MacKay, Jenny. Gangs .

MacKay, Jenny.     Gangs .      

Cengage (Gale,Lucent,Kidhaven/Blackbirch         

2011   112p   33.45  978-1-4205-0343-2           

hs/adult         Hot Topics (Lucent/Cengage)         VG-BNS          

Six chapters about gangs include the history & the culture of gangs, the

business aspect, the legal system (how gangs are organized as well as how our

police forces deal with gangs), the promotion of gang life and the effects of

gangs on society.       

In the United States, gangs originated for survival when

immigrants faced insurmountable odds.    Some gangs originated in response to

lawlessness in the Wild West.  Urban gangs arose in response to a need for self-

protection.  Whatever its origin, the typical gang combines 3 or more members,

criminal activity and some kind of identification device.  Examined in this book

are various topics including the culture and the business operations of gangs as

well as ways in which the legal system deals with gangs.  Songs, movies and the

news media have inadvertently promoted gangs, making them seem exciting or even

enviable.  Author Jenny MacKay describes all of this with clear organization and

solid research, ending with an examination of the cost to society.  Peppered

with photographs to support the text, quotations by a variety of contributors

and extra explanations separated from the basic text and highlighted in yellow

with red borders, the book offers something of interest to a student, a

researcher, a law enforcement agency, a city planner and/or a parent who hopes

to learn how to spot an at-risk teenager.  

The subject matter is advanced in

nature, making this book better for a more mature reader.  The notes and

bibliography are thorough, the list of organizations to contact for more

information is helpful and the index includes 4 pages of topics to find in the

book.  ╥Hot Topics╒╙ authors examine complex issues in an organized fashion,

present a detailed look at the most important topics to include about each issue

and provide a research tool for older teenagers as well as adults who  need a

starting point.            Squaresky, Martha