Street Casino

Simon Harding is Professor of Criminology at University of West London and Director of the National Centre for Gang Research. His career experience includes 30 years of researching and working on crime and community safety in policy, practice and academia.

• Introduction;Academic Gangland;The Game, the Stakes, the Rules - key concepts;House Rules and Game Strategies;Player, positions and keeping order;Playing the Game – generating and keeping your chips;Staying in the Game – and playing to win;The Game in action – habitus, street capital and territory;Learning the risks of the Game;Surviving the Game;Creating the House Advantage - the role of information;Playing the Queen – gender in the gang;The Wheel of Fortune – the sanctions repertoire;The Street Casino.

"Accessible, current and highly engaging." Criminal Law and Justice Review "Provides a highly explanatory theoretical account which is both accessible and relevant" - Podacademy "Theoretically rich and thought-provoking, Simon Harding's casino metaphor captures perfectly the addiction of street life. With clear implications for policy and practice, Street Casino is a winner-a true breakthrough in street gang research." James Densley, Metropolitan State University, USA "An important book which takes our understanding of gang membership significantly forward. Harding suggests solutions for the young people who are involved in the damage caused by this phenomenon and makes a powerful case for why ignoring it is not an option." Anthony Goodman, Middlesex University "Simon Harding's Street Casino marks an important advance in the discussion of violent youth gangs. It is therefore essential reading for anybody who is seriously interested in and concerned about the changing nature of youth crime in our cities." John Pitts, Vauxhall Professor of Socio-legal Studies, University of Bedfordshire