Wanted Med In The Philadelphia Ghetto Case Study

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Introduction “On the run: Wanted Med in the Philadelphia Ghetto” by Alice Goffman (2009), explores the dysfunctional relationship between individuals in “ghettos” and the criminal justice system. Incarceration rates in the United States have increased seven times over 40 years among Black men with limited education (Goffman 2009:339). Incarceration leads to the discrimination and disadvantage of Black males; socially and economically (Goffman 2009:339). Additionally, increased incarcerations influence the amount of policing in communities. Subsequently, increased incarcerations of individuals from poor communities, results in increased policing in their neighbourhoods. Goffman (2009) focuses her study on the rate of incarceration and police …show more content…

She devoted around two to six days on 6th street and one day a week visiting members of the group who were in the jail (Goffman 2009:342). Field researchers are known to not only examine these groups over a period of time, but also choose social groups based on their research topic. After making a selection, the researcher finds a role to play within the group along with making observations (Neuman 2007:21). In addition to this, Goffman interviewed nine employees of the law including lawyers, a district attorney, probation officers, police officers, and a federal district court judge (2009:342). Instead of interviewing young men with direct questions; Goffman observed them and took field note’s; quoting, and paraphrasing the conversations of the men (2009:342). This method of collecting data was seemingly appropriate for Goffman’s study because interviewing the participants would have most likely made them feel as if though they were being questioned and pried for answers; which would have the potential of getting them in trouble. Observing them not only made it easier for Goffman to maintain her access in the group, but it made it easier for her to build trust among the participants. This trust is evident through the participants agreeing with letting her use her field notes in the likes of publishing them in future (Goffman

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