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YOUTH TERROR - THE VIEW FROM BEHIND THE GUN

NCJ Number
56336
Author(s)
H WHITNEY
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON THE PLIGHT OF URBAN DELINQUENTS, THIS FILM FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES USES CANDID INTERVIEWS WITH YOUNG TROUBLEMAKERS AND THEIR PARENTS TO EXPLORE THE CAUSES, CONDITIONS, AND RESULTS OF JUVENILE VIOLENCE.
Abstract
NEW YORK CITY AND THE SURROUNDING METROPOLITAN AREA SERVE AS THE BACKDROP AGAINST WHICH THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN JUVENILE CRIME IS EXAMINED, THE REASONS FOR ITS HIGH CONCENTRATION IN LOW-INCOME URBAN AREAS ARE EXPLORED, AND YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ARE ALLOWED TO TELL THEIR OWN STORY. ALTHOUGH THE FILM OFFERS NO SOLUTIONS TO THE GROWING PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE AND CRIME IN URBAN AREAS, SOME INSIGHTS ARE PROVIDED INTO THE DILEMMA BY WHITE, BLACK, AND HISPANIC GANG AND AND NONGANG YOUTHS WHO DISCUSS THE SCOPE OF THEIR CRIMINALITY, WHAT PROMOTED THEM, AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND ABOUT THEIR LIVES IN GENERAL. IN CONTRAST TO THE OFTEN UNINTELLIGIBLE DELINQUENT COMMONLY DEPICTED ON TELEVISION AND IN THE MOVIES, THESE YOUTHS ARE RELATIVELY BRIGHT, ARTICULATE, STREET-WISE, AND WELL AWARE OF WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN, AND WHERE THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING. (KBL)