P.J. Keenan

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

Young peoples 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 peoples 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 peoples 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.

Perceptions of antisocial behaviour and negative attitudes towards young people: focus group evidence from adult residents of disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods (Glasgow, UK)

This qualitative study explores claims that concern about antisocial behaviour (ASB) may be linked to generally negative attitudes towards young people. The study uses focus groups, sampling adults living in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods (Glasgow, UK). We found some evidence of negative attitudes, in the form of generalised negative stereotyping of young people, but not of a ‘general climate of intolerance’. During the focus group discussions, the kinds of comments made about young people ranged from strongly pejorative to sympathetic and empathetic. On the whole, the discussions tended to emphasise the heterogeneity of young people and their behaviours, suggesting that many local young people were not perceived to be perpetrators of ASB. The findings indicate that although adult residents of disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods perceive young peoples ASB to be a serious issue, they assume that such behaviours occur in the context of poor environments, poor parenting and poor adult behaviour.