Author:
Spergel, Irving A.
Imprint:New York : Oxford University Press, 1995.
Descriptionxvi, 346 p. ; 24 cm.
Bibliography Note:Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-336) and index.
Note:Youth gangs remains a persistent element of the larger problem of delinquency and criminal violence. Spergel has been working with and writing about youth gangs for some four decades; he provides here a fairly exhaustive exploration of many dimensions of this phenomenon. The first half of the book explores historical, cross-cultural, methodological, demographic, structural, experiential, and ecological aspects of these gangs, with some attention to their involvement with drugs, violence, and organized crime. The second half of the book examines in depth the response of the criminal justice system to youth gangs, and suggests various alternative forms of social intervention. Although he acknowledges the inevitable complexity of successfully addressing the youth gang problem, Spergel has adopted the view that a community-based approach dealing with the factors promoting initial involvement with gangs is the most promising tactic. This book is likely to be a basic resource for students of youth gangs for some time to come. -- from Choice review
Note:Recommended in Best Books for Academic Libraries
