Troubles in Smurftown: youth gangs and moral visions on Guam.

Abstract

An explosive youth gang problem in U.S. Guam may derive from the changes in island traditionalism wrought by modern society. Island youths sense the erosion of the traditional culture's moral visions, but find modern Western individualism unpalatable as an alternative. Gang membership offers a third option, bestowing on youths a sense of honor, bravery, and solidarity lost from traditional society. Gang members must be viewed not as social deviants but as members of a culture that proposes moral visions and prescribes group behaviors for its membership.