gang leader for a day

My roommate had this book on our bookshelf and recommended that I read it. Based in the Robert Taylor housing projects in Chicago,  a University of Chicago sociology student decides to study urban poverty and shows up one day unannounced to the projects. This is his 7 year story of hanging out with J.T. , a Black Kings gang leader and crack dealer, and all the people J.T. introduces to him. Living not to far from where these project once stood (they were torn down in the 90's), it was cool to read about streets and places that I recognized.
Sudhir got to know many tenants, squatters, gang members, and prostitutes while studying how they thrived on so little money and help from any authorities (police, CHA). Since I now work with a lot of families in similar situations (although none of our kids live in the projects), I was fascinated by their barter system- sex, food, manual labor, and drugs were all traded for each other. One woman might babysit while another cooks and another teaches a reading class. I'm amazed at how they accept their lifestyle because they really don't have the resources to do anything about it. It breaks my heart that the police mistreat them and routinely rob them knowing they won't do anything about it.
The book is fairly easy to read and keeps you wondering "what happens next?". I recommend this to anyone who works near or with the urban poor (that's basically everyone)!