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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of the article by Krisberg was to report on the themes of violence and gang youth after evaluating an Urban Leadership Training Program which focused on training gang leaders for careers in community service. This report did not include the evaluation, rather it focused on the gang members perspective of violence.
METHODOLOGY:
A quasi-experimental design consisting of interviews and observations of the gang leaders was employed. Twenty-two gang leaders from the ages of 18 to 23 who resided in the Mantua area of Philadelphia were the unit of analysis. The author had almost daily interactions with the gang members over an eight month period where the researcher observed program training sessions, or accompanied them to and from various program events. The researcher established good rapport with the gang leaders and was invited to join them at local bars, and gang parties. He was typically introduced as a friend who was writing a book about the Urban Leadership Training Program. Specifics regarding whether it was a structured or non-structured interview, and the role of the observer were not discussed.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The author discussed two main topics: themes of violence and the social meaning of violence. He concluded by discussing violence as a public issue. A common theme among the gang leaders was that violence was perceived as a normal part of their lives. They observed violence, were victims of violence, and used violence against others. When asked, "What do you think about the neighborhood-bad conditions and all?," one gang member responded, "Well, living here is pretty good except for there's too many killings." As common victims of violence, several gang leaders expressed doubt that they would live many more years. Violence was justified in terms of a response to being taken advantage of or being criticized.
The author found that violence had several meanings, one of which linked definitions of manhood and experiences of violence. From the perspective of an African American gang leader, violence was associated with being a "bad nigger" which in black folklore represented open rebellion against a white master. In the ghetto, the "bad nigger" was similarly noted as one that "had to be ready to die" (p.13). It was also associated with respect. Violence was also a means of demonstrating ones manhood and was often expressed in a competitive fashion.
The author suggested that perspective should be considered when discussing violence as a public issue. The author noted that the gang members felt that much of what had been written about violence among black adolescents was racist in nature and that outsiders could not possibly understand what they were going through. The author also noted that perhaps it would be useful to incorporate the perspectives or autobiographical material of writers such as Malcolm X, or Piri Thomas when considering causal paths of violence. The author included the perspective of Poussaint who would argue that "American ethics of self-reliance and competition" (p.16) were also important causes of violence. It was argued that competition was regulated by a double standard where business and government used violence and crime in pursuit of profits and received little or no punishment, whereas a person who commits a crime "in a desperate fight for survival" (p. 16) would be punished to no end. Other societal injustices mentioned included the lack of attention or action by police officers toward crimes among Blacks who do hurt or threaten the outside community, police beatings, unjust imprisonment. The author concluded that what is often unaddressed when discussing violence is that society and those who are privileged in society contribute to the violent activity and perpetuate violence by promoting policies that devalue human life.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Offender Perceptions
Pennsylvania
Juvenile Victim
African American Violence
African American Offender
African American Victim
African American Juvenile
African American Perceptions
Gang Violence
Gang Membership Causes
Gang Perceptions
Violence Causes
Sociocultural Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Environmental Factors
Juvenile Violence
Juvenile Offender
Juvenile Gang
Community Violence
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