NCJ Number
225280
Date Published
2008
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This concluding chapter of the book, “Street Gangs, Migration and Ethnicity,” revisits the previous chapters in order to draw some conclusions about what has been learned from the diverse countries, methods, and perspectives represented.
Abstract
The authors first address definitional issues. They note that all chapter authors describe the groups being studied in relation to the “Eurogang” definition, so as to facilitate cross-national, comparative research on youth street gangs. The critical aspect of this definition of youth gangs is that they are involved in criminal activities as a key aspect of the group’s identity. The next section of the chapter addresses stigmatization or labeling that can result when gang criminal identities and behaviors are viewed as representative of particular immigrant/ethnic groups. In an effort to avoid such labeling, the chapters of the book focus on how the institutions of mainstream societies, particularly the police, can facilitate positive outcomes in migrants’ and ethnic minorities’ interaction with social, political, and geographic environments of the mainstream host society. The chapter then discusses the ways in which migration contributes to gang formation. Several chapters highlight the role and experiences of second-generation immigrants. Such youths often feel disconnected from both the “old county/culture” of their parents and the “new country/culture” of the host country. The next section reviews the chapters that address how ethnicity relates to the characteristics and behaviors of gangs. One of the key differences between gang members of ethnic minorities and gang members of mainstream ethnicity is that youth from ethnic minorities are often drawn to and maintain gang membership out of experiences they attribute to racial discrimination. The concluding section of the chapter addresses how migration and ethnicity must be considered in gang prevention and intervention efforts. 4 notes and 34 references