NCJ Number
131887
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1991) Pages: 267-286
Date Published
1991
Length
20 pages
Annotation
The value systems and norms of Jewish and Arab street-corner youth gangs in Israel were studied using a peer norm indicator that assessed the positive as well as the negative peer group norms.
Abstract
The norms of these groups were compared with those of two control groups, one Jewish and one Arabic, comprised of junior and senior high school students. The study was based upon the assumption that Arab juvenile delinquents were not discriminated against by the justice system. It was hypothesized that Arab youths would reflect more negative norms that their Jewish counterparts, that street corner youth groups would indicate lower norms than the student control groups, and that interactions would be found between the two sectors in terms of group affiliation and ethnicity. The instruments assessed negative norms of aggression, manipulation, and criminality as well as the positive norms of achievement, motivation, respect for authority, and helping others. The results indicated higher negative norms among the Arab street-corner gangs than among the Jewish counterparts. This result may provide an explanation for the occurrence of high levels of crime among Arab youth. Except for motivation and helping others, the first hypothesis was corroborated regarding differences between Arab and Jewish subjects. These findings also strongly supported the second and third hypotheses concerning differences between delinquent youths and students and interaction affects of affiliation and ethnicity, respectively. Except for the case of authority, Arab street-corner youth were found to have the most negative norms among all the groups. 3 tables and 45 references (Author abstract modified)