PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES, GANG MEMBERSHIP, AND DELINQUENCY (FROM PERCEPTION IN CRIMINOLOGY, 1975 BY RICHARD L HENSHEL AND ROBERT A SILVERMAN - SEE NCJ-32885)

• NCJ Number: 35423
• Author(s): J F SHORT; R RIVERA; R A TENNYSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Columbia University Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS PAPER REPORTS ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF LEGITIMATE AND ILLEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES BY NEGRO AND WHITE LOWER-CLASS GANG AND NON-GANG BOYS AND MIDDLE-CLASS BOYS OF BOTH RACES, AND TO THE RELATIONS AMONG THESE PERCEPTIONS.

Abstract

LEGITIMATE OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE PERCEIVED AS AVAILABLE LESS OFTEN BY GANG THAN BY NONGANG BOYS, AND MOST OFTEN BY MIDDLE-CLASS BOYS. WHITE BOYS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NEGRO BOYS TO PERCEIVE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES AS AVAILABLE, IN EACH OF THE STRATA EXAMINED. WITH RESPECT TO LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, THE SAME PATTERN OCCURS, EXCEPT THAT THE RACIAL DIFFERENCE DOES NOT OCCUR AMONG GANG BOYS. RACE AND CLASS-BY-GANG-STATUS GRADIENTS ARE BOTH PRESENT CONCERNING ADULT CLOUT, BUT NOT PERCEIVED ADULT HELPFULNESS, AMONG LOWER-CLASS BOYS. DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTIONS OF ILLEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES REVERSE MOST OF THOSE FOUND FOR LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES. THE DATA IN THIS STUDY ALSO REVEAL A DISPARITY WITH CLASSICAL OPPORTUNITY THEORY, I.E., THESE PERCEPTIONS CAME ABOUT 'AFTER THE FACT' OF DELINQUENCY RATHER THAN BEFORE IT. THE AUTHORS CANNOT FULLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)