'Out on the street it's like a brotherhood of sorts': The commonality of violent offending within Scottish and Australian street-orientated youth subcultures

Current global concern about troublesome youth groups is indicative of wider societal concern around the issue of youth violence. This study utilizes qualitative interview data to examine the perceptions of two geographically disparate groups of young people involved in street-orientated youth subcultures (i.e., street gangs and crews). In this regard, the paper compares the daily lived experiences of youth gang members in Glasgow, Scotland, and graffiti crew members in Perth, Western Australia. The findings reveal a commonality of violent and criminal offending among these two groups. The paper concludes by positing that this commonality could be a facet of the ability of street-oriented youth groups to provide their membership with the kinds of compensatory stocks of social capital that are missing from their everyday marginalized lives.