Gangs: Trouble in the Streets

Mary Harris Veeder

Oliver places current gang activities firmly in a historical context by beginning with a look at nineteenth-century gangs. Early in the discussion, she brings up the question of defining a gang, then follows up with information on such aspects of the gang phenomenon as girl gangs, gang behaviors, and gang clothing. Her attention to the inner workings of gangs and the difficulties young people have when they want to leave one will be especially useful. References to contemporary writers who deal with the subject, among them Leon Bing, are scattered throughout the text, and there's a lengthy bibliography that includes both fiction and nonfiction.