The purpose of this study is to investigate why young middle-class boys aged 15 to 17 become involved in gang crime, a phenomenon traditionally associated with youth from lower socioeconomic groups. The study employs a qualitative method, consisting of semi-structured interviews with middle-class boys aged 15-17 and professionals within schools, the police, and other occupations that interact with youth on a daily basis. The aim is to examine the personal, social, and cultural factors that drive or prevent middle-class boys from engaging in gang crime. The findings indicate that the search for authority and status, parental control, and popular culture are central factors contributing to the involvement of young middle-class boys in gang crime. Middle-class boys, with good home environments and strong relationships with their parents, can still become engaged in gang crime to achieve group belonging and masculinity. Furthermore, the results show that both school and social interactions can function as risk and protective factors for youth. This study challenges previous assumptions that gang crime is associated with low socioeconomic status by highlighting the involvement of middle-class boys in these environments. The study provides new insights into why young middle-class boys, ages 15 to 17, become involved in gang crime.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-131025 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Karlsson, Alice, Curoja, Arbnora |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för samhällsstudier (SS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
Page generated in 0.0011 seconds