The History of Street Gangs in the United States

One might ask why we need yet another book on street gangs, as there have been a number of contributions to this line of research within the past couple of decades. What makes Howell’s book decidedly different is that he does not offer mere lip service to history, but devotes the whole of his book to following the course of gangs and gang formation in the US and beyond. . . .The book is saved from obscurity with a predictive epilogue that is solidly based in modernity while offering a cautionary reminder that history has a way of repeating itself. Howell predicts that the more recent immigration wave may very well have an effect on existing gang structures as well as the possibility of new structures emerging. For the money, Howell is one of the leading specialists on gangs in the US today, and keeps an eye on transnational trends. A must-have in the library of any scholar interested in studying street gangs. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * Choice Reviews *
This book represents the most complete and informative history of gangs in America. Instead of painting with a broad brush, Howell provides a systematic analysis that uniquely and thoroughly traces gang development specific to each region of the United States, noting similarities and differences among the gang developments in those regions. Readers will come away with a much deeper appreciation for the ever-increasing complexity of "the gang problem" and a greater understanding of its history in the United States. * The Historian *
Suffice it to say, Howell knows gangs!. . . .Howell’s History is an important endeavor. . . . History reads like an apprenticeship from a wise master. For this reason, History is a credible addition to an ever-expanding library of gang research. * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books *
Howell’s rare blend of scholarly and public policy expertise is evident in this definitive and well written historical analysis of gangs - - street gangs, prison gangs, and transnational gangs - - that includes a breakdown by regions of the U.S. It should be read by all those who seek to understand the emergence and growth of gangs in the United States. -- C. Ronald Huff, University of California, Irvine and The Ohio State University
Buddy Howell has produced an informative book on the history of American gangs; it fills a void in the literature. The book presents a nice synthesis of what has become a voluminous literature detailing the American gang situation. -- Finn Esbensen, University of Missouri-St. Louis
This book covers the waterfront on American street gangs, past and present, including some of the new developments and issues that have plagued law enforcement and other government agencies. -- Diego Vigil, University of California, Irvine
Buddy Howell displays a dizzying mastery of gangs. Very few people can claim expertise of any single type of gang, gang behavior, or type of data and Howell’s uncanny ability to synthesize such material has produced a book of great value to the field. This book tackles historical, anthropological, sociological, psychological, and criminological analyses on gangs from just about every corner of the world. Howell weaves together these different strands of research to provide a serious and thoughtful analysis of gangs from their emergence in the US during the 1800s to the present. Serious debates are addressed head-on, and new directions for research and policy development are raised. -- Andrew V. Papachristos, Yale University