NCJ Number
149009
Date Published
1990
Length
161 pages
Annotation
This study of Detroit youth gangs in the 1980's focuses on their evolution, composition, goals, and influence on crime and drug trafficking.
Abstract
The research team gained the confidence of gang members and conducted more than 200 interviews over a 5-year period with both male and female gang and nongang youth. Organized corporate gangs in Detroit were represented by two gangs, one with approximately 300 members and another with less than 100 members. Forty subjects were examined with members of both the gangs. General information about gangs covers their history, both nationwide and in Detroit; gang types; "near-groups"; female gang members; and current Detroit gangs. A review of the subjects discussed with and among gang members includes quotes from the juveniles. Attitudes and opinions are expressed about employment in the auto industry, selling drugs, role models in America, marriage and fathering children, sports, prisons and detention homes, school and higher education, violence, job training programs and the job market, and females in gangs. Interviews that addressed opposing views on whether gang life is positive or negative for its participants considered whether gangs are worth trying, the impact of gangs on families, parental approval, the value of an education, gang violence, and leaving a gang. A discussion of the community response to youth gangs reveals that the overall deterioration of the community is exacerbated by juveniles involved in major crime. The study concludes that Detroit youth in the 1980's are drawn to gangs because they offer jobs that make big money, provide solidarity of identification with a group, supply status or a sense of belonging, offer camaraderie among peers, and promise adventure. In suggesting a strategy for addressing juvenile delinquency and gang criminality in urban areas, the author recommends a community team effort that focuses on upgrading the family and the home; the schools; jobs, the economy, and the role of businesses; criminal justice; and the influence of the church. Chapter notes and appended tabular data on interview responses