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An Urban Ethnography of Latino Street

Gangs in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties


Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Methodology
The Formal Questionnaire
Other Methodological Difficulties
Total Numbers Interviewed To-Date

3. Non-gang Affiliated Essay Excerpts-Case Studies
The Independents

4. The Sites--Dysfunctional Neighborhoods

5. A Brief History of Street Gangs

6. The Problem of Definitions
What is a Hispanic Gang Member?

7. Taggers and Gang Graffiti

8. Latino Street Gang Organization

9 Age Groups

10. Crimes
Flawed Public Notions

11. Clothes/ The Look

12. A Sample Language Corpus

13. Dropouts
Dropouts and Poverty
The Role of Schools in Creating Dropouts
Rethinking our Educational System
A Not So Immodest Proposal

14. Why join?
How Do Non-gang Affiliated Survive: More Case Study Essays

15. The Politics of Education and Recent Immigrants As Gang Members
Gang Culture is not Mexican Culture


16. Criminal Behavior
Inaccuracies Concerning Drugs and Homicides
Inaccuracies Concerning Organization Sophistication
Moral Development in Destructive Environments

17. Police and Community Perspectives
- Community Concerns
- The Rights of the Accused

18. Gang Girls
- Home Life Profile
- Thirty Something Moms, Family Values, & Mexican Culture
- Comparison "Cholas" and "Biker" women
- Mom and Family Values
- Violence Among Female Gang Members
- Chips Off the Old Block

19. Solutions
-Compulsory Education Past Age 14

20. Parents

21. End Notes and Bibliography