Who becomes a Skinhead?
The evidence is highly limited. Skinheads, mostly male, range in age from 13 to 27 though most are in their late teens. Although their origins and initial growth in the U.S. was working class, they come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Some reports indicate that Skinhead activity in urban areas is now more common in middle class neighborhoods than it is in working class or lower income areas. There is conflicting evidence on whether or not most Skinheads came from dysfunctional families. Many report an authoritarian father and many were raised by a single parent. One study indicates a high school graduation rate of 81% with over half enrolling in college. The majority in Mark Hamm’s study (American Skinheads, 1993) were employed, with many working and going to school at the same time. Nearly all of them anticipated being part of the workforce with over half planning on a white collar professional job. How are Skinheads recruited? While recruitment to most social movements i
