Nicole Hogue World's Most Dangerous Gang Essay

A counterculture is a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm. The counterculture formed by the Master builders are opposed to Lord Business’ intent to eliminate creativity from being practiced and using his power to control

Gang involvement and its associated violent crime have become a rapidly growing problem for the United States. Generally, gangs consist of young people of the same ethnic, racial, and economic background. Usually of a low socio-economic status, these gangs engage in illegal money making activities and intimidate their neighborhoods and rival gangs with violent crimes and victimization. Gang members exemplify a high value for group loyalty and sacrifice.

Qualitative descriptions suggest that, for many, gang membership represents 104 Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice / May 2005an opportunity to enhance social capital as a means to cope with a multitude of problems. Although on balance gang life appears to be neither very rewarding nor satisfying (Hagedorn, 1988), identification with the gang is solidified in response to conflict—often with other gangs—as members pursue their individual and collective interests.

The book, Gang Life in Two Cities by Robert J. Durán to put simply is about the gang life in Denver, CO and Ogden, UT. Durán wrote this book to share his research findings. When Durán had to move to Huntsville, UT (but went to school in Ogden) he found himself immersed in an area where gangs were becoming popular. Durán, an ex-gang member himself was curious on how and why gangs operate. He found this research important, because he saw firsthand how society had a role in the formation of gangs. Duran felt that it needed to be brought to light what he witnessed while being a gang member himself and when he conducted his research.

A trademark of the MS-13, they have “established a reputation for extreme violence and for killing with machetes” (BBC). The MS-13 boast their tattoos and do not hide who their criminal activities, evident of the slaughtering of four young-males in New York last week. Although there is little overall leadership in the MS-13, the cliques formed are ripened with familial structure. The members will kill, rape, and die for each other at the expense of everyone else. Since they have inferior structure, the MS-13 employ a street type of gang activity. he MS-13 are easy to spot in a crowd because their tattoos are apparent and extravagant. Common tattoos include “MS-13, “MS”, “Salvatrucha”, the “Devil Horns”, and the name of their clique. However, similar to other gangs, they have “been moving away from the tattoos in an effort to commit crimes without being noticed and get away with them” (weebly). MS-13 typically wear blue and white, the colors of the El Salvadoran flag, bandanas, and sports jerseys with the numbers 13, 23, or 3. Although the MS-13 include various ages, they are strict when it comes to ethnicity in their membership. The majority of members are Hispanic and, specifically, are from Central American countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The MS-13 are regularly the lone wolf in the gang world, but are starting to form more concrete relationships with Mexican cartels (i.e. the Zetas) to heighten their drug trafficking

These are countercultures which are smaller groups within a certain culture group that are in opposition to all the behaviors and norms of the larger group. (Newman, 124) These countercultures contribute to the violation of norms and values of the dominate group.

In a gang, being a member of a respected gang, means that they too will have respect by those outside of the gang, and will often be in fear of your presence. As in the MS-13, individuals who are quite familiar with this particular gang know that it is a matter of survival of their own existence to cross a gang member; therefore, the ordinary citizen will be wise to give way to the member. In the

In the U.S the Ms 13 is more of an average street gang that does drug sales and mainly ‘protecting’ urban turf. The gang also has even created ‘educational’ centers where extortion and other illegal activities are

When most people think of the word status, they think of where it places them in society. If you have a higher status you might be considered a more important human being. If you have a lower status you might be considered “poor” or “in poverty”. But what does it mean to have a status as a gang? That questions certainly can’t be answered by me correctly, however I would imagine in a world of gangs having the highest status would make you the most feared gang. If you are going to join a gang, it might as well be one worth joining such as MS 13. If MS 13 is recognized worldwide as the most “dangerous” gang then they probably are! Having a status like that on the streets would make other gangs stay away from you, as well as make people afraid to tell you no or show you consequences. In the video we watched as a class police enforcement coming up short every time when they would “bust” them for drugs or something else. It made me wonder if the police really were being out smarted or if they didn’t want to dig too deep into an unfamiliar territory. Even though MS 13 is recognized as the world’s most dangerous gang, everyone seems to know little information about them. It is still unknown whether not

Many of these girls, as Abner tells, come from homes where they parents were original gangsters (founding members), or O.G.?s. They grow up with a ?strong gang presence?, and that gang turns into their own family (Eghigian). Usually, the gang presence is found within the relationships between their parents, friends, and boyfriends. These gangs make the girls feel at home because of the ties the membership comes with. Once a member, they will most likely always be a member because of ties ?that supersede blood ties? (Abner).

“According to statistics from the National Youth Gang Center, more than 24,500 gangs, consisting of more than 770,000 members, exist in about 3,300 cities in the U.S.” (Rank 1). Although it is not illegal to be a member of a gang, it should be noted many gangs participate in illegal activity for funding and will use the money as a way to entice new membership. The “money begins flowing, and with that comes all of the things associated with material wealth that is usually beyond the reach of these adolescents without the criminal activity of being involved in a gang” (Nawojczyk 3).

Street gangs in this country can probably be traced back to the first wave of Europeans who migrated to the colonies for a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the first gangs were formed as a means of self protection, with the thinking that there is simply strength in numbers. The missions of gangs in today’s society have grown and emerged to include many violent criminal avenues, including drug trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and extortion but the original thinking that there is strength in numbers remains true. Criminology experts believe that the number of teens involved in gangs or gang activity may be as high as 1 in every 5 people in most urban areas. Those number jump to 1 in every 3 people in

In the then documentary, The World’s Most Dangerous Gang by Gary Parker, it talks about one of the most notorious gang’s in the world. Mara Salvatrucha, or MS13 as it is most commonly known as, is the gang that they talk about in this film. Today they would be deemed as a huge, law abiding, organizations with a lot of strict sanctions and rules to each their groups. Any gang member in the clique they are a part of that breaks the rules that that have in place would be considered a taboo in the eyes of those who are a part of that group. That person in Mara Salvatrucha that sullies the rules that they have would be check ported, or beaten down down

The general public have been taught to look down upon these gangs. They are also summed up to be all darker skin colors such as latinos and blacks.

Gang Culture has increasingly become a subculture for many teenage youths. Mainly minority teens, these social outcast are often have no real economic stability and no parental supervision or guidance. As a result, teenagers often rebel and seek comfort in gangs. These gangs provide what is lacking in their lives, a sense of belonging. Minorities are often stereotyped and criticized, especially minorities born into poverty. They are condemned simply because they are not of the same race or of the same class as the majority (often middle class whites). Before these minorities can even prove themselves equal, society already pushes them towards the subculture that has risen out of oppression and rebellion. Gang culture reinforces, and in