Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black Middle-Class Neighborhood5

8/12/2019 Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black Middle-Class Neighborhood5

1/29

Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black Middle-Class NeighborhoodAuthor(s): Mary E. PattilloSource: Social Forces, Vol. 76, No. 3 (Mar., 1998), pp. 747-774Published by: Oxford University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3005693.

Accessed: 04/06/2014 08:57

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at.http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of

content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms

of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Oxford University Pressis collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Social Forces.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 213.233.104.26 on Wed, 4 Jun 2014 08:57:45 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=ouphttp://www.jstor.org/stable/3005693?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/stable/3005693?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=oup


2/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers:Managing riimen a BlackMiddle-ClassNeighborhood*MARYE. PATTILLO,University f Michigan

AbstractBlackmiddle-classeighborhoodsave ighernternalovertyatesnd re loserohigh-povertyndhigh-crimereas hanwhitemiddle-classeighborhoods,hichpresentsarticularhallengesoneighborhoodocial rganization.his tudy sesethnographicatafromblackmiddle-classeighborhoodnChicagoo xploreowresidentsanagehiscologicalontext.find hat enseocial etworksosteredyresidentialtabilityacilitatehe nformalupervisionfneighborhoodouthndenhancehe ctivitiesf ormal rganizationsnd institutions.evertheless,heincorporationfgangmembersnddrug ealersnto he etworksf aw-abidinginandneighborshwartsffortso ompletelyid he eighborhoodfts riminallement.The onflictingffectsf ense etworkshallengeraditionalocial rganizationheory.

TheresearchnAfricanmericanssdominatedy nquiriesnto he ives f heblackpoor. Contemporarythnographiesnd ournalistic escriptionsavethoroughlyescribedeviance,angs, rugs,ntergenderelationsndsexuality,stymiedspirations,ndfamily atternsnpoor neighborhoodsDash 1989;Hagedorn 988;Kotlowitz 991;Lemann 991;MacLeod 1995;Sullivan 989;*This esearch aspartof heComparative eighborhoodtudy onductedt theUniversityfChicagounder hedirection f William uliusWilson nd Richard . Taub.Researchupportwasprovided y he ord,MacArthurnd Rockefelleroundations.would ike o thank eubenA.B. May, Robert ampson,Jeffreyorenoff,hristopher encks, udhirVenkatesh, ayReagans, heComparative eighborhoodtudy,nd the nonymous eviewersorcommentson earlier rafts fthis rticle. irect orrespondenceoMaryE. Pattillo, overtyesearch ndTraining enter,40 E. Liberty,uite 02,AnnArbor, I 48104, re-mail [email protected]?TheUniversityfNorth arolina ress SocialForces, arch1998, 6(3):747-74

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


3/29

748 / Social Forces 76:3,March 1998Williams 989).Yet,hemajorityfAfrican mericansrenotpoor Billingsley1992).A significantart f theblack xperience,amely hat f workingndmiddle-classlacks, emains nexplored. ehave ittlenformationboutwhatblackmiddle-classeighborhoodsook ike ndhow ocialifesorganizedithinthem.nthe raditionfgrounded,ociologicalommunitytudiesAnderson1978, 990; uttles 968;Whyte943), his rticle egins ofill his mpiricalndtheoreticalapusing thnographicata ollectednGroveland,middle-classlackneighborhoodnChicago.1Grovelandshome ooneof he opgangeadersnddrug ealersnChicago,as well s to one ofthehighestanking lack fficialsncity overnment.heyoung eoplewhogrow pintheneighborhoodre s easilyntroducedo thegangs nd heir rug usinesss theyre othe eighborhoodoliticalrganization.This rticlexplores ow he wo o-existndmaintain hat esidentseferoasa "quiet eighborhood."arguehat ariableshown oaffecteighborhoodocialorganization especiallyesidentialtabilitynd the trongnformalies hatstabilityosters havenotbeen ufficientlynpackedo llustratehyndhowthey elp rhinderocial rganization.nGroveland,tabilitynddense etworksdo notpreventriminalehaviors.nstead,hey ork ocircumscribehe riminalactivityhat oes xist yholdingheneighborhoodelinquentsithinhe ondsoffamilialndneighborhoodssociations.here xists systemf nterlockingnetworksfresponsiblend deviant esidentshat ometimesaradoxically,ndalways recariously,eeps he eace.Theories f Social (Dis)organizationSocial rganizationsgoal-oriented.ocial isorganizations defineds thenabilityof a communitytructureo realize hecommon aluesof tsresidentsndmaintain ffectiveocial ontrols"Sampson& Wilson1995:45); ence, ocialorganizationefersothe ffectiveffortsfneighborhoodctors owardommonends.These nds re imilarcross opulations. egardlessf he ocial lass rracial ompositionf neighborhood,ost eople hare "commonoal f ivinginanarearelativelyree romhe hreatf rime"Bursik Grasmick993:15).Moreover,isorder public rinking,oitering,treetarassment,ornerrugselling,andalism,bandonment,nd itter is neitheresired or ondonednanykind fneighborhood.here sa consistent,ositiveelationshipetweendisorderndneighborhoodissatisfaction,itizen ithdrawal,nd crimeevels(Skogan 990). ecause roscriptionsgainstrime nddisorderre imilarcrossneighborhoods,ncludingroveland,hemore nterestingssues re he ypesfneighborhood ontexts n which residents nact these values and theirorganizationaltrategies.



4/29


5/29

750/ Social Forces 76:3,March1998neighborhoodshere esidentsave hehuman nd social apital o prosperntheegitimateccupationaltructure.ow, hen,anwe ccount ornextensivelyorganizedndvisibleriminallementn stablemiddle-dasseighborhooduchas Groveland?TheUniqueBlackMiddle-Class eighborhoodGrovelandsablack eighborhoodn the outh ide fChicago ith populationof ustunder 2,000 esidents,ver95% of whom reAfrican merican. heofficialommunityrea overspproximately1square locks. idge akeAvenue,a six-lanehoroughfare,uts hroughhemiddle f heneighborhood,ndmostresidentsefero only hewestern alf s "Groveland"roper,ven hough hesectionsreveryimilar.hefact hat idge akeAvenueeparatesang erritoriesisoneexplanationor he ocalunderstandingsfneighborhoodoundaries.2Themedian amilyncomenGrovelandsnearly40,000 nnually,hile hecomparableigureor hicago s ustover 30,000. ver 0% of hepopulationarewhite-collarorkers.hemajorityf he wellingsre wner-occupied,ingle-familyrick omeswithmodestrontndback ards;herereveryewpartnentbuildings.ost esidentsork iligentlyokeep heneighborhoodean and heiryardsndhouses ttractive.There retwopublic rammarchools, Catholic rammarchool nd onepublichigh chool.There re eleven hurchesnGroveland epresentingenChristianenominations;ixofthese hurcheselong otheGrovelandlergyAssociation. ithin rovelandheres a park Grovelandark that s a partof theChicagoParkDistrict. here re three ommercialtreets ithin heneighborhoodeportedobe"the usiest redominantlylack hoppingistrictnthe tate."

Althoughherere izeablehysicaloundariesnthe ast ndwest hatnclosetheneighborhood,nd omewhatestrictedccess tthenorthnd outh orders,Grovelands ntegrallyied o ts urroundingeighborhoods.t s apart f largerblackmiddle-classopulationesidingn the ity'south ide.Withinhe fficialcommunityreaofGrovelands the ubdivision edarcove here hemottos"csuburbanivingnthe nner ity."By ncome ndoccupationalriteria,s well s theAmericanalue fhomeownership,rovelandsa middle-dasseighborhood,ndresidentsefero t ssuch. etGrovelanditesrenotdoctors,awyers,ndcorporatexecutivesCose1993).Theblackdass structurestruncatedtthehigh ndsuch hatn 1993,only 8%ofblack amiliesationallyad ncomes ver 50,000, hereas7%ofwhite amiliesadsuch ncomesSmith Horton 997).Theblackmiddle lassresembleshewhiteower-middleass Collins 983; andry987;Wilson 995).They re dministrativessistants,mall usiness wners,olice fficers,eachers,



6/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers751FIGURE1:Median amilyncome, overty ate, ndHomicide ate,GrovelandndSurroundingeighborhoods,990

Treelawn$17,50032%16.0

Trainer Beecher$23,000 $23,50023% 25%10.4 9.8

Bristol Grovelaiid Steeler$29,500 $39,500 $26,00012% 12% 22%5-4 1 6.0 10.1

Seedville ElmHeights$30,000 $42,50013% 7%11.6 1.7

Sources: ocalCommunityact ookChicago etropolitanrea, 990; nd llinois riminalJusticenformationuthority994.Morenoffrovidedhe omicidetatistics.andgovernmentureaucrats;nd n1990, early 2%ofGroveland'sesidentswere nemployed.Geographically,lackmiddlle-classeighborhoodsend obe nestled etweenareas hatre ess conomicallytablendhave igherrimeates. igure providesthree tatisticsorGrovelandndthe urroundingeighborhoods.elow achneighborhood'sseudonyms theneighborhood'srounded)medianfamilyincome; ext s thepercentffamilies ithncomes elow hepovertyine; hethird igures the1990homicide ate er10,000 esidents.



7/29

752 /Social Forces 76:3,March 1998Figureshows hat llbut neof heneighborhoodsorderingrovelandavelowermedian amilyncomes. he povertyate s also highern four fthe ix

adjacent eighborhoods.aking his xercisene geographic)tep urther,heTreelawnommunityrea northfboth rainerndBeecher has medianfamilyncome f ustunder 18,000, ot venhalf hemedian amilyncome nGroveland.tspovertyate f ver 0% snearlyriplehat fGroveland.ll hesecontiguous eighborhoodsre over90% black, llustratinghicago's yper-segregationMassey Denton 993).Finally,sing measure f themost iolent ind fcrime, igure clearlyillustratesheperilsssociated ithivingn a blackmiddle-classeighborhood.All but two of theadjacentneighborhoodsavehigher omicide ates. orcomparison,whitemiddle-classeighborhoodnChicago Beltway) as alsoincludednthe arger rojectfwhich hepresenttudys a part see Methodssection).hehomicide ate or eltwaysonly .4/10,000.urthermore,he atesfor he three ommunityreas that urround eltwayre 1.8, 2.4, and0.4homicides er 10,000 esidents,arely verlappingith he evels fviolencentheGrovelandrea. hepovertyatesn nd round eltwayre imilarlyowwhencomparedothe ommunityurroundingroveland.TheproximityfGrovelandopoorer,ess table eighborhoodsnderscoresthemportancef he patialontextfblackmiddle-classreas.While he lackmiddle lass as ttemptedo eave oorneighborhoodsWilson 987), hey avenotgottenery ar. hehigher overtyndhigherrimereas earbyre onstantremindersfwhat ouldhappenfGrovelandesidents'ffortst social ontrolfailMorenoff Sampson 997).Blackmiddle-classesidents ust truggleoremainnthemajoritynd definehenormsfpublic onduct nd social rder.The arger ommunityepictednFigure alsorepresentsdangerousrainingground orGroveland's outhwhoarenot confinedo the small rea oftheneighborhood.

The ecological atternsbservednGrovelandrenotunique.AfricanAmericansfeveryocioeconomictatusive nqualitativelyifferentinds fneighborhoodshanheir hiteounterparts.n a revealingxercise,ampsonndWilson1995)use ensus ata o ocate imilarlackndwhitecologicalontexts.They ind he ollowing:Innot necityver 00,000ntheUnited tates o blackslive necologicalquality ithwhites.. Theworst'rbanontextsnwhich hitesreside reconsiderablyetterhan he verageontextfblack ommunities"42,emphasisdded).The residentialeturnso middle-classlacks refar maller han hose omiddle-classhites.Massey, ondran Denton 1987)compareimilar lackandwhite amiliesnPhiladelphiandthekinds fneighborhoodsnwhichheylive. ocusingn ndicatorsuch s the roportionf ut-of-wedlockirths, edianhome alues, eighborhoodoverty,nd he ducationalerformancef tudentsin the local high school,the authorsfinddramaticdifferencesetween



8/29

SweetMothers ndGangbangers753FIGURE :A Grounded odelofNeighborhoodocialControl

Exggeinslctqn NIeigorboo4troccixsMass ediaculturalmages PositiveormativestandardsmongSocio-economic criminaleadershipconditions +

Residential Denseocial' +1. InformalUrban stability networks andormalpoliticaleconomy + OverlapficitndUrbanacial illicitetworksgeography

neighborhoods.or xample,he robabilityor eighborhoodontactith familyon welfareor ollegeducatedlackswas22%,whereasollegeducated hiteshadonlyn8% chance f uch ontact. his atternasrepeatedor ontact ithblue-collarorkers,ighchool ropouts,nemployedorkers,ndfemale-headedfamilies.Withregardso exposure o crime, he blackmiddle lass s againat adisadvantage,ven n the uburbs.Even hemost ffluentlacksrenot ble oescape romrime,orheyesidencommunitiesscrime-prones those ousingthepoorest hites"Alba, ogan& Bellair 994:427). ther tudies avefoundsimilarisparitiesDarden 987; rbe 975; arley 991;GrossmanWhite 997;Landry 987;Massey, ross Shibuya 994;Villemez980). Massey Denton(1993)concludehat or lacks,highncomes o notbuy ntr6eoresidentialcircumstanceshat an erve s springboardsor utureocioeconomic obility"(153). Finally,eing lack ndmiddle lassdoes notallowformuch xcessnterms f ithermeetingrdinaryxpensesLandry 987)oraccumulatedealth(JaynesWilliams989;Oliver Shapiro 995).AsoneGrovelandesidentutit: I thinkhe veragelack erson owadaysre llmiddle lassmostly.hey'restrugglingverydayo make t.Youcouldgo anyway ny ay."All hese bstadesffecthe bilityf hese esidentso realize ommon oalsandvalues. hese patialnd ocial articularitieslsobegino answerhe uestion



9/29

754 / Social Forces 76:3,March 1998ofhowa visible riminallement ouldpersistna predominatelyiddle-classneighborhood.egregationas ensured he ontinuedonfinementfblacks fvarious ocioeconomictatusesnto ixed eographicreas. hese egregatedlackneighborhoodsear hefull urden fdisproportionateovertymongAfricanAmericans. ll familiesnblackmiddle-class eighborhoodsre not equallyendowed ith he esourceso teerheirhildrennpositiveirectionse.g., ayingformusicessons, portseagues,ndequipment)rtobuyfor heir oungstersthestatus ymbolsfcontemporaryouth onsumer ulture. ocioeconomicdisadvantagessistsnmakingmainstreamalues"existentiallyrrelevant"orportion fthepopulationSampson& Wilson1995).Economically arginaladults reequally aptivated y thefastmoney hat rime romises. heseorientationsre asilyaken n bymiddle-classouth hose arentsould rovidesomeuxuries,utnevernough o atisfyhewants fmost mericandolescents.CrimenGrovelandnd hemiddle-classriginfmanyf ts eviantsequirea complexncorporationf tructure the hangingmployment arket,hedifferentialllocationfmunicipalesources,nd he ffectsf egregationandculture,uch s the ppeal fpopularmedia gangsters."hese actorsmpactocialorganizationnd social ontrolnGroveland,ut re argelyxogenouso ocalinteractionsnd events.See Figure .)Theneighborhood-levelocus f hisrticleuidesttentionowardhewaynwhich ocial onnectionsetweenesidentsffecthemanagementf rime. hemix f esidentsnd ifestylesasconsequencesorhe roximateources f ocialorganization,uchas the collective upervisionf neighborhood outh ndorganizationalarticipationndactivismBursik Grasmick993; reudenberg1986;Kasarda& Janowitz974;Sampson& Groves 989).Ethnographys anappropriate ethodornvestigatinghesemicrolevelrocesses.Drawing rom he ystemic odel, reiteratehe mportancef residentialstabilityor he reationnd maintenancef ocialnetworks.hefirstmpiricalsectionf his rticle ighlightshe hick in, eighborly,ndfriendshipies hatexistnGroveland,crosshe oundariesf egitimacy.he econd ection escribeshow hese etworksositivelympact oth henformalndformalupervisionfyouth.nformalocial ontrolefersothe ailymanagementfbehaviorsncasualsettings, hereas ormal ocial control nvolves ctorswhorepresentocalinstitutionss well s officialaw nforcementgents. y rgumenteparts romboth ocial rganizationheorynd he ystemic odel, owever,n he xplanationof howthesenetworksacilitateontrol. s Figure illustrates,ense ocialnetworksave oth ositivendnegativeffectsorocial ontrolhroughpecificmediatingrocesses.Neighborhoodamiliarityoesnot top esidentsromettingnvolvedngangsanddrug ealing.tdoes,however,eep hem onnectedonongangdults ndyouthwhoconstantly onitor heirllegal perations, emandinghat heyconformoneighborhoodorms f order. roveland'sriminallement lso



10/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers755constitutesvalid ocalorganizationntheneighborhoodnd evies onsiderablesocial ontrol n itsmembers. his tructures describedn the hird mpiricalsection f his rticle. roveland'sang eaders ere aised n theneighborhood.They ften oncurwith henorms fthe hurch nd block lubmembersndhold their outhfulharges o similar tandards.othfactionspurn isorder,activelyombat raffiti,ndshowdisdain or ctivitieshatmay nvite egativeattention,uch s loiteringr public ighting.lso, othgroups xplicitlyesireeconomicrosperity.he occupationaltatus"f heneighborhoodrug ealersmirrorshat fneighborhoodesidents howorknthe egal ector. t he ametime, hese nterlockingetworksnd the imilaritiesn nterestsnd behaviorsmake tdifficultor aw-abidingesidentso totallyid heir eighborhoodf hecriminallement,husnegativelyffectingocial ontrol.Forthemost art,he wogroups gree ngoals, utdisagreenstrategies.Livingn a blackmiddle-classeighborhoodequireshat aw-abidingesidentscompromiseome f heir ttitudes such s the corn or rug ealing ndtheviolent nforcementhatgoes with t - forthe achievement f a "quietneighborhood."hisunique, daptive trategyor ocial rganizationests n atenuousntegrationfand intermittentruce etween he networksfgangmembersndthebusiness fdrug ealingnthe nehand, ndthe ctivismfchurcheaders,lock lubmembers,nd ocalpoliticalfficialsn the ther.Method nd DataThis esearchsed he articipantbservation ethodLofland Lofland 984).Theprimaryatawere ollectedver two nd half ear eriodnthe arly 990sfor heComparativeeighborhoodtudyCNS) conductedttheUniversityfChicago. heCNSinvestigatedacial iscourse,ulture,nd social rganizationinfour eighborhoodsfdifferentacial nd ethnicomposition one white(Beltway),ne MexicanAmerican,ne in transitionromwhite oMexicanAmerican,ndGroveland. second ield orker orkednGroveland,lthoughthemajorityf he ield otes resentederewere ollectedy he uthor.The researchncludedntensivearticipantbservationn nformalettingsin theneighborhooduch as Groveland ark nd the ocal churches. alsoconductednterviewsith eyeaders nd ayresidents,ndregularlyttendedmeetingsf heChicago rea olicingtrategyrogram,heChicago ark istrict,Groveland'solitical rganization,ndtheChamber fCommerce.minimizedthe roblemf electivityygettingnvolvedn wide angef ctivitiesnd ocialnetworks,hich ieldedubstantiveonversationsith angeaderss well s socialserviceroviders,randparents,nd oddlers.lthoughimitedothose eoplewhodid ctuallyeave heirwnhomes,he articipantbservationomponentf hisproject apped a richcross-sectionfGroveland esidents. emographic



11/29

756/ ocial Forces 76:3,March 1998information,ewspaperlippings,hotographs,eighborhoodlyers,nd othersupportiveatawere lsocollectedhroughouthe tudy.After he completion f the CNS, I moved o Groveland, ontinued heparticipantbservation,ndconducted8, aped,n-depthnterviews.hree ilotinterviewslso containedseful ata. ntervieweesere dentifiedy snowballsamplendwere hoseno representesidentsromcross he ocial lass nd gespectrum.he breakdownfsocial lasspositions as formulatedakingntoaccount he iteraturen theblack lass tructureBlackwell985; andry 987;Vanneman Cannon 987;Wilson 978).Because hegoalof nterviewingasto gather varietyfresidents'pinions, atherhanhave uantifiableata, herelaxedmethod f ampling as atisfactory.

Allthe nterviewnd participantbservationatawere oded nto ver 0generalhemesf nterest.he oding rocessubstantiallyncreased y amiliaritywith hematerialyguaranteeingt east hreeayers f xperience ith hedata:(1) the ocial nteractiontselfinterviewrparticipantbservation),2) writingfield otes r transcribingninterview,nd 3) re-readinghenotes or odingpurposes.his rticle raws rimarilyrom henspectionndorganizationf hefollowingodes:gangs, rugs, uns, ecollectionsf crime, ntergenerationalinteraction,ocialnetworks,olitical articipation,ndthe ole f hurches.Theargumentsnthis rticle hould e read s a conversationetween hespecificityfpeople'swords nd ctionsnGrovelandndthegrand eclarationsof ociologicalheory.ollowinghemethodsfgroundedheoryGlaser Strauss1967),existingociological heories nd categories ereused as "sensitizingconcepts"Schwartz Jacobs 979). had ntroductorynowledgef heoriesfsocial dis)organizationndsocial ontrol s laidoutby early hicago chooltheoristsndas refinedycontemporarycholars. sa result,focused n theinformal ays hat dults ontrolledhebehavior fyoungeresidents.ence,someof he odesused oanalyzehedata, uch sintergenerationalnteractionand socialnetworks,eflectarticularoncernsaised y he iterature.Nevertheless,uch mergesrom heprocess ffieldwork tselfhat annotbeanticipatedy xistingheories.sLoflandndLofland1984)point ut:The esearcheroesnot nlyormainly)ait orsignificant"sociologicallyrotherwise)ventso occur rwordsobe said nd henwritehem own. nenormousmountf nformationbout he ettingsnder bservationrtheinterviewnprocessanbeapprehendednapparentlyrivialappeningsrutterances,nd hesere ndispensableristor heogging ill46).

Hence, nalyticodesikediscussionsfguns"r the ole f hurches"ecameparticularlyalientnlyftereingn he ieldnd oggingheminutiaef verydayinteractions.oreover,ecauseneither heCNS nor thepresentuthorwasinterestedxclusivelyn ocial ontrolnGroveland,he lan orwritingield oteswas obeas exhaustivespossible.twasonly hroughhe onstante-inspectionof the notes that ignificanthemesgrewout ofmundane nd unrelated



12/29


13/29

758/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998Gangs re realityfneighborhoodife n Groveland.oth ommentsboveillustratehat angsrenotuniformlyepicteds the courgef he ommunity.

Residentsust econcilehe good hings"hat angso and he ood eoplewithingangs)with heirwrongeasons."Thedensityfneighborhoodetworksnd he revalenceffamilyndfictivekin ies nderliehe angled elationshipetween angs, rugs,ndthe orceshatfightgainst hem. ntimate etworksre creatednd maintained hen eoplelivenear ne notherorong eriodsf imeSampson 992). eventyercentfthehousing nitsnGrovelandreowner ccupied, ervingoeconomicallyieresidentsothe resentndfuturef heneighborhood.full 0%of he esidentsinGroveland oved nto heir omes efore 980,whichmeans hey ad ivedthere t east enyearstthe ime f he1990 ensus.nthe rea fBlackMobsterrule west f Ridge akeAvenue) lmost alf ftheresidents oved nto heircurrentesidenceefore 970. hese emographicsndicatehe tabilityecessaryto formntimateocial onds,ndbonds romhildhoodemainerymuch liveamongdultsntheneighborhood.5TheVmcentamilyllustrateshesenduringies.Husband ndwife im ndJosephincentoth rew p nGroveland,lthoughim ivedn he eighborhoodfirst.Where grew p wewere ike familynthewhole lock," imdescribes."Youknow, henext oorneighborsabysat e ndnow babysitheir ids, ouknow.'mtheir odmotherndtheirmama'smy odmother.oit's ike family."Before oseph incent oved o Grovelandimself,ewould ome ovisit iscousinswho ived n Kim's lock.WhenJosephirstawKim, e toldhis ousinshewouldmarryer. im ndJosephothgree hattwas ove tfirstight,lthoughit tooknearlyifteenears foff-and-onating eforehey inallyotmarried.Afteretting arried,hey ought two-flatuildingntheneighborhood,entedthe ottomndbasementpartments,ndKim pened day aren heiropfloorapartment.hen heiramilyrew,hey ought single-familyouse our locksaway stillnGroveland)nd rented he partmentsnthe wo-flat.omedaysafterchool,heir-year-oldondrops is agswith ismotherther ay are ndwalks he hree locks o visit isgrandparentshocontinueo iventhehousewhereKimgrew p. ManyresidentsnGroveland ave thesekinds f closeextendedndspatiallyroximateamilyies.FictiveinnetworkslsoflourishnGrovelandAnderson978; hatters,aylor& Jayakody994; tack 974).NeishaMorris'sescriptionf part fher amilytreellustratesowtime rases he ines etweenloodand nonblood elatives.Neisha xplains,Myunclewas hergodfather.o that's hy saywe cousins.twas ikewe've eenknowingachother ince ittle abies. ouknow,npicturestogether.beenknowin' er orever,o that's hy say hemy ousin."Notonly re familiesonnected orizontallyhroughiblingsrcousins,intergenerationaletworksoftennonehousehold)re lsovery ommon. early8%of hildrennhouseholdsivewith grandparentCity fChicago 994), nd



14/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers75918%ofGrovelandamiliesre subfamilies" usuallyhildless arriedouples,ormarriedr inglearents ho iventhehouseholdf notheramilynit. hiscommonlyeferso amultigenerationalrextendedamilyousehold.5everendDarnell ohns,astor fSt.Timothy'spiscopal hurchnGroveland,escribedthis henomena:Let'say young oman ho sed o iven his eighborhood,he etsmarriedandgoes n her wn. hehas wo rthreehildren.he ndherhusbandrehavingdifficultimend hey reak pand hemoves ackhomewith erparents.nd o what appenss that he nds pbeing erewith he hildren,and hen he randparentsndup havingoextendhewhole arentinggain.Reverendohnsonderedloud he ffectsf his ype ffamilyrganization,concernedhathe culturalifferenceetweengrandmotherndagrandchild"wouldhamper ommunication nd weaken heparental uthorityf thegrandparent.his apse ncontrol,rguedheReverend,createswholehost fnew ssues ndproblems."articularly,he reak ncommunicationsa breaksocial ontrol. ohnsoted:These eoplewho re peakingabout roblemsnthe ommunity],toftensmanyf heirhildrenndmanyf heirrandchildrenho re ontributing,youknow,o the roblemsf he ommunity.ndwhatt s s t'sust,t'sustdenial.treallys.You've inda ivenme ome ood orhought.aybehat'sgoodforumrworkshop,ouknow,ohave t church thegenerationaldilemmanour ommunity.The "generational ilemma" hatReverend ohns eferso pointsto acomplicationnchild earingnd upervisionntheneighborhood.heextendedfamilyetwork aslongbeena positive eature f African mericanamilies(Billingsley968; tack 974).Yethaving umerousdultsn a household oesnotalwaysranslatentomore rbetterupervisionfyouth.nstead,herole

ambiguityfgrandparentsndparents,ndthe ower nergyevels nd imitedfinancialesourcesfgrandparentstrainhe amilialelationship,randparents'love nd ommitmentotwithstandingChase-Lansdale,rooks-GunnZamsky1994).At the sametime,Reverend ohns'sommentsoreshadowow densenetworksanconnectpstanding embersf he ommunityoneighborhooddelinquents.heserelationshipsake tdifficultouniformlyrack ownonneighborhoodrime ecause ew arentsndgrandparentsreableto see theirown hild rgrandchildsbeing badapple nddeservingfpunishment.Numerous xtendedamilyetworks,pecificallyhose panningenerationsdo,however,ncreaseevelsffamiliarityithinheneighborhood.nturn, utualfamiliarityeanshat esidents,speciallyouth,re xposedoantisocialetworksaswell s legitimatenes.Theschools rovide ne ocal arenawhere isparategroupsome ogether.ecauseheives f lassmatesan ake ifferentrajectories,many rovelanddults ave cquaintancesnthe ther ide f he aw,f nly y



15/29

760I Social Forces 76:3,March1998default.hirty-three-year-oldellys nhis econd ear f n M.B.A. rogramtaprivate hicago niversity,hile childhoodriendfhiswas aughtnthe ity'sround-upf heBlackMobsters.elly eports:I actually ent o schoolwith neof he op BlackMobster]ieutenantshograduated,hoived nThirdndGranger.knewhatamilyery ell. h, utnow e'sn ail. he op ieutenanthose amewas,whose icknameas ance,is n ail.He'sfacingn arrayf harges,o he's onna e thereor while. uthis ittletreet inionsre till here.InGroveland,verybodynows ance.He went othe ocalpublicchools; eandhis iblingsarticipatedn ctivitiestGrovelandark,ndnow heirhildrenalso attendGroveland chool andfrequenthepark.Lance'sposition n theneighborhoodsmoremultifacetedhan he arrowitlegangeader" ightmply.He isa father,ncle, eighbor,ormerlassmate,ndas wasalreadymentioned,Lancehasbeen communityctivist,articipatingnthe uccessfulfforto closedownneighborhoodiquortores.Each fLance'sminions'lso hareshis luralityf oles,herebyakingomeresidentseel afer.trangersrea certainauseof fearAnderson990;Merry1983). et, s Charisse escribed,angmembersnGrovelandrerarelytrangers.I knowmost fem.Becauset's ot ike nybodyamento he eighborhood.

Most f he eoplenthis eighborhoodre ike randparentsow,othey'vebeen ere longime. nd t's lot f heiridsnd randkids.o t's till eoplethat grew pwith,ndpeoplehat saw llthe ime.eoplewent oschoolwith.o, t's ot change.mean,see hemmorend realize hat'soingnmore. ut t's ot case, don't eel nsafe,ouknow.Forty-year-oldlberta ordon choes hese entiments:I don'tarryknife.don'tarry ace. don't eel hathiss omethingIneedtodo].And feel hatf nythingappensomecomingometwill otbesomeonen his eighborhoodecauseheynowme. heynowmyister.heyknowmy rother.Ms.Gordon ot greementromer eenagedonwho himedn: They ottadealwithmy randmother."Grandparents,randchildren,ousins, eighbors,lassmates this ensityfrelationshipsn theneighborhoodorgedhroughigh evels fhome wnershipand long-termesidence ascreatedn intricateystemfsocializationhatproducesop-levelity oliticiansswell shigh-rankingangeaders. oreover,

formany esidents,hiswebofnetworks,ndtheirmbeddedosition ithint,generallyakes or "quiet eighborhood."Thestructure,owever,oesbreak own. ifteen-year-oldrandon ohnsonwas hot ndkilledneJanuaryfternoonnoneofGroveland'suiet treets.isobituaryhronicledis ctivities,isted is ffiliationsithocal nstitutions,ndillustratedis ntensenvolvementnneighborhoodetworks:



16/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers761He confessedis eliefnChristt nearlyge.He was memberf t. imothy'sChurch nder hedirectionfReverendarnell . Johns. e wasa youthmembertSt. Timothy'shurch. e attended entonHighSchool s asophomore.e played asketball/FootballtBenton.e was memberf heYMCAwhere eplayed asketball.e had ust tartedpart imeob atRidgeLakeGroceries.ewas counseloror he ityWide rogramuringhe ummer.Thisdescriptionhows hat randon as ctivelynvolvednpositiveocal ndcity-widectivities.ne nvolvementhe bituaryidnotmention,owever,asBrandon'seripheralang ffiliation.s oneofhispeers escribedim, Brandonwas ike real oodperson. e wasn't eally oo nto angs rwhatever."notheryouth aid,He was ryingochange. ouknow, e was little,ewasbad.Really

bad. mean, othe, mean,wellhe gotkilled. ewaschangingis ife roundand hewas ctually ood,youknow. ewas urningt round."Thedetailsurroundingrandons eathwere ssketchys hisgang ffiliation,yet oth oint othe ntricaciesfoverlappingeighborhoodetworks.randonlivedwith ismother,tepfather,randparentsnd siblingsn thehouse hat isgrandparentsoved ntonearly 0 years go.Bothhismotherndgrandparentswere hurchgoingeople nd dearly assed nthat rientationo Brandon. isgrandparentsadbeen nvolvednthe hurch-sponsoredMarch gainst rugs:'Ironically,randonwas killedn an identifiedrughousewhere e had beenvisitingisgirlfriend.is funeralas ttendedy mix fmembersfhis hurchyouth roup,lassmatesrom ishigh chool,nda group fyoungmenwho,notherocales, adbeenknown o flash ang igns, ear ang araphernalia.ndusegang-memberreetings.llthese ssociations, owever,idnot alter heperceptionfBrandon s "like 'realgoodperson" howas turningt round."This pluralityf associationsnd roles hat s characteristicf theGrovelandnetworksffectsocial ontrolfforts.INFORMALAND FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL IN GROVELANDBrandon's eath rompted special ommunityeetingalled y hepastor fhischurch. early hirtyeighborsndfamily embersttendedo discuss heneed or ncreasedolice resencentheneighborhood,xpandedctivitiestthepark,ndreinvigorationf he lock lubs. hese oncernsrerepeatedlyaisedincasual onversationsndneighborhoodeetings,nd herere ngoingffortsby number f ndividualsndcommunityroupso furtherhis genda. heseefforts,ndthe layersnvolvedncarryinghem ut, est n one ide f he ee-saw of Groveland'socialorganization.he consensusnthese roupsnd theapproachheyake oworkingnproblemsas xpressedt Local chool ouncilmeetingyMr.Wilsonwhopointed ut, Wehave otake esponsibilityor llofourchildren.hesame hildrenhat rebeating pon our hildrenre lso our



17/29

762/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998children. heygo rightround hecornerwhen hey ohome.They reourchildren"

Most esponsibilityor our hildren"s taken n nformallysinghe trongextended amilynd friendshipieswithin heneighborhood.lberta ordondiscussedhis nformalontrol:Some f he ids allmeMs.Gordon.ome f'em allmeMamaG.And toldthemhe easonwant hemofeelomfortablen alling eMamaG sbecauseI grew p calling eople n this lock y heirastname rAunt' hoeverheperson as. or nstance,anya's other,still o this ay allAunt arah.twas respectnd xtendedamilykindf hing].otherere lotofyoungpeoplehat do know hatallmeMamaG. And have oproblemntellingthem hat hey're rongbout oing omething.ndno problemngoing otheir arentsecauseknowheirarents.. [And] have old heirarentsnreturn,f my on]Michaelsdoing omethingndyou nowt'swrong,orrecthim nd henetmeknow o that candealwitht.AtGrovelandark,Ms.Spears utMs.Gordon'sentimentsnto ction:Ateenagedirl alkedoMs.Spearsoask question,ut eforehe ould etit utMs. pearspottedhat he irl aswearingnelectronicager. s. pearsasked er ternly,Whose eepersthat?"Thegirl esponded,It'smy ather's."Ms.Spearsontinuedith barragef uestionsnddirectives,Whatreyoudoing ithbeeper?oudon't eed beeper.ivetback oyourather.don'tcare f t'syo'brother's,other's,ather's-youon't eed beeper.t'snotbecoming.ake hat eeperack oyour atherightow "Thegirl esponded,He's ightnthere.eknowsgott."MsSpearsaid n a seriousoice,Take t ohim ightow."Thegirlurnedround o do asshewas old.Inassociatingpager ith rug ealing, s.Spears houghttwas nappropriatefor respectableoung irlobewearingne.Being neighborhoodisciplinarianrequirescertainmount frespectndrenownhatMs.Spears ascultivatednthenearly0yearshehas ivednGroveland,aising er hildrenndnowhergrandchildrenhere.he salsoanemployeef heChicago ark istrictndformany ears asworkednGrovelandark, hichsacross he treetromer ome.

She s seenby many ftheyouth s a grandmotherlyigure,ndsheaddressesmost eople, oung ndold,with he ugary leasantrieshoney"nd baby." erlong-timeesidencemeans hat he can intervenen children'snappropriatebehaviors,onfidenthat er nterventionillbe acceptable ith he hildrensparents.



18/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers763Similarly,pider as ived n theneighborhood ost fhis30 years, ent othe ocal chools,ndworkss a recreationeader t Grovelandark.He uses hisneighborhood-levelegitimacyo coordinate en's ick-up asketballn Sundaymornings.piders thekeeper f theist'- the osterfnames sed o determinethenext eam oplay. e frequentlyeviates romhe ist,moving phisfriends'names rgivingome layerspecialhoice ntheireammates.is final ecisionsarerespected. hen emperslarend he layingules re gnored,pider lwayshasthe astword.Once, fter controversyver personal oul, pider rdered,"All oumothafuckashat ost, et hefuckff he ourt."When he osingeamdid notmove rom he ourt,pider esponded,Fuck hat. he mothafuckasdosed.Gimmemy otdamnall"'He took he asketballnd urnedff he ights

in thegymnnouncing,Shop s closed "Spider lways andles onflict ith his ame blunt nddirect wiftness.Furthermore,is miable elationshipith ance nd heBlackMobstersugmentshis tatuss an officialarkmployeendgives im uthorizationo settle isputesandmake ecisions ithin hepark, speciallymong oung eople. hekey opromotingomfortndfeelingsf afetysto essen nonymity.et hemore eoplearefamiliar ithone another,hemore llicitnetworksre absorbed ntomainstreamonnectionsnd thereby ormalized.his s theconundrumhatplagues ocial ontrol ffortsn Groveland."Concernedesidents"re nraged ygangsnddrug ctivity.hennformalmechanismsail o controlhese ctivities,esidentsurn othenextevel f ocialcontrol localorganizationsnd nstitutionsHunter 995).These wo evelsarenot eparate,sthe bove xamplesllustrate.mployeesf he ocalpark realso ong-timeeighborhoodesidents,sare hurcheaders,usinesseople,ndpolice fficers.ocalorganizationsnd nstitutionsreonly ggregationsf heinformalrivateies hat ndividual esidentsossess, ncreasinghe bilityoaddress he oncernshat esidentsannot acklendividually.Residentsir heiromplaintsncommunity eetingsofblock lubs, olicebeats,he ocal chool ouncil,hurchroups,heChamberfCommerce). angsandgangbangersopthe ist ftheir oncerns. ccordingoanolderman t alocalpolice eatmeeting,angsre worsehan nything.hey an ust ake ver "Theformal eighborhoodnstitutionsirect heir ffortstpreventinghistakeover.7The residents hoexpressheir oncernndanger ver hangesntheircommunity young eopleplayingoudmusic, eavingrash ntheirawns,stealingackyardurniture frequentlyecognizehat uttingp gates round

the entire eighborhood ouldnot rid Grovelandf theproblemshey reexperiencingecausehe roublemakersrenatives. newomant beatmeetingcomplainedfyoungmen gangbanging"i.e., ongregating)nher ornerndofonemannparticularho he houghtas ncharge. ut,he aid,I didn't annagive his oungman's ame to he olice] ecause ismama s such sweetady."



19/29

764/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998This ommentllustrateshatwhile ense eighborhoodetworksnd he esultingfamiliarityan mproveome nformalffortst social ontrol,tcanthwartheuse ofpublic r formalmeans fcontrol.Many ocal institutions o, however,oast successes. he Chamber fCommerceasbeen ctiven effortsokeep hemain ommercialtripnd theentire eighborhoodhriving.ne memberf he xecutiveoard f he hambertalkedbouthow he rganizationgot he ay hones uton the treetsetup sothat hererenoincomingalls nd no coin-generatedalls fter certainime.Thiswasparticularlyo top ny rug ealersrom sing he hone.'8he hamberhas lsobeen uccessfuln using he ity'sGraffitilasters"rogramopromptlyremove ny raffitirom reabusinesses.

In addition o their roactivefforts,usinessesre lsosupportivefotherlocal rganizationsnd nstitutions.hen group fblock lubs eamed p withtheAlderman'sffice o plan an anti-drug arch,many usinesses onatedmaterialsnd food o helpout.One organizernnounced,Mr.Brown ver tDiamondGroceriessdonatingllthehotdogs, uns, nd relish eneed." hepresidentf Grovelandlock lub aidhecould lwaysount n the ocalgrocerystoresodonate ood or is nnual lock arty,nd he rea ank odonatemoney.Similarly,hen heCatholichurch'south roup lannednovernightetreat,two ast ood estaurantsonatedood;ndwhenhe ame roup lanned careerfair,localrecordtore onated oorprizes. esidentsndorganizersepend nthe businesses o support heir ffortso providepositive ctivitiesn theneighborhood.The churchespearheadocial rganizationffortsnGroveland. rovelandUnitedhurchfChristostedstringf ommunityeetingstwhichheymadespecificemands f he lderman,he olice,nd he ublic chool rincipal.heytargetedhreerug ousesn he eighborhood,wo fwhich ereventuallylosedby he ity.hechurchlsocomplainedfgang ctivitynthe ublic lementaryschool laygroundnddemandedhat he olicemonitorhe laygroundomakeitunattractiveogang ecruiters.t henextmeeting,he olice ergeantespondedtothese emands:Immediatelyollowingheastmonth's eeting,emade rrestsof somekidswith prayanson the choolgrounds.Wewill ontinueo worktowardhese oals," eassured.t.Mary's atholic hurch as uccessfulngettinga securityuard laced tGrovelandark,s well smore rogramsnd ctivitiesfor eenagers.9Concerned esidents ocus heir nergiesndactivitiesn curbing outhdelinquency.earlylltheprojectshey roposere oncerned ith onnectingyoung eople opositivectivitiesndgroups,nddeterringeviant ehavior.Residentslso discusshephysical aintenancef heneighborhood,ut his sfrequentlyonnectedo the rresponsibilityf dleyoung eople, gangbangers"who rashheneighborhood.et, orll he nstitutionalupportnd ommitment



20/29

Sweet othersndGangbangers765ofkeyeaders,he orcegainst hich heyre ightinglsohas strongrganization,powerfuleaders,ndthe ufferf ctors honegotiateothnetworks.THE BLACKMOBSTERS:ORGANIZATIONOF A DIFFERENT SORT"Folks"s thegang nation"nderwhichheBlackMobstersrepositionedseeHagedorn 988 or discussionf he People" nd Folks" ationsnMilwaukee).TheGrovelandark ield ousewas gang trongholdormuch f his esearch."What p,Folks?" as conspicuousreetingtthe ield ouse. o,too,were ix-pointed tars, ats ilted o the ight,-shirts ith hepicture f heirailedgangleader,ndthe olor lue.Despite hese igns,membersf he organization"'stheyalledt, onsistentlyedared:Ain't ogang roblemround ere. ou ome ptothe arkndyou on'teeno graffitir nothin'ike hat. hese eople round ere hink e got gangproblem.his in't othin'ike orryark anotherark n the outh ide].used oworkpatLorry,nd ay ou sed obring our onupthereoplay.Theboyswould ome ptohim nd ake is all ndump nhim. ndwhenhe tartedofightack ecauseou aughtim o tand pfor isself,hey ouldbe talkin'bout,You on't eed obodylse. ome itwit s [our ang]."

Groveland'slackMobsterstop hortfbullyinghenongang embershouse he ark.nroutineark ctivities,owever,hereremanyimes henFolks'usetheirrganizationaltrengtho controlhe ark. or xample,uringleaguebasketballame memberf he organization'asnot ettinguch layingime.Someone romhe tands alled ut,All sover ere ame oseePopeplay. ope,go onintherend getyou ome ime,man.Folks on't iton thebench. heyplay. ouB-Mobsterin't ou? henuseyo'Mobster eight."opemoved o thescorersable ndchecked imselfnto hegame.These hows fdominancere elativelyarmlessctivities.nmorehan hreeyears f fieldworkhatncludedxtensiveisits othepark, wofieldworkerstogetherocumentednly nefight,ograffiti,ndthree ases fvandalismtthe ark. latantigns fdisorderre bsentromhe ark,nd xplicitang-relatedactivities, uch as organizationalmeetings, re infrequent nd alwaysinconspicuous.his owprofilellows angmemberso usetheparkwithoutelicitinguch ttention.sCloward Ohlin1960)point ut ntheirescriptionofcriminallementsnstable ommunities:Social ontrolsver he onductftheyoungre ffectivelyxercised,imitingxpressiveehaviorndconstrainingthe iscontentedoadoptnstrumental,f riminalistic,tylesf ife"171).WhenLance ndhis mployeesndbodyguardsongregatedtGrovelandark beforethe gang ust"), heyometimesalkednhushed ones nd actednways hatbetrayedheirnnocenteneer makingeveralripsotheirars,eavingbruptlyinthemiddle f conversation,rcastingrequentnd alert lances utof hewindow. utmost ften heyoungmenplayed asketball,oinednonvolleyball



21/29

766 / Social Forces 76:3,March 1998games, oached heyoungeroys, layed ominoes, r ust ocialized.n effect,they ere eighborhoodesidentssing heir eighborhoodark, ndthis showthe upervisorreatedhem:I don't now, ell doknow,ut can't e ure fwhat ny nedoes. o 'mnotgoingo be tellingeople hey ave o eave.My upervisorsome own ereand heyellmenot o etem it ut nfronthere.ut, gain, hat m goingto ay?can't ell hemo eave ecausehey'reust ittingut here.mean,dounderstandhe oncern.ou nowince've een ere here asn'teen ne ight.I don't ear lotofprofanity.mean, know eople urse,ut here aven'tbeen ny roblems.mean,heyllgrew ptogether.heyive ere. lus, omeofemhave ids ere,o that'sn extra art f t. mean,can't ell eople o

leave.AsanofficialfGrovelandark he upervisors a part f heformalocialcontrolpparatus.et,he s reticento condemnhe angmembers hofrequentthe ark ecause f heir laims oneighborhoodegitimacy.hey ave hildrennpark ctivitiesnd friendshroughoutheneighborhood,hichustifiesheirpresence.The "civility"ftheBlackMobsterst Grovelandark s part ftheirmoreexpansiveffortso egitimizeheirllegal usinesses.ewspapersescribeheBlackMobsterssChicago'sargesttreetang,nd ts entaclespan heMidwest.neresidentescribedance's ominions spanninghe ountry,aiming,This thepark] ance'spot. ell'em eggie,ance stheman ver lla hem. e theman nthe ity. e a realMobster. e run heMobstersnthe ity, own outh, exas,andupnorthnMinnesota."he"organization"asbeen nvolvedn assortedendeavors.hepolice nvestigationf heirctivitiesncovered oneyaunderingschemeshrough usic oncertromotions,oliticalrganizations,eighborhoodrestaurants,ndeven ocial ervicestablishments.While heir ity-widetrengths considerable,heir erritorialold ntheGrovelandrea s imitedo a four-blocky en-blockrea. o the outh ndeastare our thereighborhood-basedangs,llofwhichelongoa rival ang ation.Tothenorth nd west reRuthless obsters,lso Folks, uta differentactionfrom hosenGroveland. hile his erritorialrunch roducesome urf attles,theorganizations concerned ith urf rimarilys itaffectsrug ales.LancemanagesheBlackMobsters' usiness n theSouth ideof thecity,utkeepsGrovelandelativelylean partiallyecausehe wantshisfamilyafe, ndpartiallyecause esidentsre ctivenfightinggainstuch ctivity.s a result,theres almost o cornerrug ellingndfew rug ousesn theneighborhood.LindaBrewer,hogrew pon the ame lock sLance, escribed hat appenedwhen a familyried o sell drugs n theneighborhoodutsideof Lance'sorganization:



22/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers767Lance old hem hey ouldn'tell he rugs.t reallyeallyot adandpeoplewas omin'from]utsideheneighborhood.coupla eople ot obbedndraped nd eat p,you now. nd coupla eople ot n herend tartedriveby hootin'snd tuffike hat.ohe oldem heyouldn'tell t. Cause ewasworriedbout is, ow ewasworriedbout ismom, ouknow. o,now llathe udden e aid hey ouldn'tell rugsround ere.Facedwith he nsupervisedaleofdrugsnGroveland,ndthedisorderhatit was causing, anceput a stop o thisupstart nterprise.heseprohibitionsillustrateance's entralitys an agent fneighborhoodocial ontrol.Ironically,avingn organizedang ntheneighborhoodas, n ome espects,translatednto ewerisibleigns fdisorder,ess iolence,ndmoreocial ontrol.

Lance peratesrom profit otive,lbeit n llegal ne.Aside romhat, ewantshisfamilyafe, ewants isneighborhoodlean, ndhewants is hildrenohavehealthyctivities.ance ndhisminions'ndigenousnessoGrovelandlays roleinthese arallelnterestsfgangs ndtheupstandingitizenshat ightgainstthem.MIDDLE-CLASSMOBSTERSIf heres a systemf ccupationaltratificationithinrganizedrime imilarothat hich xistsnthe egitimateector, rovelandepresentshemiddlemanagersinbothmilieus. ineteen-year-oldeishaMorris escribedhe ctivitiesfherboyfriend,im,who olddrugs:Well,ee, im on'tell rugsnthe orner.e diddothatypef tuffuthegot pager,eople an ust age im. e don't ell rugsopeople. e sell rugstotheniggahshat ell rugs. e not tthe tage o morewhere e ust ell o"hypes"drug ddicts] 10bags, ittle ags. ouknow, neofhisfriendsikewanna uy ome work"drugs]ndthey'llike ay 800for omethingnd

they orkwhat hey otfrom im.He say hey ag tupandtheyell ttohypes,ike hat.guess edonemovedp ntheworld. ndt's ike eoplehathebuy is tuffromthat] otmo'moneyhan im.In her xplanationfTim's uties, eisha escribednoccupationalierarchy(Padilla 992).Timwaspromoted rom elling rugs n the orner obuyingnbulk and selling o independentistributorshowork he corners e onceoccupied. boveTim re uppliersvenmorewealthyhan e,who re ikelyobe subordinateo some evenmorepowerfulndwealthy rugdealer.n thisoccupationalhain, im snot laborert the ottom f he otem ole.Havingmoved ff f he orner,e snow ble owork rom ishome.His ob descriptionfits hat f lower-levelanager,r mall-businesswner, akingim omparabletohisneighborshoworkimilarobs ntheegitimatemploymentector. ostGrovelandesidentsave cleanobs."



23/29

768/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998Another iddle-classharacteristicfGrovelandsthatheneighborhoods abedroom ommunity.ostdrug ellingakes lace utside f heneighborhoodandthe rofitsrebrought ome o familiesikeNeisha's. t he ark, here ereneverrug xchanges,rugs resent,reven bvious rug sers r ddicts. ornerdrug ellings rare nthe ection fGrovelandontrolledy heBlackMobsters.Thedrug ouses hat re llowed o existn theneighborhoodere escribedyoneresidents"drugalons;' ighlightinghierarchyfdrug-sellingstablishments.In drug alons, ustomersuy heirrugsnd eave, atherhan ongregatingndcreatinghe ocial isorderhat ccompaniesrug se Williams992). hemoneyis tobemade lsewhere,utside fGroveland. neex-dealereports,I'll say llthe eople ver ere otothe theride of he ailroadracks]o ell rugs. hat's

where lltheplaces o do it.They'll o on theother ide."'0 heproximityfGrovelando ow-income arketsttestsothe rimacyfgeographynexplainingcrimenGroveland.ike he esidentsnGroveland hocommuteo theiregaljobs,Groveland'srug ealerso most f heirusinessutsidef he eighborhood,buttheviolent epercussionsfthedrug rade ften pill ver nto heir wnterritory.Withinhedrug-sellingorld,s ntheegitimateector,heres also visiblelifestyleierarchy.hose t the op, ikeLance, rive ancy ars,wear xpensivewatches nd ewelry,nd are urroundedyhelpful nderlings.ver heyears,those nderlingsorminions) cquire ancierbutused) ars, egin owearmorebrand-namedlothing,nd makemorefrequentrips o thebarber. s theGrovelandarkupervisorelayedoherwhiteriends hohad particularmageofgangmembers,These uyswear ila ndshop tBurberry'sdesignerrandandupscale lothingtore, espectively].his snot ike, ouknow, uys angingonthe ornermoking."Inadditionothe ccoutermentsfmiddle-classtatus,n some ssues ance'sbehaviorordersnprudery,s llustratedn a conversationbout neofLance'sparties."We ad llkinds ffood nd hit,"pideroasted.Istuffedyself.an, wasfulls hell.Wehad llkinds fwatersoo."

A friendhowas agerohearwhat ne f ance'sarties as ike skedpider,"Y'all idn't ave o iquor?"Spidernswered,Naw. ouknow ance on't ave hat ind f hit."Lance's istasteor lcoholscommon nowledgeround heneighborhood.

Also, s a goodbusinessmaneespeciallyrohibitsrug sebyhis employees"and associatess well Taylor 990).Much f his nsistencen order temsromhe rganization'soncernorhesafetyf heir wnparents,randparents,iblings,ons,nddaughters.venmoreimportantly,owever,ancewas raised n thismiddle-classeighborhood.isbehaviorsllustrateis wndesireocomply ithhe ocial orms. sTracy arris



24/29


25/29

770/ ocial Forces 76:3,March 1998aboutGrovelands a middle-classeighborhoodre he eople owhom he llicitnetworksre inked, heunique trategiesforganizingdiverse eighborhoodthat itsnearhigherrimereas,ndtheparticularorms f llicit ctivities.heneighborhood rganizers avemyriad ttachmentso theneighborhoodtroublemakers.hese inks elpn nformallynfluencingehavior,ut anhinderinvolvingublic gents f social ontrol. imultaneously,he ocialposition fgang members nd those nvolvedn sellingdrugsmirrors he egitimateoccupationaltatusfother eighborhoodesidents. ith ome reminders"ylegitimateommunityrganizations,hey lso operate nder imilar ules fconduct,ndwithimilaroals.Neighborhoodocialorganizationoes notexist s an absolute alue, utrepresentscontinuum,he nds fwhich re ompletehaos rutopia.Withoutdenyinghe uccessesuaranteedymiddle-classesources,his rtide ighlightstheunique bstacleshat lackmiddle-dass eighborhoodsacenmaintainingstabilitynd realizingommon alues.The conclusions re summarized s follows. irst, lack middle-classneighborhoodsave igherovertyates,nd redoser opovertyreas hanwhitemiddle assneighborhoods,reatingnique ormsf ocial rganization.econd,higher roportionsf ow-incomeesidents,longwithhe nstable iddle-classfootingfmany thers, eanshat rimemayben attractiveptionoa significantminorityfresidents ithinheneighborhoodnd nnearby reas.Concernedresidentsre ware hat here ill e widespreadisorderf hey o not ctivelymanage he riminalnterprisesosteredyeconomicnsecurity.he criminalleadershiphareshemainstreamesiresor eighborhoodrder,lbeit ydifferentmeans.The thirdrgumentdvanced ere s that esidentsfGrovelandaveformedtrongrimarynd nstitutionalies ased nhigh atesfhome wnershipandresidentialtability.hese ies romoteeighborhood-levelamiliarity,ntegratedisparate etworks,ndfacilitatenformalndformalocial ontrol. ourthndfinally,owever,hese ies lso hwartffortsototallyid he eighborhoodfgangsanddrugs. he criminalminority already part fthekinandneighborlynetworkshat xist,nd oftenontributingo the upportf ocalfamilies isgiven degree f atitudeo operatentheneighborhood.This research dvancessocial organization heory y elucidating hemechanismshrough hich heproximateources f ocial rganization ork.Densefriendshipndkin ies nd nstitutionaltrengthnd participationllowfor hentegrationf icitnd llicit etworksothworkingowardommonoals,butwith arianttrategies.or heoriesfrace nd ocialmobility,ocusingn thecontextwithinwhichblackmiddle-classfamilies ive is important orunderstandingnduring acialdifferencesn social ndicators s diverse seducational erformancendmortalityates. nvestigatinghese rocessesnGrovelandsa step owardmelioratinghe earthf esearchn the lackmiddleclass.



26/29

SweetMothers nd Gangbangers771Notes

1.All names f people nd placeshavebeenchanged opreservenonymity.2.With fewnoted xceptions,emographictatisticsn this rticleefero the ntirecommunityrea and are takenfrom heLocal Community act Book, ChicagoMetropolitanrea, 990 1995).3. The exact itation or his rticles not n theReferencesecause he rticle ontainstherealnames fpeople nd places nGroveland.4. Because nterviewsnd especially ield nteractions erequite nformal,manyrespondentssedtheBlack nglish ernacular. hile have dited omefalse entencestartsnd rehetoricalillerse.g.,um,you know), havenottranslatedonversationsintoStandard nglish.5. I asked ntervieweesbout heirclose riends.' espondentsere llowed o name smanylose riendssthey ished.thenskedwhere hese riendsived,heirccupation,race nd howtherespondent et hem. rom hese ata was able to determinehemeanproportionfclosefriends ho ivedntheneighborhoodcross ll nterviewees,whichwas49.1%. Thisnearly venproportionf ocal andnonlocal riendshipies ssimilar o whatOliver 1988) foundnhis study f three lackcommunitiesn LosAngeles. owever,orkingromthnographicield ata ndthe pen-endednterviewsused nthis tudy,have imitedonfidencenthe bovemeasure f he patial imensionofnetworkies. am muchmore onvinced fthe trongocaltiesbythe xperientialknowledge ecordedn overthreeyears f participantbservation,nd by hearingintervieweeslaboratentheir riendshipsndkin.My data reeven ess menable oquantitativelynalyzinghedensityfneighborhoodies.6. Forcomparison,npredominatelyhite eltway,oteven2% of thechildrenivewith heir randparents,nd only .7%of familiesresubfamilies.7. Venkatesh1997)describespoorcommunitynwhichhe ocalganghadessentiallytakenover, eplacing heprevious uthorityftenants' roups.The middleclassorganizationalndfinancialesourcesnGroveland ave nhibiteduchan absolutedisplacementf egitimateontrol.8.While ew echnologyasmeant hat rug ealers owhave heir wn ellularhonesfrom hich odo business, hen his nitiativeasfirstndertakentwould ave imitedthe bilityousepublic hones or llegal usiness.9. BothGroveland nitedChurch f Christnd St.Mary's atholic hurch eceivedthe ssistancef nonprofitgencyhat pecializednorganizinghurches.achchurchinvitedhis gencyo workwith hem,ndpaida membershipee.Theoutsidegencyprovidednly rainingnd echnicalssistance;tdidnotgive pecificirectionsr argetsfor ocial action. The proactive ffortsn thepartofthechurchesllustrateheindependentommitmentogettingnvolvedntheneighborhood.10. The otheride" eferso a small ortionftheBristol eighborhoodsee Figure )with high oncentrationfapartmentuildings,nd a much owermedian amilyincome ndhigher ercent oorthan ther ensus ractsn the rea.



27/29

772/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998ReferencesAlba, ichard.,John .Logan,ndPaul . Bellair.994. Living ith rime: he mplicationsofRacial/EthnicifferencesnSuburbanocation."ocial orces3:395-434.Anderson,lijah. 978. Place nthe orner.niversityfChicago ress.Anderson,lijah. 990. treetwise:ace, lass ndChangen nUrban ommunity.niversityofChicago ress.Berry,rian .L.,ndJohn.Kasarda. 977. ontemporaryrban cology.acmillan.Billingsley,ndrew.968. lack amiliesnWhite merica.rentice-Hall..1992.Climbingacob'sadder: he nduringegacyfAfrican-Americanamilies.imon&Schuster.Blackwell,ames. 1985. he lack ommunity:iversitynd Unity.d ed.Harper Row.Bursik,obert .,ndHarold rasmick.993.NeighborhoodsndCrime.exingtonooks.Byrne,ames,ndRobertampsoneds.). 986. he ocial cologyfCrime.pringer-Verlag.Chase-Lansdale,indsey,eannerooks-Gunn,nd lise amsky.994.Youngfrican-AmericanMultigenerationalamiliesnPoverty:ualityfMotheringndGrandmothering."hildDevelopment5:373-93.Chatters,inda, obertosephaylor,ndRukmaliayakody.994. Fictiveinshipelationsin Black xtendedamilies."ournalfComparativeamilytudies5:297-312.Chicagoact ook onsortiumeds.). 995. ocal ommunityactBook,hicago etropolitanArea, 990.Universityf llinois.CityfChicago,epartmentfPlanningndDevelopment.994. emographicndHousingCharacteristicsfChicagondCommunityrea rofiles.eporto.5,CityfChicago.Cloward,ichard ., ndLloyd . Ohlin. 960. elinquencyndOpportunity:TheoryfDelinquentangs.ree ress.Collins,haron . 1983.TheMakingf he lackMiddle lass."ocial roblems0:369-82.Cose, llis. 993.TheRage f Privilegedlass.Harper ollins.Darden, oe . 1987. Socioeconomictatus ndRacialResidentialegregation:lacksndHispanicsnChicago."nternationalournalfComparativeociology8:1-13.Dash, eon. 989.When hildren ant hildren.illiam orrow.Erbe, rigitteach. 975. Race nd ocioeconomicegregation."Americanociologicaleview40:801-12.Farley,eynolds.991. Residentialegregationf ocial ndEconomicroupsmong lacks,1970-80."p.274-98nTheUrban nderclass,ditedyChristopherencksndPaulE.Peterson.rookingsnstitution.Freudenberg,illiam. 986. TheDensityfAcquaintanceship:nOverlookedariablenCommunityesearch."mericanournalf ociology2:27-63.Glaser,arney ., ndAnselmtrauss.967. he iscoveryfGroundedheory:trategiesorQualitativeesearch.ldine.Grossman,on, ndByron.White. 997.PovertyurroundslackMiddle lass:UpscaleNeighborhoodirtuallyn sland." hicagoribune.Feb., ection , p.1.Guest, very,ndBarrettee.1983.The ocialOrganizationfLocalAreas." rban ffairsQuarterly9:217-40.



28/29

SweetMothersndGangbangers773Hagedorn,ohn .1988. eoplendFolks: angs, rimend heUnderclassn Rustbeltity.Lakeviewress.Hunter,lbert.995. Private,arochialndPublic ocial rders: heProblemfCrime ndIncivilityn Urban ommunities."p. 209-25nMetropolis:enterndSymbolfOurTimes,dited yPhilip asinitz. ewYork niversityress.Ianni, rancis . J. 971. TheMafiand heWeb fKinship."he ublicnterest2:78-100.. 1974. NewMafia: lack, ispanic,nd taliantyles."ociety1:26-39.Jankowski,artinanchez. 991. slandsn the treet: angs ndAmericanrban ociety.UniversityfCaliforniaress.Jaynes,erald,ndRobinM. Williamseds.). 989. Commonestiny:lacksndAmericanSociety.ationalcademyress.Kasarda, ohn ., andMorris anowitz.974. CommunityttachmentnMassSociety."Americanociologicaleview9:328-39.Kotlowitz,lex. 991. here reNo Childrenere. oubleday.Landry,art. 987. heNewBlackMiddle lass. niversityfCaliforniaress.Lemann,icholas.991. he romisedand:TheGreat lackMigrationndHowtChangedAmerica.intageooks.Lofland, ohn,nd LynH. Lofland. 984.Analyzingocial ettings:Guide oQualitativeObservationndAnalysis.d ed.Wadsworth.Logan, ohn ., ndHarvey.Molotch.987.Urbanortunes:he oliticalconomyf lace.

UniversityfCaliforniaress.MacLeod,Jay. 995.Ain'tNoMakin' t:Aspirationsnd Attainmentna Low-IncomeNeighborhood.ded.Westview.Massey,ouglas, retchen.Condran,ndNancy .Denton.987.The ffectfResidentialSegregationn Black ocial ndEconomic ell-Being."ocial orces6:29-57.Massey,ouglas,ndNancy enton. 993. mericanpartheid:egregationndtheMakingof heUnderclass.arvardniversityress.Massey,ouglas, ndrewross,ndKumikohibuya.994. Migration,egregationnd heConcentrationfPoverty."mericanociologicaleview9:425-45.Merry,ally ngle. 983. Urban anger: ifen a NeighborhoodfStrangers."p.63-72 nUrbanife: eadingsnUrbannthropology,ditedyGeorgemelchndWalter.Zenner.Waveland.Morenoff,effrey,ndRobert . ampson.997. Violent rimend he patial ynamicsfNeighborhoodransitionChicago,970-1990."ocial orces6:31-64.O'Kane, ames . 1992. heCrookedadder: angsters,thnicity,ndtheAmericanream.Transaction.Oliver, elvin. 988. TheUrban lack ommunitys Network:oward SocialNetworkPerspective."ociologicaluarterly9:623-45.Oliver,elvin., ndThomas .Shapiro.995. lackWealth/Whiteealth:New erspectiveonRacialnequality.outledge.Padilla,elixM. 1992. heGangsanAmericannterprise.utgersniversityress.Sampson,obert . 992.Family anagementndChild evelopment:nsightsromocialDisorganizationheory."p.63-93nAdvancesnCriminologicalheory.ol. (Facts,FragmentsndForecasts),ditedyJoanMcCord. ransaction,



29/29

774/Social Forces 76:3,March 1998Sampson, obert ., ndW.B.Groves.989. CommunitytructurendCrime:estingocial-Disorganizationheory."mericanournalf ociology4:774-802.Sampson, obert ., ndWilliamulius ilson. 995. Toward TheoryfRace, rimendUrbannequality."p.37-54 nCrimend nequality,dited yJohn agan ndRuth .Peterson.tanfordniversityress.Schwartz,oward,ndJerryacobs. 979.Qualitativeociology:Methodo theMadness.Free ress.Shaw, lifford,ndHenry cKay. 942. uvenileelinquencynd Urban reas. niversityfChicagoress.Skogan,Wesley.990.Disordernd Decline: rime nd the piral fDecay nAmericanNeighborhoods.ree ress.Smith, essie arney,ndCarrell .Horton. 997. tatisticalecordfBlack merica.th d.GaleResearchress.Stack, arol. 974. llOurKin: trategiesor urvivalna Black ommunity.arper Row.Sullivan, ercer . 1989. Gettingaid:'Youth rime nd Workn the nner ity. ornellUniversityress.Suttles, erald. 968.The ocialOrder f he lum: thnicitynd Territoryn thenner ity.UniversityfChicagoress.Taylor,arl . 1990. angerousociety. ichigantate niversityress.Vanneman,eeve,ndLynnWeber annon. 987. heAmericanerceptionfClass. empleUniversityress.Venkatesh,udhirlladi. 996.TheGangn he ommunity."p. 41-55nGangsnAmerica,editedyC.Ronald uff.age ublications.. 1997. The ocialOrganizationfStreet angActivitynan Urban hetto."mericanJournalf ociology03:82-111.Villemez, ayne.980.Race, lass,ndNeighborhood:ifferencesn heResidentialeturnon ndividualesources?"ocial orces9:414-30.Warren,onald. 975. lack eighborhoods:nAssessmentfCommunityower.niversityfMichiganress.Whyte, illiam oote. 943. treet ornerociety.he ocial tructuref nItalian lum.UniversityfChicagoress.Williams,erry.989.TheCocaine ids:The nsidetoryf TeenagerugRing. ddison-Wesley.

_. 1992.Crackhouse:otes rom he ndofthe ine.Addison-Wesley.Wilson,rank arold. 995.Risingide rEbbTide?RecenthangesntheBlackMiddleClass n theU.S.,1980-1990."esearchnRace ndEthnic elations:21-55.Wilson, illiamulius.978. he ecliningignificancefRace: lacksndChangingAmericanInstitutions.niversityfChicagoress._. 1987. he rulyisadvantaged:he nner ity,he nderclassnd ublic olicy.niversityofChicagoress,

Documents

Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers: Managing Crime in a Black Middle-Class Neighborhood5