NCJ Number
148550
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 25 Dated: (July-August 1963) Pages: 24-27
Date Published
1963
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The author views the juvenile gang as fraternal, competitive, rebellious, and liberating and believes that compelling reasons for joining a gang are quite respectable even though gang objectives seem to be largely antisocial.
Abstract
In the reported juvenile gang case study, the author made several assumptions: (1) antisocial features of the gang were not a necessary component of its appeal to teenage boys; (2) gang cohesiveness might be acquired through minimum adult control, frequent and extensive group experiences, interclub competition, and informal social intimacy; and (3) a group could be formed in the training school environment which might develop a reasonable simulation of gang-type cohesiveness. Membership in the BVS Players group was limited to 15 boys primarily between 15 and 17 years of age. Over the 5-year period the group was organized, about 150 boys were members; each averaged 6 months in the group. To achieve cohesiveness, the boys were given as much autonomy as possible. Frequent and intensive group experiences were provided via the production of monthly plays interspersed with outings. Interclub competition was restricted to occasional athletic events, while informal social intimacy was developed through "bull sessions" and ritual. Participant responses to the BVS Players program indicated it was an effective approach.