Containing Gangs and Creating Safer Communities: Gang Policies and Youth Perceptions of Safety In Norwalk, California
by Contreras, Gilbert Joseph, Jr., Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, 2011, 359 pages; 3501924

Abstract:

Under the banner of promoting school and community safety, schools in urban contexts increasingly function as agents of the criminal justice system and educational goals become subordinate to law enforcement priorities. This dissertation examines youth perceptions of safety in Norwalk schools and neighborhoods that are controlled by "community policing" and influenced by specific gang suppression strategies. Using multiple methods, including a quantitative survey of 1,343 Norwalk youth, my dissertation suggests that youth hold negative perceptions of their schools and communities, despite collaborative school and city efforts that have resulted in crime reduction. The findings have important implications for schools and communities experiencing similar demographic transformations, especially places where Latinos are becoming the majority in schools and neighborhoods.

 
AdviserAbel Valenzuela, Jr.
SchoolUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
SourceDAI/A 73-07(E), p. , Mar 2012
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsSociology of education; Criminology; Urban planning
Publication Number3501924
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