We found in the previous chapter that embeddedness in criminal networks heightens the involvement of street youth in crime. Yet tutelage in offending is not the only dimension of street youth associations, nor are these relationships the only available source of companionship for street youth. In this chapter, we extend our analysis of street networks and explore in greater detail the associations formed by homeless youth.

Although street youth spend time alone, their life on the street is often intensely social. Research on homeless or street adults indicates that they minimize relationships with other homeless people or form short-term relationships, regardless of their intentions or the intensity of their feelings (Snow and Anderson, 1993; Fleisher, 1995). Homeless youth share some of these tendencies, but they are more inclined to enter into group relationships. Many respondents spoke about other youth with whom they “hung out,” describing how they spent their time with them and the nature of their associations. This aspect of street life is the focus of this chapter.

We explore the characteristics of street groups, the reasons for joining them, and the effects of group membership, particularly in terms of criminal involvement. Classical as well as contemporary ethnographies suggest that many youth groups are, for all intents and purposes, gangs that facilitate and promote involvement in crime. Yet, as we demonstrate later, street youth groups are diverse, offering assistance in meeting basic needs of the street, as well as facilitating involvement in crime. Moreover, several features of street youth groupings suggest that, although they share some of the characteristics commonly attributed to gangs, these street groups also have their own unique characteristics.