Differences: The Role Of Gangs In Society

Gangs originated naturally during the adolescent years of a child. They started from small play groups that eventually found themselves in conflict with other small groups of youth. Due to the conflict between the two small groups of youth it became a part of a child’s mind set to come together as a gang and protect their rights and satisfy the needs that their environment and families couldn’t provide. There are about 24,500 gangs in the U.S and out of those gangs 40% of them are juveniles (Hess, Orthmann, Wright, 2013). There are numerous reason why a child would join a gang, and the

Gang crime is one of the most intriguing social phenomena’s across the world, as defining the deviancy has been difficult due to a broad range of definitions (Wood & Alleyne, 2010, pg. 101). One definition is given by David Curry and

Alleyne, Emma & Wood, Jane L., (2011). Gang Involvement: Social and Environment Factors. Crime and Delinquency 60 (4) 547-568.

Defining gangs have been compared to packs, teams, and groups. Participants of gangs do not necessarily commit violent acts or commence in illegal matters. The National Gang Center has come to a consensus on defining gangs with the commonalities of three or more members between the ages of 12 through 24, shared identity, recognized by others as a gang or crew, has levels of organization, and usually involved in criminal activities (Shelden, Tracy, Brown, 2013). Some gangs are excluded from this definition due to not proportionate with their usual activities. Overall, we can consider gangs to be founded when members share similar characteristics and establish a symbol to represent their livelihood.

“ Gangs offer a hierarchy of leadership and a path to gain approval and achieve success,” Samenow states in the article “ The Myth of the Street Gang as a ‘Family Substitute’”. As stated, He believes that gang members come from broken families, searching for support, sustenance, acceptance, and a structure that the average family provides. He states that most gang members come from “criminogenic”

There is no definite term for the word “gang”. State and other local government organizations tend to create their own definition. The depiction of “street gang” is consistently intertwined with “youth gang”. However, the term “street gang” can mean two particular meanings that raise it’s face value. 1st, it proposes a common quality of gangs: They usually contain a street presence. Street socialization is a huge attribute of young gangs. 2nd, this expression also refers to “street crimes,” that is, violent and grave crimes (e.g., assaults, drive-by shootings, robberies, homicides) that happen on the streets and that frequently cause concern to citizens and policymakers. “More than 1 million young people in the U.S. (about two percent of youth) belong to a gang”("Study Finds 1 Million Juvenile Gang Members in U.S."). The ongoing activities of these infractions cause distress among the inhabitants within the community. Recently teenagers have been getting more and more involved. Questioning the future of the country. The majority portion of high-schoolers who attach to a gang do so at a young age, usually consisting between 11 and 15 years old. Well knit families are a huge protective factor in helping kids resist the urge of joining gangs. Youth join gangs for a vast amount reasons, including money, feeling of support and belonging, peer status, grasp a sense of protection, or portray an outlaw

The issue of gangs in the United States is one of massive proportions. According to the FBI's website, as of 2010 there are 33,000 violent street, motorcycle, and prison gangs in the U.S. with approximately 1.4 million total active members (Pastor). These gangs derive most of their revenue from the smuggling and distribution of illicit substances and weapons. Many of the gangs in the U.S. recruit members as young as 11 years old, such as the well known 18th Street Gang from L.A. ("18th Street Gang"). The fact that these gangs prey on inner-city youth who have nowhere else to turn is why they remain so powerful, seeing that for every gang member incarcerated the gangs can simply recruit another member. Due to these reasons I believe that gang activity is one of the largest social issues we face in the United States today.

The subject of gang violence produces strong thoughts and emotions in a lot of people like citizens, police officers and the victims who witness these crimes take place. Gang members are aware of the public feelings about their crimes, but they do not give any regard because they are fused in their own culture. In large cities all over the world whether they be third world or industrialized municipalities gangs are a real and often times are an overwhelming terror. While there are many theories that discuss entry into gangs, there is not a lot that go into detail about the gang confrontations, feuds, and culture. Those that actually only venture on how individuals leave gangs. Many theorist do not analysis, explain, and or offer a detail examination

The Social Work Dictionary defines a social problem as “a condition among people leading to behaviors that violate some people’s values and norms and cause emotional or economic suffering”. The above definition accurately describes the social problem that gangs are, and their impact on a community. People who live in gang infested neighborhoods live daily with fears of losing their lives and the lives of loved ones. That fear, along with the fear that their family members will join the gang, or that they will be physically harmed in some way by the gang. They may exhibit many emotional, psychological and physical problems that people who don’t live in gang infested neighborhoods do not. Since before the 1940’s law enforcement and others have attempted to put a stop to gangs. These solutions usually hampered gang activity but didn’t eradicate it. Gangs evolve their practices over time to adjust to law enforcement tactics. Today gangs are involved in sex trafficking rather than drug dealing. Sex trafficking is easier to hide, more profitable and has less legal ramifications.

What is a gang? What is the difference between a gang and a peer group? How can a gang member be defined? These are three very common and difficult questions to answer within all disciplines. The most common discipline to address gangs, their members, and their activities is criminal justice which includes local, state, and federal law enforcement. The problem arises when these three jurisdictions and many others attempt to agree on one definition of a gang, which has proven to be a daunting task. For the purpose of coming to a general agreement for classifying a group as a gang and an individual as a gang member, while avoiding as many discrepancies as possible, James C. Howell has presented a chapter, Defining Gangs and Gang Members, in

Gangs, what are they? Who are they? And why are they a problem? What do we think of when we hear the word gang, overall it’s a word that comes with a lot of negative baggage, violence and not a very good thing. The word gang can have a lot of different meanings of people coming together for something. However, today in our societies the word gangs is defined as an organized group of criminals. A gang is a group of persons with close social relations that work together in unlawful ways for their profit and or benefit. One time or another we have all heard of gangs and know a little about the violence and criminal behaviors that they are involved in from social media and the news. In an article the FBI says that “gangs are morphing, multiplying, migrating and entrenching themselves in our inner cities, suburbs and rural communities. They are selling drugs to our kids, shooting up our neighborhoods, invading our homes, robbing our banks and stores, stealing our identities, our money, and instilling fear and violence everywhere they go(The Gang…,2009)."

While there is no one definition, criminologists have agreed to define gangs via six characteristics that are expected to make up a gang. A self-formed association of peers is the first characteristic of a gang, it includes a group of peers who choose to form up to acquire what they otherwise couldn’t without the gangs’ formation. Secondly, gangs are bound by mutual interests that they strive for together. Third, well-developed lines of authority and other organizational features with clear distinctions between leaders and members and their different roles. Next, is working together as a group to achieve a specific purpose and be successful without being caught. Penultimately, gangs involve criminal activity, committing crimes and engaging in delinquency. Lastly, gangs control a particular territory as their own as a way to show dominance and increase in power.

Gangs have direct effects on a society, such as increased levels of crime, violence and murder. Gangs also have long-term or late suggestions in that gang members are more likely to drop out of high school, struggle with unemployment, abuse drugs and alcohol or in end up in jail. These factors not only contribute to the gang members, but they also force taxpayers to pay for welfare and community-assistance programs. Common reasons for the younger generation to join gangs, include trying to find a place where they belong and sharing in mutual desires for safety from family problems or life challenges. Together, the feelings and attitudes among gang members haze them to act violently, often self-contradictory with rival gangs. This violence leads to injury and death of not only members but also of bystanders in the community. High gang activity also causes fear among community members, discourages business activity and obstructs home-value appreciation. Communities, also must pay for higher levels of law enforcement when gangs are prominent.

    Gang violence is a huge problem in America today. More and more children are joining gangs every day. It has become evident that these gangs made up of young people are causing numerous problems. Gang violence and gang activities impact all of those around the gang members. The kids in these gangs are hurting themselves, each other, their families, and the communities around them. Those who are associated with the gangs through family ties or just those who are associated with the gangs through geographical location. Before we can understand how gangs effect the people and communities around them we must first understand what gangs actually are. We must try and understand how the gang members think,

One major issue that arises around the world is defining what a gang is and there are multiple definitions of what constitutes as a gang. For example, researchers such as Frederic Thrasher say that gangs are a group of unsupervised youth organization that has problems with other groups and the authorities (Hagedorn, 2005: 155). The problem with this