Life in the Gang

Family, Friends, and Violence

Scott H Decker author Barrik van Winkle author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:28th Aug '96

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Life in the Gang cover

Extensive interviews with gang members and their relatives provides unique picture of gang life.

This study is based on three years of field work with 99 active gang members and 24 family members. Through extensive interviews, the book describes the attractiveness of gangs, the process of joining, their chaotic and loose organization, and their members' usual activities.This study is based on three years of field work with 99 active gang members and 24 family members. The book describes the attractiveness of gangs, the process of joining, their chaotic and loose organisation, and their members' predominant activities - mostly hanging out, drinking, and using drugs. The authors also discuss gang members' rather slapdash involvement in major property crime and their disorganised participation in drug traffic, as well as the often fatal consequences of their violent life-style. Although the book focuses on the individual, organisational, and institutional aspects of gang membership, it also explores gang members' involvement with other school and neighborhood structures. Extensive interviews with family members provide groundbreaking insights into the gang members' lives. As much as possible, however, the story is told in the gang members' own words.

"...the authors make effective use of direct quotes from subjects as well as limited bar charts to present distributions of characteristics of the youth and their beliefs" Choice

ISBN: 9780521565660

Dimensions: 228mm x 154mm x 20mm

Weight: 503g

320 pages