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Feature Articles

Gangs in Los Angeles: Limited occupational possibilities for Latino male adolescents

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Pages 191-199 | Published online: 07 Mar 2018
 

ABSTRACT

An occupational perspective is relevant in examining how the unique context of a person’s life and environment can impact the types of occupations in which he or she participates, and the dilemmas that can occur when restrictive surroundings or perceived lack of lifestyle options constrain occupational choices. This paper examines how participation in gangs by Latino adolescent males may be due to the limited options for other occupations that low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods afford. By presenting narrative from the memoir of a former gang member, alongside county public health records, the engaging and health-promoting occupations as well as health-threatening occupations of gang life are explored. This scholarly discussion contributes to occupational science by evaluating the relationship between context and occupational possibilities for Latino male adolescents living in constrained environments.

在研究一个人的生活和环境的独特背景如何影响他或她参与的休闲类型时,休闲角度是相关的。当环境是限制性的或缺乏生活方式选择时,这样的困境会限制休闲选择。 本文考察了拉丁裔男性青少年参与帮派的可能原因在于低社会经济地位(SES)社区提供的其他休闲选择之有限性。 通过前帮派成员的回忆录以及县级公共卫生记录,探讨了参与和促进健康的休闲以及危害健康的帮派生活休闲。 本项学术讨论评估了生活在受限环境中的拉丁裔男性青少年的背景和休闲可能性之间的关系,以此扩展了休闲科学的内容。

Una perspectiva ocupacional resulta relevante a la hora de examinar cómo el contexto particular de la vida de una persona y su entorno pueden incidir en los tipos de ocupaciones en que participa, al tiempo que permite abordar los dilemas que pueden presentarse cuando un ambiente restrictivo o la falta percibida de estilos de vida restringen las opciones ocupacionales. El presente artículo analiza cómo la participación en pandillas por parte de varones latinos adolescentes puede responder a las pocas opciones de ocupaciones alternativas existentes en barrios de bajo nivel socioeconómico (ses, por sus siglas en inglés). En este sentido, a partir de los recuerdos narrados por un ex pandillero y de los registros de salud pública recabados por el condado, se examinan las cautivadoras ocupaciones —tanto promotoras de la salud como nocivas para la misma— de la vida pandillera. Esta discusión académica constituye un aporte a la ciencia ocupacional, pues evalúa la relación entre contexto y posibilidades ocupacionales para varones latinos adolescentes que habitan entornos limitados.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to reviewers of earlier versions of this paper for constructive comments. Special thanks to Dr. Amber Angell for her feedback and support. The authors declare no conflict of interest or financial benefits from the contents of this manuscript.

ORCID

Lucía I. Floríndez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0206-1910

Daniella C. Floríndez http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0605-7660

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