This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Brezina, T. Articles by Wright, J. P. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Code of the Street

A Quantitative Assessment of Elijah Anderson’s Subculture of Violence Thesis and Its Contribution to Youth Violence Research

Tulane University

Robert Agnew

Emory University

Francis T. Cullen

John Paul Wright

University of Cincinnati

Based on extensive field research, Elijah Anderson argues that the behavior of many youths is influenced by a street culture or "code" that prescribes violent reactions to interpersonal attacks and shows of disrespect. Although Anderson’s account has been well received by the criminological community, questions remain about the validity and generality of his findings. To address these issues, the authors review other (mostly quantitative) studies of youth violence and consider whether the findings of these studies are consistent with Anderson’s account. The authors also conduct analyses to determine whether Anderson’s observations can help to extend the existing body of quantitative research and, hence, further our understanding of youth violence. Overall, the results of this assessment suggest that Anderson’s observations provide valuable insight into the general problem of youth violence and that future research in this area would benefit from greater attention to the social processes he has served to highlight.

Key Words: youth violence • strain theory • ethnographic research • victimization

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Vol. 2, No. 4, 303-328 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1541204004267780


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. F. Short Jr and L. A. Hughes Urban ethnography and research integrity: Empirical and theoretical dimensions Ethnography, December 1, 2009; 10(4): 397 - 415. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. K. Payne and D. M. Button Developing a Citywide Youth Violence Prevention Plan: Perceptions of Various Stakeholders Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol, October 1, 2009; 53(5): 517 - 534. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Garot Reconsidering retaliation: Structural inhibitions, emotive dissonance, and the acceptance of ambivalence among inner-city young men Ethnography, March 1, 2009; 10(1): 63 - 90. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. A. Stewart, C. J. Schreck, and R. L. Simons "I Ain't Gonna Let No One Disrespect Me": Does the Code of the Street Reduce or Increase Violent Victimization among African American Adolescents? Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, November 1, 2006; 43(4): 427 - 458. [Abstract] [PDF]