on Causes and Consequences of High Incarceration Rates.
Released June 2026
Homeboys Forever The Lifetime Consequences of Gang Membership
What is the end of the story after a lifetime in gangs?
Violence, addiction, imprisonment . . . we don’t have to look hard to see the negative consequences of gang involvement. But what does it look like to spend a life—from adolescence to adulthood—in gangs? Sociologist Avelardo Valdez, PhD and his research team have been following the lives of Mexican American men in San Antonio, Texas, over a remarkable twenty years, watching and listening as they navigate adolescent delinquency and gang involvement, advance into a life of crime, and—sometimes—attempt to break from gang life and build lives in conventional society.
Areas of Expertise
Substance Use, Crime and Violence
Health Disparities and Social Determinants
Immigration and Transnational Experiences
Methodological and Community Engaged Innovations
Let's Connect
Whether you are interested in research collaborations, speaking engagements, academic discussions, or his book, Homeboys Forever — Avelardo Valdez welcomes the opportunity to connect with you.