|
From Rubies to Blossoms
A Portrait of American Girlhood: The New Gangs of New York
 Listen to Part One of this series | Part Two
 Learn more about the people profiled in this series
Feb. 8-9, 2003 -- Gangs have always been a part of America's subculture -- and often, gang violence and its twisted code of honor has been glorified in film, music and television. But now a new trend is troubling experts on gang culture. They see a steadily rising number of girls joining gangs, and at increasingly younger ages.
There are an estimated one million gang members in America, and one-third of them are girls. Experts say it is very likely that the average 13-year-girl knows the names of at least some of these gangs: the Crips, the Bloods, the Latin Kings.
And gangs are expanding from the cities to the suburbs, focusing on the recruitment of young girls as they move from narcotics trafficking to prostitution.
Gangs today recruit at junior high and middle schools across the country, even as law enforcement struggles to contain them. Gang experts say there are plenty of "wannabes" and "gonnabes" -- young people vulnerable to gang activity. Yet very few organizations serve the needs of young girls at risk for gang activity.
In a two-part series, NPR Senior Correspondent Jacki Lyden and All Things Considered Producer Davar Ardalan look at why young girls are joining gangs, how gangs exploit them and what can be done to counter the trend.
The series focuses on New York and its suburbs -- but it could have been told in any American metro area.
Click on the links below to learn more about the people and organizations highlighted in this series:
Rubies and GEMS: "Rubies" are concubines to male gang members -- and those young men are often their pimps, too. GEMS is a safe-haven and after-school support system for sexually exploited girls in Harlem. Learn more about the girls of GEMS.
Blossoms in Brooklyn: A profile of Blossom, an after-school program designed to help young girls identified as "at risk" for gang initiation. Also, learn more about the Council for Unity, a 28-year-old program that teaches conflict resolution skills to reduce teen violence.
The Gangs of Long Island: Exclusive to npr.org, listen to extended audio as Jacki Lyden and Davar Ardalan ride along with police Detective Wes Daily and Capt. Herman Pyatt for an eye-opening tour of the hot spots of gang activity in an unlikely place: suburban Long Island.
Facts and Resources: Hear an extended interview with John Hagedorn, a leading expert on females and gangs at the University of Illinois in Chicago, about the greater risk of sexual exploitation faced by "wannabe" and "gonnabe" gang girls. Also, get girl gang facts and Web resources.
NEXT: Rubies and GEMS in Harlem
|
