NCJ Number
60775
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
NUMBERS GAMBLING IS EXAMINED AS BOTH A CULTURALLY AND INSTITUTIONALLY CONDITIONED BEHAVIOR OF POOR BLACKS.
Abstract
MANY SOCIOLOGISTS HAVE PRESENTED CULTURAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CAUSES OF POVERTY AS BEING MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE IN THEIR INFLUENCES ON BEHAVIOR AND CONDITIONS TENDING TO PRODUCE POVERTY. THAT THESE CATEGORIES OF CONDITIONING CAN OPERATE JOINTLY IN THE ARENA OF POVERTY BECOMES EVIDENT IN AN EXAMINATION OF THE DYNAMICS UNDERLYING THE FREQUENCY OF NUMBERS GAMBLING AMONG POOR BLACKS. BANKS COMBINE THE SAVINGS OF DEPOSITORS TO CREATE A CAPITAL FUND FOR BUSINESS, MORTGAGE, AND CONSUMER INVESTMENTS. IN POOR BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS, TRADITIONAL BANKING SERVICES HAVE NOT PROVEN PROFITABLE, BECAUSE OF THE SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY DEPOSITIED IN BANKS BY THE LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS AND THE SHORTAGE OF COLLATERAL AND INABILITY TO PAY INTEREST FOR LOANS. THE INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE OF BANKS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NUMBERS AS THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT OF MANY OF THE POOR. NUMBERS BANKS MIMIC THE SERVICES OF BANKS AS THEY TAKE IN THE 'SAVINGS' OF THE POOR THEN RETURN CAPITAL TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF USURIOUS LOANS, FREE LOANS, PHILANTHROPY, AND DIRECT BUSINESS INVESTMENTS BY RACKETEERS. PREVAILING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS SUGGEST THAT NUMBERS BANKS HAVE NOT PROVIDED A LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SERVICE SUFFICIENT OT SUSTAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EVEN THOUGH THEY HELP TO CLOSE A GAP LEFT BY THE CHRONIC FAILURE OF BANKS. THE VIRTUAL ABSENCE OF THE NORMATIVE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY IN POOR BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPLOITATIVE, ALBEIT APPEALING SUBSTITUTE IN NUMBERS GAMBLING. NUMBERS IS A CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN POOR BLACK COMMUNITIES, OPERATING AS A PRIMARY VEHICLE OF SOCIOECONOMIC EXCHANGE IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE OF FINANCIAL INVESTMENT. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)