To control gangs, law enforcement agencies have used preventive approaches, including community organization, social intervention, opportunity provision, suppression and organizational change (Spergel, 1990). Not unlike the ones that were talked about earlier. Suppression has historically been a major strategy used by police and involves targeting gang leaders and hard-core members for surveillance, arrest and prosecution. However, the Illinois State Police Criminal Intelligence Bulletin (1992), noted that even though street gangs are involved with drugs, murders, sexual assaults, armed robberies, burglaries and automobile thefts, almost 60 percent of local and county police agencies did not have officers assigned to gangs on either a …show more content…
1998). Citizens around the country, in their communities have to endure with the fear of gangs that terrorize the area. In the first ten months of 1993, there were over 500 calls for service in the two block area controlled by the gang. Law enforcement officers would not enter the area other than in teams and the local fire department would not answer calls without police assistance. Street lights were constantly shot out and the darkened area, along with some tall trees, provided a perfect environment for the gang 's activities. Although law enforcement officers arrested gang members, the intimidation of witnesses made their tasks more difficult. To reduce the gang 's illegal activities in the neighborhood and begin renovating the neighborhood, an innovative four phase program called Operation Roundup was designed and developed (Torres, S. 1998). Research indicates that fear of crime, whether self-imposed or realistic, can immobilize individuals, harm the local economy and negatively impact social interactions as well as the quality of life (Albanese, 1990 Skogan (1987) argues that crime victims believe that more crime exists, are worried about victimization and attempt to protect themselves. Parker and Ray (1990) as well as Krannich et al. (1989) revealed victimization to be a predictor related to fear of
The first chapter of Policing Gangs in America is entitled, “Studying the Police Response to Gangs.” The primary purpose of the chapter is to establish how police agencies; Inglewood, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Phoenix in specific,
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.
Most law-enforcement personnel agree on a couple of key points: gangs will always be around, but the negative impacts caused by gangs can be prevented or mitigated to some extent. However, media reporting has a natural tendency to cover areas experiencing escalations in gang violence, sometimes directly or inadvertently creating the illusion that the upsurge is
With the leading number of gangs in the country, Los Angeles is thought of as the gang capital of the world. Employing gang suppression strategies that take distinct forms, from anti-gang injunctions to high rate of incarcerations, the City of Angels has failed to live up to its angelic name. Known instead for its demonic gang activity and police suppression efforts, Los Angeles has taken over media headlines as one of the most dangerous places to subsist. Representing a worrisome issue for residents, visitors, city government officials, as well as urban planners, gang violence has rapidly become a threat to public safety. Although current-day gang culture has eased off on the violence, it continues to be one of the greatest planning challenges
A two-pronged prevention approach has proven effective, with primary prevention strategies aimed at the community 's general population and secondary prevention strategies targeting youth between the ages of 7 and 14 who are at high risk of joining gangs. Prevention efforts undertaken by law enforcement departments around the country include: “Participating in community awareness campaigns (e.g. developing public service announcements and poster campaigns). Contacting the parents of peripheral gang members (through the mail or during personal visits) to alert them that their children are involved with a gang. Sponsoring gang hotlines to gather information and facilitate a quick response to gang-related issues. Organizing athletic events with teams of law enforcement officers and gang members. Establishing working relationships with local social service agencies. Making presentations about gangs to schools and community groups as a combined effort at prevention and information gathering. Sponsoring school-based gang and drug prevention programs (e.g. DARE and GREAT)” (Hess, 2013 p.230).
As the years pass, the rate of gang affiliated crimes in the Unites States has progressed extensively, accumulating more inmates into our major prisons doubling the maximum occupancy that the jails can hold. In the U.S there are currently 33,000 active violent street, motorcycle, and prison gangs with a recorded 1.4 million members combined. The registered number of police officers is a mere 683,396; which is not even half of our countries gang population. Incredibly enough, even with their small numbers these officers do the impossible to control, learn, and manipulate the ways of the inmates; taking all of the precautions necessary to stop and protect the normal citizens on the streets and the
(Torres, S. 1998) Research indicates that fear of crime, whether self-imposed or realistic, can immobilize individuals, harm the local economy and negatively impact social interactions as well as the quality of life (Albanese, 1990 Skogan (1987) argues that crime victims believe that more crime exists, are worried about victimization and attempt to protect themselves. Parker and Ray (1990) as well as Krannich et al. (1989) revealed victimization to be a predictor related to fear of crime. Additional support for these findings was provided by Smith and Hill (1991), who showed that actual victimization appears to increase fear of crime by increasing the perception of vulnerability. (Torres, S. 1998) Research also shows that fear of crime among minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status is related to their vulnerability in the urban environment (Liska et al., 1982). The elderly who are physically vulnerable and less agile are more fearful of crime even though they are less likely to be victims. (Torres, S. 1998) The proliferation and presence of gangs in the United States is also linked to the concept of social incivilities and increased fear of crime. This problem of fear does not go away. The people not only have a constant fear, it continues to the next generation of people in
Individuals who are affiliated with gangs commit crimes such as homicide consistently. Gangs target areas where people are not unified and would be less likely to contact authorities if violence broke out. Drive by shootings occur so often that Detective Dale Wallis says “they [gangs] do not care who’s going to get shot” (qtd. in Minty 1). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did a report to determine the top five United States cities to have high levels of gang homicide. Those five cities were Los Angeles, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Long Beach, California; Oakland, California, and Newark, New Jersey. The study
It is unfortunate that crime exists in our daily lives. There really is no way to stopping crime completely, no matter how many laws or punishment are present, people will continue to keep breaking rules. There are many theories of why that may be the case, for example, Caesar Lombroso and his “atavistic” theory with the Positivist School theory and how people were “born criminals”, or the Rational Choice Theory, devised by Cornish and Clarke, described that people could think rationally and how people will naturally avoid pain and seek pleasure referred to as “hedonism” (Cartwright, 2017, lecture 4). Since it is apparent that crime will continue to exist, it is not only important to understand the study of crime and the feedbacks to it,
T.A.R.G.E.T is an acronym for Tri Agency Gang Enforcement Team represents a multiagency approach to targeting current gang members with suppression measures while also targeting entire gangs with police suppression. Each team in the TARGET program consists of gang investigators, a probation officer, a deputy district attorney, and a district attorney investigator. This program uses a three-pronged strategy: 1 selective incarceration of the most violent and repeat older gang offenders in the most violent gangs, 2 the enforcement of probation controls graduated sanctions and intensive supervision on younger, less violent gang offenders, and 3 arrests of gang leaders in “hot spots” of gang activity. A major aim of the TARGET program is to reduce
“Surprise, AZ (November 1, 2012) The City of Surprise had the second-lowest rate of property crime and violent crime in 2011 among the largest cities in Maricopa County, based on the city’s analysis of the latest FBI statistics” (Arthur, n.d.). Could social economic play a role in Surprise, Arizona’s low violent and property crime rate? Or could it be sufficient guardians set in place formal (police, security guards, etc.) and/or informal (neighbor, friends and others, etc.)? “According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report for 2011 as analyzed the Surprise Police Department, Surprise recorded 1.09 violent crimes and 21.79 property crimes per 1,000 residents last year” (Arthur, n.d.).
Chicago has the biggest gang problem in the country (Thomas & Bass, 2009). “There are more gang members per citizen in Chicago than anywhere else in the country” (Thomas, 2009, para 4). The average Chicago gang leader is 43, convicted of murder and lives in the suburbs. That leader on many occasions directs his gang from jail (Main, 2006) and 95 percent of inmates in the Cook County Jail are gang members (Thomas, 2009). Gangs are everywhere today just like they use to be. The high number of gangs causes violence and deaths to rise in Chicago.
Crime is not an easy concept to define and is very problematic. The two proposed definitions offered by Dr. Hutchinson of crime is behavior that violates laws and behavior that violates morality. These two definitions often do not correspond with each other. In the case of behaviors that violate morality, there is not a plaintiff. Examples of behavior that violates morality are white collar crime and prostitution. These crimes usually do not involve victims of any kind but are just simply illegal due to norms and morals of society. Society is also morally opposed to them or does not like the kinds of people who are committing these acts. Law violating crimes usually involve a victim. Usually, this victim brings charges against the accused and
The Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR) defines motor vehicle theft as “the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.” Motor vehicles are defined as a self-propelled vehicle that travels on the ground, but not on a rail and excludes aircraft, boats, and farm/heavy equipment. All law enforcement agencies in Texas must submit UCR data to DPS for a multitude of crimes, including auto theft and burglary. In turn, UCR data is used by ABTPA during the grant evaluation and grant award process.
Comp-stat is tool that the police use in order to keep track of crime. Comstat is a very important tool used by the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies across the United States. The use of comp stat is usually helpful in sharing information, improvement of effectiveness and as well as police accountability. The results of this model is mainly based on its four components rapid resource deployment, relentless follow-up, time and accurate information or rather intelligence. A while known characteristic of this management model is its regular meetings where different officers get together with departmental executives analyze as well discuss crime problems together with strategies that are employed in addressing those problems. Commanders from