Video Reflection Paper - G-Dog

Jane Doe

Professor Smith

Sociology 100 30885

1 April 2016

Video Reflection paper

G-Dog

The documentary G-Dog tells the story of Greg Boyle, a priest that has made it his life’s mission to rescue troubled kids from gangs and implement programs to nurse, train, and prepare them for the modern workforce. Today, his vision has become the world’s most successful gang intervention and rehab program called Homeboy Industries. This story relates to the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society in many ways and overall covers numerous aspects of our course material.

First of all, it is a given fact that the work ethic, morals, and character of a person are thoroughly judged by potential employers before being hired for a specific job. These qualities can be summed up by the term value, which is described in the textbook as the “culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful” (74). It is hard for Ex-offenders to become hired prior to conviction due to the fact that employers often assume they have little or very poor values. Thus, these ex- offenders, no matter how much they have changed upon serving their sentence, are likely to suffer from the informal biases that accompany the stigma of a criminal conviction, making the job hunt nearly impossible. However, Father Boyle seeks out the best in people and provides everyone an equal opportunity for work through his intervention and rehabilitation program, so that these former gang members can leave their criminal pasts behind them and look forward to a future of receiving gratitude through work.

Tattoo removal is also another major focus of Father Boyle’s. For years, many people have associated tattoos with gangs, bikers, and other groups that were thought to operate outside of the social center. Today, we see that permanent body art is generally more accepted by popular culture, yet when it comes to the workforce, tattoos can be considered part of a counterculture. This term is best defined as “cultural patterns that strongly oppose those widely accepted within a society” (83). Since most of the gang members that G-dog works with are covered with explicit tattoos on their arms, chest and, even face, he has invested in the materials and technology to provide the rehabilitees with the option to remove them. Although Father Boyle doesn’t discriminate against those with tattoos and actually encourages them to embrace their individuality as they apply their unique skills to a job most suitable for them, the opportunity to remove ex-offenders once permanent ties to their gang symbolizes a fresh start and sense of purity as they prepare to take on the workforce.  

Finally, viewers witness the power of one’s social group through watching ex-gang members and criminals develop throughout the film. As described in the textbook, a social group is “two or more people who identify with and interact with one another” (180). Human beings can come together in many ways. This film highlights the contrast in lifestyle between a gang-like social group, which typically leads to violence and drug use, and a religious social group, like the one that Father Boyle uses to promote kinship and improvement of one’s self. Collaboratively, each of the ex-offenders along with G-Dog and the rest of his council form a secondary group; “a large and impersonal social group who’s members pursue a specific goal or activity,” that goal being to enter the workforce and live healthy lifestyle rid of violence and drugs (181). Also, Father Boyle takes the time to get to know his employees on the personal level and often refers to them as “my son” or “family.” This type of relationship is depicted to be a primary group, “a small social group whose members share personal and lasting relationships” (181). These special bonds fuel the Homeboy industry and truly push the employees, volunteers, and rehabilitees to succeed.        

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