The Code Of The Street: Subformal Rules And Values

The “code of the street” is loosely defined as a set of informal rules and values, mainly initiated and governed by poor, inner-city, disadvantaged minority communities. Miller (1958), argues that the lower class have a separate, identifiable culture and “focal concerns”, whereas the middleclass has values, such as achievement through legitimate means. Among these “focal concerns” are “street sense” rather than IQ, resentment of authority, informal rules, and toughness which is seen as power (Miller, 1958). Research suggests that the code of the street creates a subculture of violence. It describes how these disadvantaged subcultures respond to situations, like a show of disrespect, with violence, (Cullen, Agnew, and Wilcox, 2014). Researchers
Anderson argues that there are two types of families, “street” and “decent”, which emerge from these disadvantaged neighborhoods. Decent people in the inner-city live by the civil rules and laws but still know the street code. Decent kids are kept under strict supervision and are taught to value hard work and self-reliance. They are forced to do well in school and to create strong social bonds with their parents and their church. The decent families embrace mainstream values, which can include achievement and respect through legitimate means and place little importance on violence (Stewart & Simons, 2010). Even though decent people do not accept the street code, the children are still taught the street culture in order to avoid dangerous situations. Street people live only by the code of the street and decline the values of mainstream society. These families usually are more aggressive with their kids, yelling and hitting them for minor misbehavior (Cullen et al., 2014). These “street” families instill violence and aggression on their children in an effort to get them tough so they can avoid being picked on. They believe in the code and its values. “Street” kids grow up without much supervision and embrace the code for defensive purposes. The street kids are often left alone for days at a time at a young age to fend for themselves. These kids learn from their “street” peers and also from older individuals who have accepted the code of the street. The “street” kids learn how to fight and the importance of violence in the street world (Bernard et al,