Reluctant Gangsters: The Changing Face of Youth Crime

Abstract

Reluctant Gangsters: The Changing Face of Youth Crime By John, Pitts Cullompton : Willan , 2008 ISBN 9781843923657 pb, 176 pp , £22 Reluctant Gangsters reports the results of a research project carried out with youth gangs in London. The research consists of a number of interviews with young gang members, parents, peer mentors and professionals, the evaluation of gang desistance programmes and an analysis of statistical data. The book seeks to describe what life is like for young gang members and their families through investigating and explaining gang dynamics and structure and antecedents to gang membership and explains the importance of certain policies and interventions that are relevant to these elements of our society. The book addresses a number of issues, such as poverty, isolation and deprivation. The hardship of society’s children most at risk from youth gangs puts me in mind of Blake’s ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’ where the poverty and hardship of children during the industrial revolution prevented them from enjoying their youth. The research highlights how parental protection is not enough to support and stabilise the most impoverished children in our society, and the stigmatism and prejudices received because of their background or social position, engenders a deep mistrust of the adults who are supposed to protect them. This book suggests that for young people affected by gangs, there is no protection within their family units, who are too poor and have too little control over their situation to do anything, but survive in the pockets of these gangs. The author investigates the effect gangs and membership into youth gangs has on the immediate society, for example gangs’ territory spreading to primary schools and secondary schools, pupils being attacked for witnessing incidents on their way home from sports practice or school that involves gang members, weapons searches at schools and a strong police presence, even in the classrooms. The author states that for these young people, gang culture becomes all encompassing; the only way they can survive is to join. Survival is an issue that was particularly relevant in this research as many of the interviewees, whether professionals or young people, describe gang membership as the only way to live in society as they have seen the punishments handed to other people and families who have not complied with the wishes of the gang. However, it feels that the author has failed to address and incorporate issues such as media influence and the glorification of gang membership by role models, into the analysis and evaluation of the results. Reluctant Gangsters describes in detail the history of gang culture, its structure and dynamics employing plain language and diagrams. The structure and content are very accessible to readers not familiar with sociological, criminological and psychological theory as jargon is simplified and explained succinctly. The book makes very good use of these theories to give the findings of the study a theoretical basis such as the explanations for decisions to become a gang member. Some of the results are shown in clear and concise tables and supported by quotes from the individuals who were interviewed. Many of these quotations are very poignant as they are realistic, with speech and language styles recognisable to the reader. This may be a possible explanation for why those particular quotations were selected for publication, as you can’t help but empathise with the young people and their families. However, very little is said about the methodology and there is a distinct lack of access to the full results meaning that this research is potentially not replicable and calls into question the validity of the results and conclusions. The author does give evidence for the potential use and impact of Every Child Matters in helping youth gang members and in addressing the effects of social isolation, economic and political isolation and relative deprivation. I would recommend this book as an excellent tool for those interested in Every Child Matters (as well as in mentoring and social work) as it gives a wonderful insight into the lives of these young people and dispels many of the media created myths. The book also compares schemes in the UK to similar schemes worldwide giving the conclusions of the research an important cultural relevance. There is some evaluation of current projects and schemes and the author attempts to make suggestions for potential interventions based on the research. In all I feel I have learnt a great deal from this book and found it a very enjoyable read in spite of the emotional and difficult topics. I would certainly recommend it as a source to anyone working or studying in this field and would happily read it again.