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Sociological phenomological of gangs in america
Gangs and their effects
Gangs and their effects
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The correctional outcome of the gang members remained somehow less developed and understudied compared to the general outcome of the affiliation in the gang, and the related statistics. “Researchers affirmed that even if it's known that there are nearly 800 000 gang members, affiliated with more than 24,5000 gangs, nationwide in 2000.” (Eagley and Arjunan, 2002) [..] only 6 percent of adult prison inmates were gang members.” ( Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1993)
From this time, and suddenly after 2007, the affiliation to the gang membership increased per 40 percent, according to an FBI report issued in 2011. “ FBI had estimated 1.4 million people engaged with gangs which occupied “more than 33,000 street, prison and outlaw motorcycle
The first mistake in the correctional system is grouping gangs instead of separating them. Putting members of the same gang together only makes them feel right at home and comfortable in their surroundings. In addition, rival gang members are able to interact, leading to a increased level of hatred towards each other, which is then brought back to the streets. Bangers are taken off the street only to be reunited with fellow bangers in the same situation only behind bars.
Morch, S., & Andersen, H. (2012). Becoming a Gang Member: Youth Life and Gang Youth. Online Submission
First let's focus on the fact that gang related crime is one of the most dangerous challenges facing society and law enforcement today. They are younger, more brutal, unafraid of consequences and becoming increasingly more vicious. Gang members work together as cliques, they commit all sorts of violent crimes including murders, rapes, robberies and kidnappings. "They live in aimless and violent presents; have no sense of the past and no hope for the future; they commit unspeakably brutal crimes against other people often to gratify whatever urges of desires drive them at the moment and their utter lack of remorse is...
In response to a growing gang problem in specific communities, the OJJDP has refined the Comprehensive Gang Model to better fit the issues related to today’s gangs. The GRP incorporates several new aspects into the pre-existing Comprehensive Gang Model. The revamped program was tested in four communities: East Los Angeles, CA; Milwaukee, W...
This paper will cover issues that young minorities encounter in the movies; Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008), Gran Torino (2008), A Better Life (2011). Movies will be summarize, and compare and contrast youths experienced. Criminological theories shall be utilized to further elaborate issues. Finally steps and theories will be utilized towards solving issues, also possible methods to correct the issues will be addressed in the end.
Gang involvement has been quite higher than past years. The 2008 National Youth Gang Survey estimates that about 32.4 percent of all cities, suburban areas, towns, and rural counties had a gang problem (Egley et al., 2010). This represented a 15 percent increase from the year 2002. The total number of gangs has also increased by 28 percent and total gang members have increased by 6 percent (Egley et al., 2010). This shows how relevant gang related activity is in today’s society. More locations are beginning to experience gang activity for the first time. Gang crime has also been on the rise in the past...
One of the major problems of corrections today is the security threat group - more commonly known as the prison gang. A security threat group (STG) can be defined as any group of offenders who pose a treat to the security and physical safety of the institution. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, prison gangs focused primarily on uniting inmates for self protection and the monopolization of illegal prison activities for monetary gain (F.B.P., 1994, p. 2). STGs are mostly divided along racial lines and practiced defiance towards authority. STGs use a variety of hand signs, alphabet codes, tattoos, and different types of gang terminology. Gangs characteristically have rivals and make an alliance with other gangs. The criminal activity of S.T.G.’s does not only exist inside the confines of the prison walls, but has flowed to the outside world. “Prostitution, extortion, drug selling, gambling, loan sharking – such activities are invariably operated by prison gangs” (Gaines, Kaune, Miller, 2000, p.652). The Texas Prison System consists of eleven classified security threat groups; Texas chooses to classify a gang as a STG when they become involved in violent activity. “Prison gangs exist in the institutions of forty states and also in the federal system” (Clear and Cole, 2000, p. 260). Three main stages that the offender will experience with the S.T.G. are recruitment, the gang experience, and affiliation upon release.
The presence of gang violence has been a long lasting problem in Philadelphia. Since the American Revolution, gangs have been overpopulating the streets of Philadelphia (Johnson, Muhlhausen, 2005). Most gangs in history have been of lower class members of society, and they often are immigrants into the U.S (Teen Gangs, 1996). Gangs provided lower class teens to have an opportunity to bond with other lower class teens. However over time, the original motive of being in a gang has changed. In the past, gangs used to provide an escape for teens to express themselves, let out aggression, and to socialize with their peers. It was also an opportunity for teens to control their territory and fit in (Johnson, Muhlhausen, 2005). In the past, authorities would only focus on symptoms of gang violence and not the root. They would focus on arresting crime members instead of preventing gang violence. Gangs are beginning to expand from inner-city blo...
In the 1920’s there was a study conducted by Fredric M. Thrasher. Thrasher studied 1,313 gangs in Chicago and revealed the issue of gangs. He considered the poor in poverty as the area increasing in gangs. This area was known as the “zone in transition” and was referred as in his studies. Thrasher has many law reinforcement and social workers helping him bring a stop to this madness. According to Thrashers studies “Important variables such as the age of gang members or the organizational features of the gangs were not related in a straightforward way to differences in the behavior of gangs” (Cummings 6). Thrasher has analyzed these gangs in many ways to the extent or romantic life in gangs. He helped us distinguish the difference in stereotype gangs and then the actual facts involving them.
Among the crimes that gang members are often associated with, some of the most common are theft and drug sales. According to a bulletin posted by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the commission of crime, including non-violent crimes, is disproportionately high among youth gang members. In Seattle, Washington, the OJJDP performed a study in which “gang members (15 percent of the sample) self-reported committing 58 percent of general delinquent acts in the entire sample, 51 percent of minor assaults, 54 percent of felony thefts, 53 percent of minor thefts, 62 percent of drug-trafficking offenses, and more than 59 percent of property offenses” (Battin et al., 1998).
Gangs have become a harsh reality in today's society. But despite what one might think, gangs illustrate many communication theories. This is done through the power gangs possesses, "gang warfare", and the trust between gang members.
"In 2012, there was an estimated, 30,700 gangs (an increase from 29,900 in 2011) and 850,000 gang members (an increase from 782,500 in 2011) throughout 3,100 jurisdictions with gang problems (down from 3,300 in 2011) " (http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248025.pdf). This is not just youth gangs, this is all gangs in general. Just think how many youths are getting sucked into that lifestyle. Children who get into gangs need to feel safe and feel like they have a family. This is one of the biggest reasons why youths get into gangs. They feel neglected or they need a purpose. As youths grow up through their adolescent stage they lean towards groups of people who support, assure, protect and direct. (Siegel and Welsh pg. 215) Others who are in gangs show these kids who feel neglected the qualities they need to see. When you are in a gang you and your other gang members have each others back. Loyalty means so much to people in gangs. This is a big reason why youths get into gangs. They feel safe and they feel like they are part of a family. They can depend on the ones in their gang. There are several factors that play into youths joining gangs. These factors are a big deal and can easily be fixed to lower the youth gang
Additional programs such as education, employment, substance abuse programs, and healing approaches ca also be offered as required by the RPC. (Ruddell, 2011, p.267) Individuals who participate in these programs are referred to these programs from other correctional facilities and undergo a series of tests to ensure that each member is suitable for the program as they must first meet the criteria. Upon completion of the program, gang offenders may be released into the community immediately, transferred back to his original facility or transferred to a new facility. Considering that these intervention programs do not require renunciation from their gang before participating in the program, they do not teach members that avoiding other gang members is of high importance in order to reduce the risk of returning back to the facility and committing future criminal acts. The primary focus of this particular study is to evaluate in detail, the effectiveness of treatment of gang members in efforts to reduce violent activity and recidivism rates in the community.
Hallswort, S. And Young, T. (2004) Getting Real About Gang. Criminal Justice Matters [online]. 55. (1), pp 12-13 [Accessed 10 December 2013]
Many stereotypes of gangs have been fabricated. The problem is that a majority of gang members do not fit these stereotypes, which, in turn, makes it hard for the to be caught (Klein). Traditionally they organize their group around a specific neighborhood, school or housing projec...