ORIENTATIONS OF STREET-CORNER WORKERS AND THEIR EFFECT ON GANGS (FROM CONTROLLING DELINQUENTS, 1968, BY STANTON WHEELER AND HELEN MACGILL HUGHES - SEE NCJ-64125)

• NCJ Number: 64135
• Author(s): D KANTOR; W I BENNETT
• Date Published: 1968
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wiley and Sons
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STYLES OF WORKERS INVOLVED IN PENETRATING JUVENILE GANGS AS PART OF A DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROJECT ARE EXAMINED USING JOURNALS KEPT BY SEVEN STREET CORNER WORKERS.

Abstract

AS PART OF THE MIDCITY YOUTH PROJECT ESTABLISHED IN 1954, FIVE MALES AND TWO FEMALES WORKERS WERE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC GANGS TO ASSIST WITH LAW-ABIDING CLUB PROGRAMS OR DIVERT YOUTHS FROM GROUPS THAT PREFERRED ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. ALL FELT A SENSE OF MISSION TO CONVERT JUVENILES FROM A BAD WAY OF LIFE TO A NEW AND BETTER ONE. ALTHOUGH THE WORKERS ASSUMED THAT STANDARD PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR STREET WORK WOULD DEVELOP, DISTINCT INDIVIDUAL STYLES BECAME EVIDENT, WHICH COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS THE PROFESSIONAL, THE IDEOLOGIST, THE MORALIST, THE SOCIALIZER, AND THE MANIPULATOR. IDEOLOGIES VARIED FROM WORKER TO WORKER, EVEN AMONG THOSE EMPLOYING THE SAME STYLE. TWO ACCOUNTS OF WORKERS AND THEIR TACTICS ILLUSTRATE A PROFESSIONAL AND A MANIPULATOR IN ACTION. THE PROFESSIONAL WORKED WITH A WELL ESTABLISHED, COHESIVE GANG AND SOUGHT TO PRESERVE IT AS A COMMUNITY GROUP THROUGH ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES AND ESTABLISHING OBLIGATIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL INSTITUTIONS. IN CONTRAST, THE MANIPULATOR PENETRATED A MORE DELINQUENT GANG OF BLACK BOYS WITH A STRONG LEADER WHO ASPIRED TO BETTER STATUS. THE WORKER MANIPULATED COLLEGES, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACHIEVEMENT TO BOYS WHO WANTED SUCCESS IN MIDDLE-CLASS TERMS. HE DID NOT TRY TO BE A POWER WITHIN THE GANG, BUT ASSISTED ITS MEMBERS IN THEIR TRANSITION TO THE WORLD BEYOND THE LOWER-CLASS COMMUNITY. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, SEE NCJ-64125. (MJM)