Damned if they do, damned if they don't: negotiating the tricky context of anti-social behaviour and keeping safe in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods

Neary, J. , Egan, M., Keenan, P.J., Lawson, L. and Bond, L. (2013) Damned if they do, damned if they don't: negotiating the tricky context of anti-social behaviour and keeping safe in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods. Journal of Youth Studies, 16(1), pp. 118-134. (doi: 10.1080/13676261.2012.710745)

Abstract

Young people's relationship with anti-social behaviour (ASB) is complicated. While their behaviours are often stereotyped as anti-social (e.g. ‘hanging about’), they also experience ASB in their neighbourhood. In this study, we explore young people's own perspectives on ASB, comparing results from ‘go-along’ interviews and focus groups conducted in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Glasgow, Scotland. This article discusses how young people's everyday experience of ASB was contextualised by social factors such as cultural stereotyping of marginalised groups, poor social connectivity and spatial marginalisation within their neighbourhood. Furthermore, we found that these social factors were mutually reinforcing and interacted in a way that appeared to leave young people in a ‘no-win’ situation regarding their association with ASB. Participation in ASB and attempts to avoid such involvement were seen to involve negative consequences: participation could entail violence and spatial restrictions linked to territoriality, but avoidance could lead to being ostracised from their peer group. Regardless of involvement, young people felt that adults stereotyped them as anti-social. Our findings therefore provide support for policies and interventions aimed at reducing ASB (perpetrated by residents of all ages); in part by better ensuring that young people have a clear incentive for avoiding such behaviours.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Egan, Dr Matthew and Keenan, Dr Peter and Neary, Dr Joanne and Bond, Professor Lyndal and Lawson, Ms Louise
• Authors: Neary, J., Egan, M., Keenan, P.J., Lawson, L., and Bond, L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU; College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies; College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Journal of Youth Studies
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1367-6261
• ISSN (Online): 1469-9680
• Published Online: 13 August 2012
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Youth Studies 16(1):118-134
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher