A washed-up, middle-aged British philosopher teams up with an incompetent, one-armed bank robber to plan the ultimate bank job.

A New York Times Bestseller "A rich portrait of the urban poor, drawn not from statistics but from vivid tales of their lives and his, and how they intertwined." —The Economist "A sensitive, sympathetic, unpatronizing portrayal of lives that are ususally ignored or lumped into ill-defined stereotype." —Finanical Times Foreword by Stephen J. Dubner, coauthor of Freakonomics When first-year graduate student Sudhir Venkatesh walked into an abandoned building in one of Chicago’s most notorious housing projects, he hoped to find a few people willing to take a multiple-choice survey on urban poverty--and impress his professors with his boldness. He never imagined that as a result of this assignment he would befriend a gang leader named JT and spend the better part of a decade embedded inside the projects under JT’s protection. From a privileged position of unprecedented access, Venkatesh observed JT and the rest of his gang as they operated their crack-selling business, made peace with their neighbors, evaded the law, and rose up or fell within the ranks of the gang’s complex hierarchical structure. Examining the morally ambiguous, highly intricate, and often corrupt struggle to survive in an urban war zone, Gang Leader for a Day also tells the story of the complicated friendship that develops between Venkatesh and JT--two young and ambitious men a universe apart. Sudhir Venkatesh’s latest book Floating City: A Rogue Sociologist Lost and Found in New York’s Underground Economy—a memoir of sociological investigation revealing the true face of America’s most diverse city—is also published by Penguin Press.

Robert J. Durán analyzes the impact of deportation, incarceration, and racialized perceptions of criminality on Latino families and youth along the U.S.-Mexico border. He finds significantly less gang membership and activity than common fearmongering claims would have us believe.

Gangs are responsible for over 80 percent of the crime in the United States. The cost of gang violence is staggering. In many communities, no one feels safe walking down his or her own streetsand that, Dan Googen feels, is simply too high a cost to pay. Dan was a soldier, trained in combat overseas. When he returns home to see that his own neighborhood is held captive by a violent invasion force of its own, he springs into action. He goes undercover and begins to live the gangland life. What he doesnt count on is how his life will be affected by the friendships he forms with the members of the gangs. His new secret life is in bitter conflict with his ideals and goals. Can he do what needs to be doneor will these new friendships test his resolve? While living undercover, Dan befriends Tiny, one of the gang members. With Dans help, Tiny is able to accomplish the unthinkable: he breaks free from the gangs and enrolls in college. There, he becomes a breakout basketball star; his life is now on an unstoppably positive path. When Tinys dreams of playing pro ball finally come true, he makes good on his promise to help the kids he left behind in the hood. He comes home, a local hero determined to do anything he can to help. Tiny receives the answer to his prayers but not the one he expected.

Girl Gang is the continuation of two of our best-selling series, Twins and The New Girl. Due to popular demand and endless requests from fans of the series, the story flows on with even more drama, romance, and surprises. In Book One - The Journey Continues, Ali, Casey, Alexa, and their friends are excited for their middle school graduation and the Junior Prom that will follow. Unfortunately, though, an unexpected incident spurred on by Ali leads to unforeseen circumstances that send everyone reeling. Ali isn't prepared for the consequences of her actions, and the situation quickly spirals out of control. Ronnie and Holly fight back. Will they be the ones to win out this time? Or will the twins manage to turn the situation in their favor? You will have to read through to the end to find out! If you are a fan of Twins and The New Girl, you are sure to love this new series too. Girl Gang - The Journey Continues is another fabulous book for girls.

The Gang Life: Laugh Now, Cry Later examines the criminal gangster mindset and offers gang prevention strategies, using real-world examples to demonstrate a holistic approach toward combatting this surging societal problem. The text outlines the evolution of gang membership from a state of interest, to association, to hardcore "O.G." (Original Gangster) status, and explores the evolution of law enforcement’s multi-pronged approach to combating criminal street gang violence, from the catch-and-release mentality of the 1970s and 1980s to today’s collaboration with private organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs. In-depth profiles, case studies, and lengthy histories of gangs, gang members, and their transformations are provided to demonstrate the deleterious effect of gangs on society. Designed for criminal justice students and for practitioners in the field, this text offers readers a holistic approach toward gang prevention from three nationally awarded educators and gang investigators.

The title word 'effect' is presented reversed, as in a mirror image.

Klein, well-known criminologist and police consultant, tells the story of a gang cop who is deeply engaged in battling his street gang opponents. The author reveals the dangers of police elite units when a 'tough cop' begins to rationalize the use of police violence and corruption. Klein assesses the training and skills of the gang cop, and current gaps in our knowledge of street gangs. This book is for law enforcement personnel, lawyers, criminologists, and community and governmental agencies concerned with the proliferation of gangs in America's towns.