NCJ Number
147763
Date Published
1956
Length
237 pages
Annotation
An inquiry was made into the psychodynamic processes of change in small group behavior in a teenage gang.
Abstract
The research project took place in the upper West Side of Manhattan, where teenage gangs had become a visible problem. Emphasis was placed on the role played by the investigator from the time of initial contact with the gang to the time when the gang showed a decreasing need for help. Investigators were advanced students with adequate relevant experience. The group approach to gang treatment was compared to other approaches, particularly the client- centered approach. An analysis of the investigators' records indicated, broadly, that teenage street gang members will respond to sympathy, acceptance, affection, and understanding when approached by adults who have these characteristics and reach out to them on their own level. Through this kind of positive relationship, the investigator can gain the confidence of gangs who have rejected previous efforts to bring them into the community. The steps toward socialization are documented in this dissertation. Bibliography, 5 appendixes