NCJ Number
147306
Journal
American Journal of Sociology Volume: 73 Dated: (July 1967) Pages: 42-62
Date Published
1967
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article examines evidence suggesting that a latent function of gang activity may be to sustain group life under otherwise unfavorable psychological conditions.
Abstract
Gradients ordering lower-class gang, lower-class nongang, and middle-class responses to a semantic differential are interpreted as reflecting differences in rewards from interpersonal relations due to differences in the prevalence of psychopathology. Support is found in other studies and in other data. The theoretical inference is made that in groups in which interpersonal relations are insufficiently rewarding to be self-sustaining, group cohesiveness will depend upon activities that are facilitated, rather than hindered, by such personal limitations. Evidence in the literature suggests that the delinquent activities of gangs perform this latent function. The data for this paper were obtained from six samples: 163 black and 58 white delinquent gang boys; 69 black and 37 white lower-class nongang boys living in the same neighborhoods as the gang boys; and 24 black and 41 white middle-class boys. Footnotes, tables