The Status of the Surveilled: Hyper Surveillance and Status Attainment among Gangs
Abstract
Abstract Using a case study of Latino gangs in Chicago over a 15-year period and original data compiled from gang cassette mixtapes, CDs, and DVDs, this research analyzes highly ritualized interactions in public media to investigate how status rituals change over time. Specifically, we focus on how factors external to the gang space, such as hyper-surveillance and enhanced policing techniques, influence status attainment in gangs. To date, research on hyper-surveillance focuses on justice system avoidance and crime rates in hot spots, but largely unaddressed are the consequences on the culture of urban gangs. We find that gangs have normalized and incorporated hyper-surveillance into their interaction rituals. Rather than avoidance, increased surveillance is associated with elevated status both at the individual and gang levels. In addition, due to intensified policing practices, even simple loitering on street corners is now associated with elevated status because of the threat of discovery and sanction. These new status attainment methods are encompassed in what we term the “status of the surveilled.” These results shed light on unique, unintended consequences of hyper-surveillance and enhanced policing in urban areas, as well as how they are incorporated into group processes related to status attainment within the urban street gang.
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Record history
| When | Event | Field | Old | New |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 19:37:53.011249+00:00 | identifier_assigned | DSEID | DSEID-000-5418516 |