Guns, Violence, and Identity Among African American and Latino Youth (Criminal Justice (Lfb Scholarly Publishing Llc).)

Most importantly, I am deeply indebted to the young men who were willing to share their life histories with the interview team. I hope that my interpretations and presentation of their stories provide insights that help shape policy and practice. I would like to acknowledge the many contributions of my field research staff. This project would not have been possible without them. Rich McClain, Whetsel Wade, Davon Battee, David Tufino, and Jason Mercado inspired me with their resilience and personal growth during the project. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know and care about five extraordinary individuals. Each member brought something special and unique to this study. They showed considerable courage to do something visible and different from what most individuals their age were doing in these neighborhoods. They lived many of the experiences described in this book and continue to struggle for survival in these dangerous neighborhoods, they call home. I think my understanding of the social worlds of inner-city adolescent males was enriched most through my conversations and debates with the interviewers. Week after week the stories poured in about what my field interviewers observed, experienced, heard about, feared, and/or grieved. The frequency of violent events in their neighborhoods shocked and outraged me. I gratefully acknowledge the research assistance of Marlene Wilkinson studies 125 violent African American and Latino males aged 16 to 24 in New York City, analyzing 306 violent situations of which 151 involve guns. The social world of these youths is characterized by violence, internalized street codes, limited opportunities, and the availability of firearms. Violent events are public social performances. These performances often have serious consequences for social identity and personal safety. Wilkinson shows how violence is a resource for gaining/maintaining social identity (masculinity) and status on the street. The dynamic of moving from victim to victimizer is clearly understood in the socio-cultural context of the street. She demonstrates the role that guns play in "empowering" adolescents to engage in conflict outside of age-specific groups Setting The Empirical Context -- The Research Process -- Neighborhood: An Ecology Of Danger -- Family: One Important Developmental Context -- Peers, Social Networks, And Other Affiliations -- Limited Opportunities: Education And Employment Experiences -- Decision Making In Violent Events: An Examination Of Sparks And Other Motivational Factors -- Processes And Contingencies Of Violent Events -- Violent Events And Social Identity: Specifying The Relationship Between Respect And Masculinity -- The Columbia University Gun Study Final Interview Protocol. Deanna L. Wilkinson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 287-296) And Index. Wilkinson (criminal justice, Temple U.) presents and analyzes the findings of a study of 125 violent adolescent males in two New York City neighborhoods and 306 violent or near violent events they experienced. She seeks to understand youth gun violence by examining the dynamic contextualism of urban neighborhoods; the influence of these social processes on socialization, social control, and behavior; and the role of guns in shaping norms and behaviors. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) In 1994, I was beginning my dissertation work in criminology and was also volunteering with ex-offenders in New York City.