An Explorative Study of the No Snitching Mentality in the African American Community

MOUTH SHUT, EYES OPEN: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY OF THE NO SNITCHING MENTALITY IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY Tianna Williams B.A , California State University, Sacramento, 2007 PROJECT Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK at CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO SPRING 2011 ©2011 Tianna Williams ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii MOUTH SHUT, EYES OPEN: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY OF THE NO SNITCHING MENTALITY IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY A Project by Tianna Williams Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Teiahsha Bankhead, Ph.D., LCSW ____________________________ Date iii Student: Tianna Williams I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the project. __________________________, Department Chair ___________________ Robin Kennedy, Ph.D. Date Division of Social Work iv Abstract of MOUTH SHUT, EYES OPEN: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY OF THE NO SNITCHING MENTALITY IN THE AFRICA AMERICAN COMMUNITY by Tianna Williams The aim of this explorative quantitative study is to examine the culture of silence (also referred as the ―no snitching‖ mentality) that exists in the African American Community. Such attitude encourages African Americans to be uncooperative with the police, in which explicit messages are present in some rap and hip hop lyrics, illustrated in music videos, and designed on clothing apparel that advocate for this behavior (United States Department of Justice, 2009a). African Americans compared to Whites and other minorities represent a disproportion number of victims of homicide and incarcerated adults in the United States (United States Department of Justice, 2006; United States Department of Justice, 2010). As the role of police is to keep communities and citizens safe, they are dependent on the public to help them solve crimes. (United States Department of Justice, 2009a). Through non-probability and availability sampling, the researcher surveyed 70 African American and non-African American students to determine if the respondents‘ opinions about issues in the African Americans community and police, expectations and experiences varied by race. Using descriptive statistics and v bivariate analysis, the researcher‘s findings were that African Americans and non-African American students reported that they were likely to cooperate with the police to solve crimes, and they also perceived witnesses participation positively. This research has will help social workers in community settings and in the criminal justice system, researchers, policy makers, law enforcement officers and communities to better understand the no- snitching mentality to impact appropriate interventions to support health and social justice for all and to promote public safety in the African American community. _______________________, Committee Chair Teiahsha Bankhead, Ph.D., LCSW _______________________ Date vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to give thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for making all things possible and strengthening me through this journey. I wake up every morning and give praise. I would like to thank my family, friends, the numerous staff within California State University, Sacramento, the Division of Social Work, the History Department, the Ethnic Studies Department, and the Division of Criminal Justice for their support and guidance in my personal and professional growth. Also I would like to thank the staff in the Office of Institutional Research, who were instrumental in me being able to have a refined sampling procedure to survey students. Furthermore, having lost family members and friends of my family to violence, I pray for change in the African American community to stop the violence and the silence of it. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................. x List of Figures ............................................................................................................. xiii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Research Problem ..............................................................................5 Background of the Problem .........................................................................................5 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................8 Justifications (Benefits of this study) ...........................................................................8 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................9 Definition of Terms ................................................................................................... 11 Assumptions .............................................................................................................. 11 Limitations of This Study .......................................................................................... 12 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................... 14 Brief History of African Americans and the Police .................................................... 14 Civil Rights Movement and the 20th Century ............................................................ 18 Trusting the Police ..................................................................................................... 21 Cooperating with Authorities ..................................................................................... 23 Messages in the Media ............................................................................................... 26 Summary ................................................................................................................... 33 3. METHODS ............................................................................................................... 36 Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 36 Study Design ............................................................................................................. 36 Sampling Procedures ................................................................................................. 37 Data Collection Procedures ........................................................................................ 38 viii Instrument ................................................................................................................. 38 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 39 Human Subjects ......................................................................................................... 40 Limitations of the Study............................................................................................. 41 4. FINDINGS ................................................................................................................ 42 Demographics............................................................................................................ 42 Measuring the Level of Agreement ............................................................................ 48 Perception Toward Cooperating with the Police ......................................................... 59 Personal Experiences Involving the Police ................................................................. 64 5. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................... 73 Discussion of the Findings ......................................................................................... 73 In Retrospect ............................................................................................................. 78 Reliability and Validity .............................................................................................. 79 Implications for Practice ............................................................................................ 80 Limitations ................................................................................................................ 81 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 82 Appendix A Homicide Victims in the United States from 1930-1990 ............................ 85 Appendix B Lynching Victims in the United States from 1868-1935 ............................. 86 Appendix C All Students Majors ................................................................................... 87 Appendix D Lyrics for The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five .......... 88 Appendix E Lyrics for Fuck the Police by NWA ........................................................... 91 Appendix F Lyrics for Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G. (feat. Puff Daddy) ........... 95 Appendix G Lyrcis for I Aint Mad at Cha by Tupac (feat. Danny Boy).......................... 98 Appendix H Lyrics for Only Fear of Death by Tupac .................................................

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