Between Good and Ghetto by Nikki Jones, Book Review Example

Jones’s (2010) book is primarily intended for sociologists who inevitably deal with the racial and gender violence in their practice. Secondly, there are professionals in related spheres such as education, law, or criminal justice, which also may find the book interesting and useful. Thirdly, the book might be of vital importance for people inhabiting the inner city, especially girls in their adolescence. The book might of certain help to them, since it provides a clear insight into the problem, and suggests some ways of coping with it. Moreover, for those who have gone through the violence in the inner city’s neighborhood or at school, the book may reveal aspects that they have never noticed before, and relieve them of traumatic experiences of the past events. Between Good and Ghetto: African-American Girls and Inner-City Violence is essential even for overall intellectual development, as it reveals up-to-date problems of urban surroundings, and gives the thorough analysis in the framework of the debate on the subject of gender and racial violence among African American adolescent girls in the inner city. Hence, there are some professions and interests in which the contribution of the discussed book is crucial.

The most notable and crucial characters for the content are Terrie, Danielle, and Amber. Additionally, Jones (2010) introduced such girls as Takeya and Kailee who, like other girls, tried to manage the expectations inherent in the “code of street”. Jones (2010) divided all of them into those who use the strategy of “good girls,” namely those “who fight only with body language and relationships and not with fists or knives,” and “bad girls,” dealing violently with the marginal neighborhood of the inner city (p. 20).

Terrie is the seventeen-years-old girl who lives in Philadelphia’s inner city. Her neighborhood is full of such marginal residents as drug dealers, while old African American women who live in row houses shape the community. Terrie suits best to the described community, as her biological father is imprisoned, and she lives in the family headed by her stepfather with her numerous sisters. In spite of being respected in the community for giving advice to people, Terrie is also known as a violent girl whose first fight was when she was aged six. She lives following the “code of the street,” namely, applying force only when necessary, in order to retain justice and protect others. On the contrary, Danielle was more concerned with not using her force, but “quickly activating her networks of authority”, according to Jones (2010), as far as she had no reputation as a “fighter” (p.69). Still, she also is the girl with problematic adolescence because she had to leave of the university during her freshman year of studies due to pregnancy.

The other character of the book is Amber, a young mother suffering from the violence of her partner. Amber’s main problem described by Jones (2010) is the fact that she is stuck in the conditions of having no place to live, except for her boyfriend’s house, not trusting the police, and being poor. Thus, she finds no way out other than endure constant humiliation and violence.

The book reminded me of the specificity of the inner city environment, which is highly particular to the place and time described by Jones (2010), so it may be hard for people never encountering such harsh conditions for existence to comprehend the complexity of the situation in which the main characters of the books have found themselves. Indeed, only living in the inner city mat feel what it is like to struggle for existence by all possible means, to suffer violence, to have no trust in authorities, etc. However, as for me, it reminded me of some cases of violent murders of African American students convicted by a group of their fellows, which happened several years ago. Such cases prove that the problem exists not just among races, but even within the boundaries of the African American community.

Concerning my personality, I cannot say that the book has influenced me a lot. It was more essential for my professional views and knowledge. However, even without providing new ideas about me in particular, the book strongly reinforced my convictions about the negative manifestations of racial hatred, discrimination, neglect towards minorities, and lack of social support from the government leading to the creation of such areas as the inner city depicted by Jones (2010). In particular, after I had read the book, I became more certain about the fact that, regardless of the environment, violence should never be used. Thus, problems need to be handled similarly to the ways “good girls” from the book were using.

If the main characters of the book appeared in the Trinity University, I guess, they would not face any problems. The Trinity University is known as not highly diverse racially. Moreover, even non-white students are from families of privilege. Personally, I have never faced any racial problems with my roommates and classmates. Hence, I am positive about the suggestion that neither Terrie nor Danielle would have a chance to use their force or authority. Furthermore, in the University, much work is devoted to maintaining the dialogue on the subject of ethnical and racial diversity issues.

Personally, I was very touched by the case of Amber who was constantly facing the danger of her boyfriend’s violence. Even if I found myself without my own shelter, in poverty, and with a small child, I would not have returned to the violent boyfriend anyway. I clearly realize that a child is also in the danger of being violently treated. Thus, I would have never put my child under threat, and I would have tried to address my complaints to police, to appeal to some social protection organizations, etc., instead of living in turbulence and hazard.

Overall, the book teaches many essential things. However, it mostly deals with the cases that can happen in the inner city with the marginal neighborhood. Still, I have drawn several conclusions from the book. The first is that violence and force are never acceptable for me because there always are alternative solutions to all problems. The second one is that the problem of poor urban neighborhoods where the violence among young African American girls thrives requires an urgent solution, since its roots are socio-cultural, and even political. The state has to tackle these issues, helping African American youths to find their places in life, employment opportunities, housing opportunities, etc.

As far as I am concerned, my book’s soul mate in terms of acting in the dangerous and violent environment is Danielle whom I would choose as a friend. The major personal feature I appreciate in Danielle is her kindness, i.e., she represents the “good girls” from the book. Moreover, I like her methods of dealing with problems, namely with the use of authority, and her negative attitude to fights. It follows that she accepts the common rules of the community, but chooses her own less radical way of acting.

References

Jones, N. (2010). Between Good and Ghetto: African American Girls and Inner-city Violence. Piscataway Township, NJ: Rutgers University Press.