Peace in the Hood - by Aquil Basheer & Christina Hoag (Paperback)

About the Book

"Peace In the Hood evokes the reality of gangland warfare but also acknowledges the possibility of peace. Written by Basheer, a pioneer of the interventionist movement, it documents the lessons he learned from over 40 years of working in inner cities. This book is designed to teach anyone how to be an interventionist, offering clear guidelines on the necessities of intervention work, including understanding the gang mindset, learning how to evaluate rumors for truth, and convincing young people to leave gangs. Each chapter deals with one key aspect of peacemaking, and the advice comes with anecdotes from Basheer's own life. Peace In the Hood includes real-life accounts of Basheer's interactions with gang members offering unique insight into gang culture. Its descriptions of the fairly new field of peacekeeping and intervention with its mix of story and advice make it both a perfect tool for students and teachers who study social justice and anyone simply looking for a fascinating read. Being the first book to offer a detailed description of the process of making peace within gangs, it's a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of gangs and the efforts to make peace within them. "--

Book Synopsis

Peace In the Hood evokes the reality of gangland warfare but also acknowledges the possibility of peace. Written by Basheer, a pioneer of the interventionist movement, it documents the lessons he learned from over 40 years of working in inner cities.

This book is designed to teach anyone how to be an interventionist, offering clear guidelines on the necessities of intervention work, including understanding the gang mindset, learning how to evaluate rumors for truth, and convincing young people to leave gangs. Each chapter deals with one key aspect of peacemaking, and the advice comes with anecdotes from Basheer's own life.

Peace In the Hood includes real-life accounts of Basheer's interactions with gang members offering unique insight into gang culture. Its descriptions of the fairly new field of peacekeeping and intervention with its mix of story and advice make it both a perfect tool for students and teachers who study social justice and anyone simply looking for a fascinating read. Being the first book to offer a detailed description of the process of making peace within gangs, it's a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of gangs and the efforts to make peace within them.

Review Quotes

Praise for Aquil Basheer's Professional Community Intervention Training Institute (PCITI):

"I am so humbled to be a part of this work and will always support it. To see the effectiveness of Aquil Basheer and his expertise plus to know how many lives it has altered and saved is outstanding."
-- Pete Carroll, Coach of the Seattle Seahawks, founder of A Better LA, A Better Seattle

"This program is way ahead of its time. It is the first of its kind in the nation and has been a tremendous asset to the communities of Los Angeles which it serves." -- Congressman Tony Cardenas

"This is excellent training, it could not be better. This is what everyone--cops, emergency and first responders, social service workers, and doctors--needs to know before they go into the streets. I believe this work should be taken to scale throughout the country."
-- Lee Baca, Sheriff of Los Angeles County

"Professional Community Intervention Training Institute demonstrated a profound impact on the lives of its participants . . . [T]his program is quite simply a treasure and plays an important role in revitalizing and empowering communities throughout Los Angeles."
-- Jorja Leap, UCLA professor of public welfare, and gang consultant to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the City of Los Angeles

About the Author

Aquil Basheer is a foremost expert and pioneer in the field of street violence intervention. He founded and operates the Professional Community Intervention Training Institute (PCITI), the nation's only 18-week gang interventionist training and personal development academy. He has also served as as an anti-violence consultant in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The subject of articles in the Los Angeles Times and other major media, Basheer lives in Moreno Valley, CA. Christina Hoag is a journalist who has reported on social and political issues in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean for Time, BusinessWeek, The New York Times, and more. Most recently an urban affairs reporter for The Associated Press in Los Angeles, Hoag lives in Santa Monica, CA. Pete Carroll is the coach for the Seattle Seahawks and lives in Seattle.