CODE OF THE STREETS

Ryan HuelsmannShemurah Hardiman

The Code

Poverty stricken inner city black community

Code is based on norms of this subculture and is rather informal

Focuses on the value of respect

Revolves around presentation of self

Major Concept: The Strong Survive

Decent vs. Street

Decent-moral, religious, belief that hard work, respectful, cordial

This group is a majority of families and residents

Street-self-destructive behavior, drug addicted or alcoholics, angry, violent

A minority but still powerful, highly influential

Making it an oppositional culture

Oppositional Culture

Subculture who consciously reject mainstream values and norms

Not everyone is totally invested in the Code

They have other ways of earning respect

Doing good work

Getting good grades

Working hard at your job or career

Juice

Juice equals respect, a highly valued commodity under the code

Based on everything from clothes you wear to stealing anything that will elevate your status

Main point don’t show weakness

Economics of Juice

Plus or Increase

Expensive clothes and other bling

Stealing such items

Acquiring any type of trophy

Successful attempts at pay back and revenge

Minus or Decrease

Getting insulted or dissed

Having expensive items stolen from you

Losing a trophy

Running away or retreating from a fight

Zero-Sum Quality

Important aspect of this give-and-take

The extent to which one person can raise himself depends on his ability to put another person down

The more you hurt, the more you rise

“Going for Bad”

Cavalier attitude for death

Believe and accept they can DIE violently at any time

Results in no fear of police or prison

Because it can enhance their reputation

Vicious Circle

Many young African-Americans have assumed a Street demeanor while embracing a moderate way of life

These are decent people trying to raise families in nonviolent lifestyle, but racism and unemployment drives them back to violent ways of the Code

Depending on situation, they can slip back and forth from Decent to Street

Unless this cycle is broken, casualties will be claimed everywhere including black and white as well as poor and affluent

Discussion Question

How does the code of the streets compare to other more well known codes? Ex. Code of Honor (Like

King Arthur’s Knights)

Code of Ethics for a business

Pirate’s Code (parlay anyone?)

Discussion Questions

Is Hernando Washington Decent or Street?

Does he show elements of both?

In your judgment are young men from more “middle class” cultural settings at all preoccupied with earning respect?

How do young men in middle-class culture earn the respect of others and prove themselves to be “manly”?