YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, THE STREET CODE, AND VIOLENCE: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS

A growing body of research has used the street code thesis to examine how young Black males in disadvantaged social environments normalize the use of violence. However, research on the street code has rarely examined whether it is useful for understanding violence among young African American women living in distressed community contexts. Drawing from the experiences of 24 Chicago-area, African American young women, this paper examines their involvement in personal violence while living in a disadvantaged neighborhood. Our findings highlight the young women's use of the street code script to establish violent identities and earn respect among their peers.