Skinhead Street Gangs [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This is a crash course in racist violence by Loren Christensen, a nationally recognized expert on skinhead gangs and police officer in Portland, Oregon, a city once dubbed the "Skinhead Capital of the U.S." This cop's view of skinheads explains who they are, why they're violent, who their targets are, how they operate, what weapons they favor and what danger they pose to society and to police.

About the Author

Loren Christensen began his law enforcement career in 1967 when he served in the army as a military policeman in the United States and in Vietnam. He joined the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau in 1972 and retired in 1997. During those years, he specialized in street gangs, defensive tactics, dignitary protection, and patrolling the bizarre streets of skid row. He now writes full time and teaches martial arts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press; illustrated edition edition (April 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873647564
• ISBN-13: 978-0873647564
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,545,313 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS THE MOST ONE SIDED BOOK I HAVE EVER READ, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

Not only did Loren Christensen totaly forget the traditional skinhead, or the roots so deeply embeded in the working class. He forgot to mention that these misled youth are not skinheads at all, its just a title that the media and himself like to pin on these kids because they dont know much more than that. I wouldnet have even gave this boo one star but thats as low as i was allowed to go.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Police "Guide" to American Subculture, December 8, 1997

By A Customer

This book, like many other books about the modern skinhead subculture, is written from an outsider's perspective. Many of the observations are colored by the author's perspective as a police officer. Moreover, this books fails to underscore the role of non-racist and anti-racist individuals and groups in the skinhead subculture, and contains many substantive factual inaccuracies. This book is good for any serious collector, however, and no subculture collection is complete without it. For a more balanced viewpoint which objectively traces the history of the subculture, George Marshall's Spririt of '69 is the obvious choice. For a look at the skinhead subculture today, George Marshall's Skinhead Nation provides interesting facts illustrated by beautiful photographs.

14 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A horrible book and a false testamony for skinheads., April 9, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This is one of the worst books i have ever read. while loren christensen does cover the racist skinhead community well, and the anti-racist skinhead community fairly well, he fails to mention anything about the true skinheads. Those that do not include politics in their being a skin. This book is an example of why i get sh-- for wearing what i wear, and looking the way i do. It's again the media at work trying to convince people that all skins are racist or anti-racist and that they are all violent alcoholic thugs. How can someone who isn't even a skin write a book on skinheads? It's great for all you brainless media -loving people out there. But if you want a true account of what skins are really like and what a REAL skin is, i suggest you read George Marshall's Spirit of '69 or Skinhead Nation. Both are wonderful books.