Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka erfarenheter socialarbetare verksamma utanför en storstadskontext har av att arbeta med ungdomar involverade i gängkriminalitet. En kvalitativ metod användes med semistrukturerade intervjuer som datainsamlingsmetod. Sex intervjuer genomfördes med socialarbetare som hade erfarenhet av att arbeta med ungdomar involverade i gängkriminalitet och materialet analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys. Den teoretiska tolkningsram som användes för att förstå studiens resultat var generell strainteori. Studiens resultat visar att socialarbetare arbetar relationsskapande och individanpassat för att möta ungdomarnas specifika behov. Vidare visar resultatet att respondenternas erfarenhet är att majoriteten av ungdomarna lever i ett utanförskap och söker sig till gängen för att finna en gemenskap. Slutsatsen som kan dras är att det inte räcker med engagemang från enskilda socialarbetare för att motverka att ungdomar involveras i gängkriminalitet utan att det krävs mer resurser för att kunna arbeta förebyggande på flera nivåer. / The aim of the study was to examine what experiences social workers have of working with gang-involved youth outside a big city context. The study used a qualitative method with semi structured interviews as its data collection method. Six interviews were conducted with social workers who had experience of working with gang-involved youth and the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. To understand the study result general strain theory was used. The study results show that social workers use relationship building in their work to meet the specific needs of every youth. Further the results show that the respondents experiences are that the majority of the youth are living in social exclusion and are therefore drawn to gangs for a sense of community and inclusion. The conclusions drawn from the study are that commitment from individual social workers are not enough to prevent youth from joining criminal gangs but that more resources are needed for the ability to do preventive work on several levels.

This thesis is a study of the “underground” cycling community in Ogden, Utah. Countercultural cycling micro-communities exist across the United States, if not the world, but have not yet been thoroughly studied by folklorists. This research establishes a foundational understanding of the nature of underground cycling culture, particularly in relation to identity. Using folkloric definitions of identity and subculture as my foundation, I examine four different facets of cyclist activities: folk art, folk events, narratives, and the community’s use of space. These four facets provide a variety of lenses through with to examine actualized, expressive cyclist behavior. Each facet also illustrates the different levels (personal, community, and global) at which identity is performed. The most personal performances of cyclist identity are through the folk art of modified bicycles. Modifications tend to reflect the personality of the cyclist, and consequently a bicycle comes to hold much symbolism for the cyclist. The communitylevel studies consisted of examining group events where I observed how the group interacted with itself. The performance and participation in activities are what constitutes an actual cycling community, rather than a series of individual cyclists. The examination of narratives moves outward to contextualize the cycling microcommunity within the larger Ogden community. This chapter explores the role of conflict, illustrates how cyclists think of themselves, and illustrates how cyclists define themselves in opposition to motorists. The community spaces examination looks at the use of physical space versus digital space. These spaces illustrate how the community behaves amongst itself versus how the community behaves amongst the larger, online, Utah cycling community. The physical space reflected the creativity and utilitarian needs of the group. The restrictive digital spaces manage to be expressive through images and language. Internal group conflict occurs more often online, however, due to infractions of implicit group etiquette, possibly as a symptom of a less personal form of interaction. The marginalized, cyclist identity seemed to hold the greatest rewards at the more intimate, personal levels. Moving outward towards broader community-level contests, cyclist identity seems to become a source of conflict.

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Almost 2,000 males, who have been convicted of crimes covering the gamut of criminal activities, are institutionalized in the state prison in Johnson County, Tennessee. These inmates, housed in the confines of a few concrete buildings, represent a society that is dissimilar from the free-world society. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine the characteristics of an inmate leader. Research data were collected through interviews with 20 prisoners located in the Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City, Tennessee. Inmate leaders, selected for the study, included gang leaders and non-gang leaders. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed for the data analysis. To capture the essence of the interviews, interpretivism was used for the analysis. A holistic view allowed certain overlapping themes to be isolated. Findings were presented thematically as they answered specific research questions. Past experiences of inmates and the prisonization process gave them a unique and different understanding of leadership. To serve in a leadership role, the inmates determined that the person had to be trustworthy, follow the code of silence and show respect for fellow inmates in the carceral setting. Gang leaders had a greater focus on coercion and power in their roles as leaders. The controlled prison environment conditioned the inmates to a survival mode. Inmate Larry encapsulated life on the other side of the fence: “Prison is what you make it.” Recommendations included researching the leadership traits of juveniles in the correctional system. This data could be useful in re-directing the leadership energies of these youths. A study of leadership traits identified by females in the correctional justice system would provide information on how the traits are shaped by gender, prisonization, or a life with little exposure to leadership role models.

Gang intervention is crucial to improving the lives of Latino males in Los Angeles. The effectiveness of these programs is dependent on society’s perspective of gang members, and its ability to support the work of gang intervention programs. As documented in this research, Latinos face unique obstacles and situations, in education and in life. This qualitative research study aimed to provide insight as to the perceived impact of a Gang Intervention Program, Homeboy Industries, on Latino males. This study also provided insight as to the methods, behaviors, strategies, and situated learning perceived to positively affect former gang members at Homeboy Industries. The protocol included open-ended, in-depth interviews with former gang members now affiliated with Homeboys that met specific criteria. The data from the interviews provided insight about the impact of the past, the struggles of the present, and the aspirations of the future for former gang members in the Homeboys intervention program. Homeboy Industries utilizes a holistic approach to define clear expectations, and enable a collaborative decision making process to develop a shared vision that cultivates trust among former gang members to improve their lives. This shared vision was rooted in the Ignatian paradigm, espoused by Homeboys Industries founder, Father Greg Boyle, S.J. This study validated the need for gang intervention programs similar to the Homeboys Industries model, and a reconstruction of society’s understanding of the former gang member, and his ability to contribute to society.

Gangs continue to extend a strong influence around the United States, impacting most urban areas and spreading into suburban and rural communities. With approximately one million members actively involved, gangs account for up to 80% of crimes in some communities. Amidst crime and antisocial activities associated with gangs, gangs continue to be a strong allure for youth. Much research has investigated reasons for youth joining gangs; however, there is a lack of research exploring the kinds of experiences youths receive while living the gang life. According to Utah statistics, Pacific Islander youth are at high risk of joining a gang: A disproportionately high percentage of Utah gang members are of Pacific Islander decent. Pacific Islanders make up less than 1% of Utah's population while composing 13% of Utah's gang population and 1.6% of Utah's state prison population. Minimal research has been conducted to understand the kinds of experiences Pacific Islander youths experience while with the gang. This information is critical to informing effective prevention and intervention efforts. Addressing this need, this retrospective qualitative study focused on four males, Utah Pacific Islander former gang members who experienced gang life while in their youth. During one-on-one interviews with the primary investigator, each individual described his personal gang experiences, providing four detailed stories/descriptions of everyday lived experiences. Each interview portrayed themes of feeling respected, having access to things desired, feeling a family bond, and having the presence of significant others in their lives. Based on information shared in these four interviews, the discussion section summarizes implications for intervention and practice, providing insights to better understand underlying needs of Pacific Islander youth and reasons for entry into, continued activity in, and eventual exit from gang life.

Since the 1990s, Sweden's societies has changed in terms of the prevalence and spread of criminal environments. Gun violence in criminal environments has become more frequent and has grown during the last couple of years. The police explains the increased gun violence through organized crime. Previous research has showed that newspapers portrayal of gang crime lacks in a distinct definition of the criminality and are more likely to use condescending descriptions rather than positive ones. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate how the Swedish news media portray and describe gang crime in terms of attribute and definition. To enable the survey, a qualitative content analysis with a limited selection of newspaper articles were used. The study has been conducted with two theories, framing theory and the agenda-setting theory to create an understanding of the news media's presentation of gang crime. To achieve the aim of the study, 18 articles in three newspapers were used in a process of coding to highlight the descriptions of gang crime. The results of the study demonstrated in two main categories and six subcategories. The results of the collected empirical evidence showed that gang crime was presented mainly in a negative way to describe vulnerable areas, young men, shootings and rappers. The results also showed that the definition in Swedish news media is vague and lacks a clear description of what the issue is about.

Tidigare forskning visar på att ett effektivt sätt att minimera ungdomskriminalitet är att arbeta förebyggande. Syftet med studien var därför att undersöka vilka preventiva insatser som används för att motverka att ungdomar involveras i gängkriminalitet. Studien genomfördes utifrån en kvalitativ ansats med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Urvalet bestod av sex stycken professionella inom socialtjänsten som hade erfarenhet av att arbeta med ungdomar i kriminella nätverk. För att tolka studiens resultat användes systemteori och teorin om sociala band. Med hjälp av tematisk analys har studiens material analyserats och behandlats. Resultatet visade att det preventiva arbetet med ungdomar är komplext och behöver utgå ifrån både ett individ- och helhetsperspektiv. För att identifiera och motverka gängkriminalitet bland unga behöver socialarbetare även ha kunskap om risk- och skyddsfaktorer samt främja relationsskapandet i arbetet. Slutsatsen som drogs var att det preventiva arbetet behöver prioriteras i samhället och att forskningen om preventiva insatser behöver utvecklas. / Previous research indicates that preventive interventions is an effective way to reduce gangrelated crimes. The purpose of the study was to investigate which preventive measures are used to prevent juvenile delinquency. The study was conducted with a qualitative approach with the help of semi-structured interviews with six social workers. All with experience of working with juvenile delinquency. The theoretical framework for this study was systems theory and social bond theory. With a thematic analysis, the collected data and results were analysed. Results showed that preventive work with adolescents is complex and needs to have an individual and holistic approach. In order to identify and counter juvenile delinquency, social workers also need to have knowledge of risk and safety factors, and promote a relationship-grounded practice. The conclusion was that preventive work needs to be more prioritised in society and that research on preventive measures needs to be developed.

This qualitative exploratory case study covers Lebanon’s conflicted history that has left itspeople with unfulfilling history education. The purpose was to explore potential stakeholdersand possible factors to motivate participation in Lebanon’s process towards a formal historyeducation. Previous research has shown a need to combine stakeholders with a top-downapproach to resolve conflicts over history education in post-conflict societies such asLebanon. The study was conducted through a sample of digital articles that representedpeople from Lebanon. The sample was analysed with a Qualitative content analysis. Thefindings showed that sceptical individuals have the potential to act by both enabling andchallenging historical narratives in the social space they have access to. Stakeholders such asteachers and historians are today already organised to move history forward within education.Potential factors that could motivate Lebanese to participate in the process were found to becognitive- and financial rewards that today are left out. These findings showed an optimisticoutlook on the long struggle over history education in Lebanon and could work as arecommendation for further research.

Gun violence has increased significantly in Sweden in the past years. The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate whether the number of shootings has an impact on the residents' sense of perceived security in Sweden's metropolitan areas, with the control variables of the socio-demographic characteristics gender, age and education level. Previous research has investigated the relationship between perceived security and general crime, where the results show higher insecurity in relation to crime. In addition, individuals living in a socially vulnerable area characterized by low informal control experience higher insecurity than those who do not live in these areas. The study is based on the theories of social disorganization theory and the theory of ontological security. A multiple regression analysis was used where the data consisted of statistics on the number of shootings in Sweden and data from the Samhälle, Opinion and Media (SOM) survey from the year 2021. The result showed, in the full model, that there is an association between the number of shootings and perceived security, when shootings increase, so does insecurity. Regarding the geographical classification, residents in the metropolitan areas showed lower perceived insecurity in comparison to the rest of Sweden in relation to the number of shootings. Women and the low educated experienced higher insecurity than men and the highly educated respectively, while older age only had a small impact on the insecurity in relation to crime. A conclusion that can be drawn based on the study's results is that the number of shootings affects the perceived security negatively when several explanatory variables are examined together. Moreover, there are socio-demographic characteristics that affect the experience of security. Thus, future research should continue to investigate how the number of shootings can affect perceived security.