Autumn, 1997, Vol. 4, No. 1

AT WAR WITH OUR FUTURE:
The Criminalization of Urban Adolescents

By Graig Meyer, SSA second-year administration student

Last week one of the clients in my high school job training program was arrested for "Mob Action." Mob Action is a charge that the Chicago Police Department commonly uses to disperse groups of adolescents whom they feel may be dangerous, although they are not engaging in criminal activity at that time. Mob Action and its sister "Gang Loitering Ordinance," which allows police to arrest a group of loiterers if one of them is a known or suspected gang member, are among the tools being implemented to deal with street gangs in recent years. Unfortunately, these tactics are often used without just cause, but are supported by the community in which the actions occur.

Chicago's Gang Loitering Ordinance was recently ruled unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court on the premise that it is illegal to arrest someone for their status rather than their actions. However, similar laws still stand in several Chicago suburbs. Alarmingly, these are not just local law enforcement tactics. If you check your own state or local statutes and police practices, you are likely to find similar laws and policies in effect. The trouble with these policies is clear in cases like my client's, who is not involved in a gang and was not with gang members at the time of his arrest.

Similar cases raise a series of questions. Why are these policies in effect? What impact do they have on adolescents and their communities? And, what is the role of social service professionals in this debate?

A wave of fear and misunderstanding has resulted in the increasing criminalization of urban adolescents. They live in a world invaded by the "War on Drugs" and the "Crackdown on Gangs" and face a criminal justice system that increasingly favors mandatory sentencing and adult sentences for minors. The next threat is the "Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Act of 1997" (see article, page 16). Compounding these effects, the media warns us of "super predator" criminals and the crime wave expected as the adolescent population begins to increase. No one wants their life disrupted by crime, but don't forget, we're talking about kids here.

We have managed to create a society in which many urban adolescents perceive an "us against them" mentality. Are they right? When police and other law enforcement agencies wage a war on drugs, what are the sides? The police and the dealers, right? Not so quick. Who are the dealers? Police and civilian stereotypes of drug dealers often fit the standard dress code of urban youth. Personal stereotypes about color of skin and color of clothing only exacerbate this perception. Is a young black male wearing blue clothing necessarily a gang member? Youth have become the enemy in this war. Their neighborhoods have become war zones. Is it any wonder that urban teens feel insecurity and contempt, when contemplating their relationship with police and other members of society?

It would be incorrect to assume that this is a problem involving police only. The political trend that encourages being tough on crime has led to misguided and punitive policies to intervene in the lives of adolescents. Wouldn't we be better implementing prevention programs that actually help more of our youths stay in school and out of jail? The public clearly supports politicians who successfully implement laws like the Gang Loitering Ordinance or laws that criminalize various clothing styles and behaviors associated with a gang lifestyle. What exactly is our societal responsibility? Are we denying responsibility for the condition of our children? Do we actually perpetuate urban problems by promoting punitive solutions?

In the midst of it all, our society is moving from a military-industrial complex to a prison-industrial complex. Has anyone noticed that corporations like American Express, General Electric and Trans World Airlines are investing large amounts of money in prisons? Did you know that nearly one-third of young black males in the United States are currently under criminal supervision? Does it make sense that while California has expanded school enrollment by 60 students per day between 1960 and 1980, they have built 12 new prison beds every day since then?

Our society is traveling down a treacherous path. As social service professionals, we have a powerful opportunity to come to the defense of the adolescent population.

I encourage all social workers to take a proactive stance on this issue by educating others and modeling alternatives to the existing trend towards criminalization. What steps can we take that will actually make a difference?