Code of the Street Chapter 3 PDF

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Notes over chapter 3 of Code of the Street...

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Code of the Street: Chapter Three Drugs, Violence, and Street Crime A. In 1899, W.E.B. Du Bois published The Philadelphia Negro  Made a major contribution to our understanding of the social situation of African Americans in cities  Not appreciated at the time of release B. Today’s ghetto appears to be much more crime and higher levels of violence and homicide than in the earlier period C. An ideology of alienation supporting an oppositional culture has developed  Clarity in the rap music that encourages its young listeners to: - Kill cops - To rape - The like D. Young men involved in the drug trade often apply the ideology glorified rap music to the problem of making a living and survival in what has become an oppositional if not an outlaw culture E. Du Bois developed a typology made up of four classes  The first are well-to-do  The second are the hardworking, decent laborers who were getting by well  The third are the “worthy poor”, those who were working or trying to work but barely making ends meet  The fourth is the “submerged tenth”, those who were in effect beneath the surface of economic viability; largely characterized by: - Irresponsibility - Drinking - Violence - Robbery - Thievery - Alienation F. Du Bois pointed out the problem that kept young African American men from finding jobs  The lack of: - Education - Connections - Social skills - White skin color  The adoption of a certain outlook  An unwillingness to work  Lack of hope for the future The Cultural Economic Connection

A. Liberals and conservatives alike today tend to stress values like individual responsibility when considering such issues as:  Drugs  Violence  Teen pregnancy  Family formation  Work ethic B. The profound changes our society is currently undergoing in the way it organizes would have enormous cultural implications for the ability of the populations most severely affected by these developments to function in accordance with mainstream norms C. The United States has for some time been moving from manufacturing to a service of high-tech economy in which the well-being of workers is subordinated to the bottom line D. Widespread of joblessness, many inner-city people become stressed and their communities become distressed E. Triggers moral outrage and begins to emerge:  Teen pregnancy  Welfare dependency  Underground economy - Drugs - Prostitution - Welfare scams - Other rackets to pick up the economic slack F. Quasi-legal hustling is part of it; people do odd jobs under the table and teach young people to follow their lead G. The drug trade is the most lucrative and most accessible element of the underground economy H. Many young blacks who have difficulty obtaining a job feel victimized by prejudice and discrimination, leading to dealing drugs to “survival” I. The drug trade becomes normal happenstance under this circumstance J. In destitute inner-city communities, it is in fact becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish poverty from drug involvement K. Young men who sell drugs is often encouraged and motivated to create new markers L. Sometimes involves recruiting family members into the drug culture, thus at times leading to their drug dependency to cover the material things he sees dangled before him M. Despair, alienation, and the distress is still present and encourages the development and spread of the oppositional culture N. Exacerbating the antagonism toward the conventional is the way residents of the ghetto become personally victimized by all of this  Not only does the community get a bad reputation, but the people themselves practically black males become demonized O. Some boys simply crave the status associated with being a dealer  They want to wear a beeper  Be seen “clocking”

 Associated with something hip and lucrative P. Once a person gets into that world, it is very hard to get out Violent Fallout A. Drug users engage in violence B. Many users start out as victims when family members or boyfriends who deal drugs actively get them hooked in order to expand their market  Soon become victimizers  Robbing others to support their habits C. Under the influence of drugs people’s behavior become:  Unpredictable  Truly dangerous D. Fueling the violence that attends the drug trade is the proliferation of guns  Guns have become easily accessible E. The price of a used gun indicates the history of the gun  A gun that “has a body on it” is cheaper due to the person who gets caught with it might be held responsible for murder F. For the severely alienated and desperate, a gun can become like a bank card, an equalizer G. People with nonviolent orientation buy guns for protection H. The casualties of violence include people who simply get caught up in it – not just those who get shot but sometimes those who perpetrate the violence as will The Crack Culture: Rationale and Consequences 1. Much of this violence and drug activity reflects the dislocations brought about by economic transformation  Shifts that are occurring in the context of the new global economy  Where the wider economy is not receptive to these dislocated people, the underground economy is 2. Alienation allows for certain receptivity to overtures made by people seeking youthful new recruits for the drug trade 3. In the inner-city community, drug dealing has become recognized as work 4. Robin Hood types among the drug dealers  Distributes some of their profits in the community  Buying things for people 5. For too many inner-city residents crack has become a permanent fixture of life Alvin and Joyce 1. When it gets known in the neighborhood that a young man is clocking or “rolling” it is said that everyone wants to be his friend  He has money  He is a man with drugs 2. A drug dealers style impresses the young women  Signifies the fast life

 Signifies the café life 3. Joyce was seventeen when she and Alvin began dating 4. Alvin was twenty-six and a “big time drug dealer” 5. After they had been going out for six weeks, Alvin announced to Joyce’s mother that she did not have to worry about her, that Alvin had Joyce 6. He moved her from her mother’s house into their own apartment 7. Alvin bought Joyce a brand-new white Nissan automobile for her birthday 8. A month after Alvin brought home a large diamond engagement ring, he was gunned down in a dispute over drugs 9. Joyce sold or pawned everything to support herself 10. Young men must be prepared to show his love by buying young women material things 11. Under these conditions, law-abiding and decent youths will imitate aspects of the fast life The Stick Up 1. The stick up is a variation on the code of the street and often at issue are two elements that give the code:  Meaning  Resonance  Respect  Alienation 2. The common street mugging involves a profound degree of alienation, but also requires a certain commitment to:  Criminality  Nerve  Cunning  What young men of the street call “heart” 3. Stickups are particularly feared by law-abiding people in the ghetto, decent or street 4. Stick up have two major elements in common  Radical redefinition of the situation of who has the power for everyone concerned, especially if a gun is involved  Social change 5. A generalized belief in the inner-city ghettos is the perpetrators choose their victims according to certain known factor and that it is therefore up to the individual to avoid placing themselves in a vulnerable position 6. The process of a stick up encompasses both choice of victim and the etiquette of the event itself 7. When both parties thoroughly understand the situation, the stickup can resemble a ballet 8. The potential perpetrator’s first consideration is the selection of the perfect setting and victim 9. The stickup men want the person “with something” to recognize him, to acknowledge his power resources and what he can do to the victim 10. The submission is what the perpetrator wants

11. Most stickup men greatly appreciate the element of surprise in pulling off their job and the victim is most often surprised by the robbery and has no time to act deliberately 12. Robert Hayes  Thirty years old  Black security guard who works at a Center City CVS  Lives in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia 13. Robert left a “Cash Exchange” on a busy section of Girard Avenue after cashing his check 14. A young black man walked towards him with a brown paper bag with a gun in the bag and told Robert to “give it up” 15. Robert complied and went on about his business 16. Robert didn’t resist as he thought of his two children and wife; thought that he could always get more money and a wallet 17. Residents try to behave in ways that let potential stick up boys and anyone else know that they are not the one to be targeted for a stick up See but don’t see 1. Many residents become demoralized but often try to coexist with drug infested inner city communities, rationalizing that the boys who deal drugs are not necessarily bad boys but are simply doing what they think they need to do to make money 2. One drug dealer stated that he paid for his aunt’s surgery and his mother’s bills 3. Drug deals help their communities by donating money to various organizations 4. People walk the streets of the community and see drug transactions going on but are afraid to get involved 5. Parent’s do not approve of their kid’s involvement in the drug trade, but they also benefit from it The Violent Death 1. Films, rap music, and everyday experiences help youths become inured to violence and death itself 2. Those residing in some of the most troubled areas typically have witnessed much street violence that has at times resulted in maiming or death  This contributes to the posture that dying isn’t a big deal 3. The high death rate among peers keeps many from expecting to live beyond age twentyfive 4. Sometimes young people are looking for an excuse to change and a sign can be enough 5. There is a strong belief in fate, and the notion that a person has a time to be on the planet, but that people can rush their time by living fast The Aftermath of Death 1. When a young life is cut down:  Almost everyone goes into mourning  The crowd gathers about the site of the shooting or incident

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 The police arrive and draw in more of a crowd  Close relatives and friends may be on the scene of the killing  Women and girls often wail and moan  Young men simply look on  Ambulance arrives and will go to the morgue In the next couple of days, the relatives, neighbors, and friends look for a report of the crime in the local newspapers Young people take it especially hard knowing that he violated in some way the code of the street and probably messed up someone’s money If the young man was popular, then a group might try to do something to pay back and a deadly feud can start The testimonials about the boy’s life only has the positive accentuated and nothing about the drugs or the negative things he was involved with...