NCJ Number
147612
Journal
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 31 Issue: 4 Dated: (1961) Pages: 685-702
Date Published
1961
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article presents a 4-year case study of a 16- member male adolescent group in an ethnic working-class neighborhood of a large city, initiated when the group was at the beginning of its adolescent career.
Abstract
Data were collected from the detailed diary of a field worker; recorded observations of the social system in the local adult society; psychiatric and psychological interviews and examinations of the group members and their parents; and interviews with teachers, settlement house workers, and the local merchants who employed some of the boys. The study focused on the sociological aspects of the setting and the activities of the group. This involved attention to the norms and traditions of the local subculture, features of the local social systems related to the competitive process and the achievement of status, and the structuring of roles and values over time within the group. These variables were examined for their relevance in determining the character of adolescent experience in the working-class milieu and, by extension, for their relevance in the generation of delinquent conduct. Following a discussion of community background, the article addresses the structure of the adolescent street world, variations in delinquency patterns in the area, the emergence of the "Eagles" as a group, and the evolution of the group's internal structure. Remaining sections of the article consider problems in the intervention strategy, some limitations of street gang work, and child guidance and the problem of the street corner gang. 5 references