Writing

Gang violence is a concern being debated by academics, politicians, and communities around the world. Yet, effective solutions are in short supply. One reason is that too little research concentrates on understanding how people can leave gangs and violence. Gang Entry and Exit in Cape Town fills this important knowledge gap by providing a deep qualitative account of what it is like to join and disengage from gangs in Africa's deadliest city. The book sets the life histories of 24 former gang members against hundreds of hours of additional interviews and observation from five years of ethnographic research. The told stories are a testament to the successes and struggles associated with transitions out of gang life. In examining gang leaving in Cape Town as it does, the book reimagines gangsterism in a way that pays heed to the overwhelming force of violent street culture, but also confirms the possibility of overcoming crime and violence amid underdevelopment. Rather than simply reproducing the gangs-violence-poverty narrative, people are shown to transform their lives by moving beyond the streets, using adaptions that challenge the pessimistic conclusions commonly attributed to gang participants. Presenting evidence about successful gang exit serves as a practical starting point for effectively intervening against gangs – offering hope to those trying exit gang life, as well as those trying to help them do so.