Purwosari Perbalan, Semarang. In all of Central Java, this is the place most famous for its hoodlums and thugs, who are known as preman. These are people who deal with fights, drinking sprees, thievery, gambling, and prostitution on a daily basis. Long-haired youths, covered in denim and tattoos, roam about casting threatening glances.

I have been accustomed to the harsh life since my childhood, said Sutanto, 40. Despite his well-to-do familyhis