From Middle School Teacher to Understanding Violence in Gangs with Dr. James Densley (PART 1)

When we think of the word “gang,” we associate it with a particular group of people. And this image we almost automatically create in our head is rarely positive. Crime and violence in gangs, as well as illegal affairs, always come into the picture. But behind these stereotypes are real, dynamic people—often young teenagers—who have no choice but to embrace this way of life. To truly understand the violence in gangs and how they work, you first have to humble yourself and set foot in their reality.
In this episode, Dr. James Densley shares the story behind how he became an expert in street gangs. He describes his experience of immersing with gang members while simultaneously building trust in the community throughout his research. Dr. James also talks about his practice and the work they do at The Violence Project. Through his account, we get a better grasp of the realities of violence in gangs and the lessons surrounding the gang members.
Tune in to the episode to learn about the violence in gangs and what it’s like to build relationships with young gang members.
3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Get a glance at the real picture of the demographic and life of a gang member.
Learn the importance of leveraging networks in doing violence and crime-related research studies.
Discover the biggest lessons around working with street gangs.

Resources
Connect with Dr. James: https://www.jamesdensley.com/ (Website) | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdensley (LinkedIn)
https://www.theviolenceproject.org/ (The Violence Project)
https://youtu.be/UyaYMOCt_Ug (TEDx Talk: Violence in the Age of Social Media - JamesDensley)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CLO15LQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 (How Gangs Work: An Ethnography of Youth Violence) by Dr. James Densley
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B4HK6Y8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4 (Scotland’s Gang Members: Life and Crime in Glasgow) by Dr. James Densley

About Dr. James
Dr. James Densley is a Professor and the Department Chair of Criminal Justice at Metropolitan State University. He is also the co-founder and co-president of The Violence Project, a non-partisan and nonprofit violence research center. Through this project, they developed the most comprehensive Mass Shooter Database, funded by the National Institute of Justice. As an expert on street crimes, he has authored several highly acclaimed books on street crime and violence.
Dr. James has spoken in numerous speaking events, including TEDx. He is also a writer for several publications, such as CNN, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, LA Times, and USA Today. In 2017, the UK Prime Minister awarded Dr. James the Points of Light Award for his outstanding community volunteerism. If you want to reach out to Dr. James, you can visit hishttps://twitter.com/FigenMurray ( )https://www.jamesdensley.com/ (website) and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdensley (LinkedIn). Don’t forget to visit https://www.theviolenceproject.org/ (The Violence Project) to know more about his work.
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