Code of the Street

“Of all the problems besetting the poor inner-city black community, none is more pressing than that of interpersonal violence and aggression.”

While Anderson acknowledges that Black communities in inner-city contexts are faced with a great number of challenges, interpersonal violence—particularly between people who belong to the same community and thereby face the same challenges—is the most notable challenge.

“Almost everyone residing in poor inner-city neighborhoods is struggling financially and therefore feels a certain distance from the rest of America, but there are degrees of alienation, captured by the terms ‘decent’ and ‘street’ or ‘ghetto’, suggesting social types.”

Urban poverty causes alienation due to detachment from mainstream society and its economic possibilities. Anderson asserts that this detachment is exacerbated when hierarchies or distinctions are made within inner-city communities.

“Working-class black families have traditionally placed a high value on male authority.”

Here, Anderson draws attention to the tendency to exalt male authority figures within the Black community, particularly when these male figures are in an economic position to act as the “man of the house.”

“The lives of the street-oriented are often marked by disorganization.”

Alienated from structures that many people rely on in mainstream society, the urban poor must find their own ways to navigate their daily lives, which often involves desperate attempts to solve problems like paying bills or buying groceries. Thus, the disorganization Anderson mentions here is inextricably linked to a fight for survival.

“The criminal justice system is widely perceived as beset with a double standard: one for blacks and one for whites, resulting in a profound distrust in this institution.”

Skeptical of police and the criminal justice system as a whole, many Black people in the inner city develop an alternate concept of what justice means and how it should be served. With a systemic double standard when it comes to how white people are treated in the eyes of civil law, the criminal justice system often appears to be a trap for Black people.

“One way to campaign for status is to take the possessions of others.”

Anderson notes that possessions such as sneakers or jackets serve as status symbols, which in turn can lead to stealing others’ material possessions in an attempt to capture more social status.

“True nerve never expresses a lack of fear of death.”

One of the key attributes of the code of the street, particularly in terms of expectations around masculinity, is showing nerve. To have nerve is to be fearless, or at least appear to be, even in life-threatening situations.

“In many working-class and impoverished black communities today, particularly as faith in the criminal justice system erodes, social behavior in public is organized around the code of the streets.”

Here, Anderson again alludes to the effects of alienation from societal structures that do not earn the trust of low-income Black families. The alienation leads to distrust and skepticism, which then solidifies the reliance on the code of the street.

“The transition from the regular economy to the underground economy, particularly to the drug trade, is not simple.”

Anderson addresses the misconception that being a part of the underground economy is both an easy decision and an easy process. Instead, joining the underground economy in any capacity is often a layered decision.

“Like any marketing enterprise, the drug trade requires production and distribution networks.”

The drug trade is by no means a one-person job, but a robust process by which production and distribution bring in many people. The higher the number of people involved, the more significant the impact on the community becomes.

“Crack’s addictive quality has led to the rapid establishment of a crack culture and makes it easy to maintain a clientele.”

The highly addictive nature of crack exacerbates the level of dependence on the drug, which is considered to be both immediate and permanent.

“People residing in the drug-infested, depressed inner-city community may understand the economic need for the drug trade.”

As inner-city communities lack economic resources and infrastructure, the drug trade provides a viable way to make money, thereby providing for basic needs.

“The lack of family-sustaining jobs denies many young men the possibility of forming an economically self-reliant family, the traditional American mark of manhood.”

While many young men in the inner-city strive to eventually become the “man of the house” for the families they ultimately create, the lack of gainful employment opportunities in the inner city can lead to economic scarcity and feelings of inferiority.

“The lore of the street says there is a contest going on between the boy and the girl even before they meet.”

Anderson argues that sexual encounters between teenage boys and girls are often perceived as a game to some extent, one in which the young man often objectifies the young woman, viewing her as little more than a conquest.

“Believing in the sanctity of hard work, the decent daddy often works two jobs in order to have more than enough money to support his family’s lifestyle.”

Anderson exalts the role of the father from decent families, calling this figure the “decent daddy.” The decent daddy is determined to imagine and pursue a life that allows him to fulfill his own sense of purpose, which is to provide economic stability for his immediate family and extended family.

“As poverty becomes more deeply entrenched, as drugs proliferate, and as the level of violence rises, the community grows demoralized.”

Here, Anderson points toward a vicious cycle, a type of domino effect that finds its roots in systemic poverty and eventually finds its way to widespread community violence. Desperation takes hold of the community, which allows the underground economy to take its place within the community.

“The grandmother’s central role has become institutionalized in the black community and carries with it a great deal of prestige but also a great deal of stress.”

Along with the “decent daddy,” the grandmother is another key figure for inner-city families, as the grandmother is often the one to solve problems, mediate conflict when necessary, and even at times bail people out of jail, which increases the stress she experiences.

“Racism, the changing economy, unemployment, and changing social values all affect the people in the community.”

Anderson acknowledges that the issues that plague inner-city families are not one-dimensional. As society changes and evolves, the hope is that these families will eventually find long-term, sustainable solutions.

“The grandmother’s goal in seizing control of the household is to ensure the survival of the family.”

When a grandmother takes over as a key problem solver, she is acknowledging that without her help, her family risks not being able to survive. This is not strictly a matter of personality, but of desperation and determination.

“As the grandmothers become less effective, the multiplier effects grow, and the most impoverished pockets of the black inner-city community move closer to disintegration.”

As the economy and marketplace change in fundamental ways, the role of the grandmother becomes less effective, which presents a real risk to her ability to help resolve financial issues in order to help her family survive.

“The predatory influence of the street culture is an enormous problem for the rest of the inner-city population.”

In defining street culture as predatory, Anderson paints it as an active, harmful force in the inner city. While the very existence of street culture is associated with systemic inequalities, Anderson also argues that street culture essentially prevents inner-city residents from ascending to new economic possibilities.

“Streetwise and impoverished young men are easily encouraged to find places in this underground economy.”

Desperate to make a living, a significant number of young men living in urban poverty see the underground economy as the most viable option for a regular income, despite its obvious risks.

“Any effort to place the blame solely on individuals in urban ghettos is seriously misguided.”

Anderson emphasizes that the various social and economic issues that stem from urban poverty are not the byproduct of individual choices. While personal responsibility exists, the factors affecting individual choices are contextualized by broad-scale societal issues.