Yardie is the general name for Afro-Caribbean gangsters in the United Kingdom.

Predominantly Jamaican, the term "yardie" comes from a West Indian term, "back yard", meaning "back home", that is, the Caribbean.

Many of today's yardies are the children or grandchildren of the thousands of immigrants who came to the UK during the post-World War II economic boom the country experienced caused new jobs to be created, and thus, people to fill those jobs came to the UK from all across the British Empire.

As this economic boom began to fade, many of these Caribbean immigrants either lost their jobs or had their wages cut, causing many to move to the poorer, more rundown suburbs.

The situation that many poor, predominantly Afro-Caribbean areas of cities such as London, is similar to that of poor, predominantly African-American areas of cities such as New York. Violence, especially drug (usually cocaine) and gun related violence, is rife, and the publicity that this violence receives perpetrates the racist stereotype of the Afro-Caribbean Briton: a gorilla-like drug addict with dreadlocks and a gun.

The typical yardie is a single male from about 16 to 35 years of age. The typical yardie is often unemployed, though many claim to be involved in the music industry, as a cover.

The yardie problem in the UK is not being helped by a tense relationship between the police and immigrant groups.

See also

• organized crime

External link

• Gangland.net entry for yardies