Gangs and society : alternative perspectives / edited by Louis Kontos, David Brotherton, and Luis Barrios ; photographs, Robert Yager ; photographs, Donna De Cesare.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Compiled by three leading experts in the psychological, sociological, and criminal justice fields, this volume addresses timely questions from an eclectic range of positions. The product of a landmark conference on gangs, Gangs and Society brings together the work of academics, activists, and community leaders to examine the many functions and faces of gangs today. Analyzing the spread of gangs from New York to Texas to the West Coast, the book covers such topics as the spirituality of gangs, the place of women in gang culture, and the effect on gangs of a variety of educational programs and services for at-risk youth. The final chapter examines the "gang-photography phenomenon" by looking at the functions and politics of different approaches to gang photography and features a photographic essay by Donna DeCesare, an award-winning journalist.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This is a refreshing anthology on gang life in the US. The editors have compiled fascinating, serious, and informative articles concerned with the theoretical and methodological contexts of gang research, women and gangs, links between gangs and politics, the problems of youth and gang life, and the social control of gangs. There is also a photographic section. The majority of the articles use phenomenological and qualitative approaches to analyze issues of participation and recruitment, subcultural dynamics, and economic linkages. While the articles are carefully steeped in the theoretical traditions of studying gangs, they also debunk myths surrounding the gang experience, such as the view that gangs are simply a symbol of social disorganization or a conduit for selling illegal drugs. The articles and photographs remind readers of many of the disturbing aspects of gang life, such as violence, prison, early death, hypermachismo, and children having children. An excellent, very readable resource. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. B. J. Goetz Western Michigan University