Abstract
In Real Gangstas: Legitimacy, Reputation, and Violence in the Intergang Environment, Timothy Lauger presents a comprehensive overview of life inside a gang while at the same time provides the reader with specific, real-life examples of the incidents and behaviors that typically occur as a gang member. Lauger, an assistant professor of criminal justice at Niagara University, spent a year and a half in the field studying active gang members upon which this book is based. From the gang environment to the violence that typically describes gang behavior, the author takes the reader into the actual lives of real gang members as they search for legitimacy.
Lauger performed this research as a doctoral candidate at Indiana University. His book, as well as his dissertation, was constructed from over 18 months of ethnographic field research study of the lives and behaviors of active gang members in the Northeast Indianapolis area. The primary method of collecting these data was through qualitative interviews of active gang-affiliated street offenders.
The first two chapters set the foundation of the book. In Chapter 1, the author introduces the gang environment in Northeast Indianapolis. By utilizing official data, information about the socioeconomic conditions, the violence rate, and other census data, the reader is given a sense of the setting and surroundings in which these gangs thrive. This is especially true when considering the social and economic disparate conditions of the city. Chapter 2 focuses specifically on the process of joining a gang. Lauger sets the tone early in the chapter by utilizing national data to demonstrate that most youths, in fact, do not join gangs. This is no different in the Indianapolis area. Of those who do join a gang, however, several reasons are put forth explaining the process and the reasoning behind those select few joining a gang. The author uses qualitative interviews in order to present this information and sets the tone for the remainder of the book.
While the first two chapters serve as an introduction, the remaining chapters (3 through 8) are largely focused on the legitimacy issue facing each gang member. Chapter 3 directs attention toward what is commonly known as the “dilution narrative.” In essence, it is the realization that only a few of those that actually do join a gang are considered to be, as the title of the book implies, Real Gangstas. This particular chapter demonstrates that gangs and gang members are constantly proving to themselves and other gangs that they are indeed legitimate. Once again, interviews with real gang members describing their experiences are the foundation by which Lauger explains this phenomenon to the reader.
Chapter 4 makes the case that legitimacy, for gang members, is a self-defined construct. What might be legitimate for a gang on one side of town may not define legitimacy for a rival gang on the other side of that same town. Consequently, the very term legitimacy becomes suspect and arbitrary. The result is a constant display between different gangs to prove that theirs is the more legitimate. The author takes this one step further by stating this paradox even exists among gang members of the same gang. Each gang member has their own understanding of what legitimacy is and how it is earned. In the end, however, the author makes it very clear, just as in Chapter 3, that the term legitimacy inside the construct of gangs is diluted at best.
Chapter 5 represents the author’s first in-depth look at gang violence. Here the ideals of hypermasculinity, toughness, and respect are examined. In particular, the concept of violence is explained as a means to a violent reputation. Through qualitative interviews, the reader is shown that a violent reputation is more coveted than the violence itself by both gangs and their members. It is demonstrated that the violent encounter lasts only a few short minutes and without the reputation of violence being passed onto rival gangs and the community at large, the violent encounter itself quickly fades and is forgotten. It is through this passing of information of a particular gang member’s violent behavior that reputation is truly established.
The sixth chapter discusses how this violent reputation evolves. The author presents an axiom of sorts here to illustrate this process. In short, gang members are typically teenagers. Teenagers typically communicate through gossip. And it is through this gossip that the gang member establishes a reputation of violent behavior. This gossip chain is also how gang members receive information. As such, Lauger frames gossip as part of one’s presentation of self whereby it functions as a two-way communication tool among gangs and gang members. Finally, it is demonstrated that gossip is also used as a tool by which to ruin the reputation of other gangs and gang members. While all of the communication is important, the author clearly shows that the gossip concerning violence is most important.
Chapter 7 focuses solely on the violent encounter. This chapter describes in detail how gang violence occurs from its beginning to its culmination. This section of the book is especially sobering. Lauger spends a good deal of time toward the end of the chapter discussing the consequences of lethal force and the almost uncaring attitude of those gang members who commit this type of violence. This particular discussion conveys to the reader how gang members use homicide as a conflict resolution and, moreover, shows the impact it has on communities.
As sobering as Chapter 7 is, Chapter 8, the final chapter, serves to lighten the mood for the reader. As the qualitative interviews continue with gang members, one can see that each of them are beginning to tire of the constant strain this type of life inherently contains. This point is brought out by the fact that one of the main individuals the author had developed a relationship with was gunned down at a gang party and another of the individuals having been badly wounded. Making matters worse, it appeared that these individuals were making a concerted effort to leave the gang life for a more truly legitimate way of life. It is here that Lauger focuses on the reactions of the other gang members (mainly a sense that they will leave the gang life) brings home the point that there is hope for these individuals.
In conclusion, this book holds value to researchers and instructors in a variety of ways. Largely, this book would serve instructors well as a supplemental text in a gang-related course. Next, the qualitative interviews contained within this article are well conceived and documented in rigorous detail. Those who research gangs and gang activity from a qualitative methodology would do well to include this book in their collection. Finally, this book offers anyone interested, not just academics, an all-inclusive view of life as an active gang member.