Regional Sociology Commons^™

Gang And Gang Activity In A Non-Metropolitan Community: The Perceptions Of Students, Teachers, And Police Officers, Joshua Swetnam

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In recent years, both the media and the research literature have noted an increased presence of street gangs in non-metropolitan and rural communities. An initial step in the investigation of this phenomenon is to gauge how the members of these communities react to increases in gang activity. This study was conducted in a small (approximately 20,000 citizens) Kentucky town identified by its police force as having a sizable gang population. Individuals from three groups within the community who have frequent, direct contact with gang members (police officers, teachers, and students) look part in the study. Participants completed questionnaires designed to …