Back during the Eisenhower Administration, James Short was studying Chicago street gangs. He became a longtime professor of sociology in 1951.
And though Mr. Short’s Youth Studies Project wrapped up nearly 60 years ago, other sociologists say it remains relevant today.
He found that gang members “want to be respected and be tough,” said Lorine A. Hughes, WSU sociology alumna now at the University of Colorado Denver. “They’re not thinking about broader punishments. They really want to be respected on the street.”
He sought information from potential “juvenile delinquents” themselves, rather than rely on data from police and the courts.