Glossary: The Code of the Street

Terms from Yale sociologist Elijah Anderson's book, "Code of the Street," that he says residents of poor urban areas use to describe themselves. ALSO SEE: The Code Fueling Chicago's Youth Violence

Code of the street: Set of informal rules governing public behavior, particularly violence. There is a proper way to respond if challenged, and that usually involves violence.

Decent families: Tend to accept mainstream values and attempt to instill them in their children.

Decent single mothers: Must work hard to neutralize the draw of the street, usually by being strict.

Decent daddies: A victim of de-industrialization, he often works two jobs to support his family. Believes he has to rule his household, protect his daughters and raise his sons to be like him.

Street families: Often show a lack of consideration for other people and have a superficial sense of family and community. The extreme members of the street-oriented group make up the criminal element.

Code-switching: Decent people, especially young people, understand how to switch personas. They often change their behavior depending on where they are.

Old heads: The neighborhood mentors; most have moved to more suburban areas.

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