Young, Muslim and Criminal: Experiences, Identities and Pathways into Crime

by Mohammed Qasim

Overview

In recent years there has been significant negative attention towards young British male Muslims, who are perceived to be increasingly dangerous and criminal. However, very little is known about those who offend, as few studies have attempted to understand their lived experience. After spending four years with a group of young British Pakistani Muslim men who were involved in a range of offending behaviours, Qasim gained unique first-hand insight into their multifaceted lives. In this book he unwraps their lives, taking into account their socio-economic situation, the make-up of their community, cultural and religious influences which impacted on them and their involvement in crime. He explores their identities and explains what role, if any, religion and Pakistani culture play in their criminal behaviour. With a focus on the apparent link with gun crime and drug dealing, this important book exposes the complex nature of the young men’s pathways into crime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447341512
Publisher:	Policy Press
Publication date:	01/24/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	321 KB

About the Author

Dr Mohammed Qasim is a researcher at Leeds Beckett University. He was awarded his PhD in Criminology from Swansea University. Dr Qasim has spoken about his research in various forums including Radio 4 and is a guest lecturer at a number of universities.

Table of Contents

Glossary vi

Acknowledgements x

Introduction 1

1 Young British Pakistani Muslim men and concern with increased levels of criminality 11

2 Bradford is home turf, it's our city 25

3 The Boys, their identities and dynamics 41

4 'We are hustlers' - relationship with drugs 63

5 Prison talk - The Boys and their experiences of 'inside' 95

6 The impact of Pakistani culture and Islamic faith on the lives of The Boys 115

7 Findings and conclusions 137

Appendix 151

Bibliography 163

Index 181

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Sheds light on a community of young men who are under-researched but overexposed as suspicious, deviant, and dangerous…provides a unique insight into a group of young Pakistani-British Muslim men involved in offending and makes a significant contribution to academic, and potentially, public understanding of their experiences.“ Martina Feilzer, Bangor University

"A book of great importance to the field of criminology. It explores the rapidly emerging academic, political and media construction of a crime ‘problem’ amongst young Pakistani men in a dynamic, innovative and ‘real’ way. A must read for anyone seeking to understand the lived experiences of this much-neglected social group." Stephen Case, Loughborough University

"A fascinating read, providing a close up, rare insight, into a group of people few are able to gain access and fully understand." Colin Webster, Leeds Beckett University