A cross-comparison of the life experiences and desistance processes of Los Angeles and London street gang members.

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This project investigates and compares the life experiences and desistance processes of street gang members, in Los Angeles and London, in the form of semi-structured interviews, informal conversationsand observation of ex-gang members, and a narrative analysis of gang autobiographies. The application of US-centric definitions and measurements of gangs, when applied to the UK context, has resulted inmuch debate around their existence at all. This project makes a decisive intervention in this debate by gathering primary and secondary data that compares the differing social and cultural contexts affectinggang criminality in LA and London, with a focus on desistance. It also offers a working UK-based definition for street gangs. It explores a range of topics including: the role of racial oppression in gangformation, gun control, music (UK drill and US rap), anti-gang enforcement, and the aid of non-profit organisations in the desistance process.