GANGLAND CULTURE IN LONDON

[The Social Construction of Gangland Culture in London]

by



Chapter 4: Data analysis and Discussion

Ethnographic study requires direct observation. It requires being immersed in the field situation; and it requires constant interviewing in all degrees of formality and casualness. "From this interviewing, backed by observation, one is able to collect and elicit the native view(s) of reality and the native ascription of meaning to events, intentions, and consequences".

In this study, ethnography methodology was used to investigate factors which motivated a certain group of African American to create a culture that would accommodate their desires and aspirations. To that end, the data were collected, systematically coded, subjected to constant comparative analysis, and then categorized into themes.

Coding Process

Data collection took place over a six-week period. After the first interviews, the tapes were transcribed and analyzed line by line. The coded transcript of the second interview was also coded and compared, incident to incident, with the interviews to identify themes and categories. Throughout the interview process, data were systematically coded line by line to extract significant concepts identified by each gang member interviewed. During this coding process, some major themes emerged from the data:

the pre-gang association period,

the age of the gang member at entry into the gang culture,

reasons for joining the gang,

gang participation,

gang members' benefits,

The reasons for leaving the gang culture, and (9) association with their gang after departure.

Each of these major themes presented are validated by the voices of the participants. The data revealed a particularly strong emphasis on the street names selected by gang members. The participants were asked if their street name bears any real significant meaning. In response to this question, three participants stated that their street name had no real significance, whereas seven reported that the street name had a significant meaning.

Reasons for Joining a Gang

A strong theme, perhaps the most important of this study, regarding the gang culture is identifying reasons why youths are joining the gang at an alarming rate. When this question was posed to our participants, the responses were astounding. This particular theme seemed to stir up all kinds of emotions from the participants which made this study more meaningful and rich in cultural diversity.

Heather gladly agreed to talk in detail about his gang involvement because of his infatuation with the glamour and excitement of gang life. The main reason he volunteered to join the 4-Comer Hustlers street gang was for camaraderie and the "family" structure of gang life. The gang offered him the unconditional love, loyalty, and protection he felt was needed in his life. His real family could not fill the void he so desperately wanted filled.

Denise stated his only reason for joining the Gangster Disciples street gang was solely for protection. He was a loner without many buddies or real friends, so the gang filled a real need in his life. The protection that the gang provided left an impressionable impact on him that could remain with him ...