Organized Crime Group Analysis - Essay Example

Organized Crime Group Analysis Introduction Gangs have been a detrimental reality for society over the years. They have been viewed to be resultant from social disorganization and lack of effectiveness of societal institutions like schools. The gangs in Chicago were influenced significantly by race. This was due to the failure of the society in Chicago to assimilate the black community. Overcrowding of the black community into the southern side of the city dubbed the black belt led to race riots, which were instigated by the Irish gangs, which were prominent at the time (Diamond, 2009).

Unrest and social injustices provided a perfect environment for the creation of gangs in the region (Hagedorn, 2006). One of the most prominent and oldest gangs in the region is the vice lord gang. The gang consisted mostly of individuals from the African American community and participated in various criminal activities including extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, murder and numerous forms of fraud.The gang came into existence in 1958, where several youths of African American origin from the Chicago neighbourhood of north Lawndale, met during their incarceration at a Chicago juvenile facility.

The founding member of the gang was named Edward Perry, and he used the alias Pepalo (Chepesiuk, 2007). The word vice, which is prominent, in the gangs name is said to mean a tight grip. The release of leaders from prison resulted in recruitments, which augmented the gang’s participation in criminal activities, within the city’s confines. Their notoriety increase rapidly and by 1964, they were the primary target of law enforcers in the city. They were known for their violent nature and were feared in their neighbourhood (Diamond, 2009).

The gang attempted to repair their public image and the gangs name was changed to conservative gang lords. They further took the approach of being a community outreach organization in the 1970s. This was achieved with the help of a social worker David Dawley who was Caucasian despite the gang’s racial inclination. This guise was successful with the gang receiving positive feedbacks from leaders and politicians in the community. Their rebranding efforts were capped with a grant of $275,000 from the Rockefeller foundation (Diamond, 2009).

This period saw the consolidation of numerous gangs into the vice lords leading to an increase of their membership. The community, however, were finally able to see through the gangs disguise discovering they were involved with criminal activities and violence in the community.The gang’s involvement in crime led to public pressure on the federal government in the 1980s. This resulted in investigations on how the Rockefeller grant was used. Several gang leaders were arrested following the investigations.

Some prominent members including Edward Perry were among those arrested. This loss resulted in the gang attempting to conceal their criminal involvement through adoption of the Islamic ideology. In the recent times, the gang has reinvented their operations to be more subtle by involving methods that are more sophisticated. This has resulted in the gang participating in criminal activities like money laundering, mortgage and credit card fraud (Diamond, 2009). However, their operations have been on the decline.

This is due to changes in law enforcement, which has made gang activity to be difficult. Their operations are also impeded by newer and more sophisticated gangs, which are more efficient in the modern times.ConclusionGangs in Chicago were based on racial inclinations. This is evident in the existence of the vice lords gang, which is considered to be one of the oldest and most influential of the Chicago gangs. The gang was resultant from the racial unrest, which destabilized the society in Chicago allowing for the formation of gangs.

Over time, the gang has changed its operations in order avoid conflicts with the law. Despite this, the gang is prominent in numerous criminal activities, in Chicago, up to the present time.ReferencesChepesiuk, R. (2007). Black gangsters of Chicago. Fort Lee, N.J: Barricade Books.Top of FormDiamond, A. J. (2009). Mean streets: Chicago youths and the everyday struggle for empowerment in the multiracial city, 1908-1969. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press. Bottom of FormHagedorn, J. (2006). Gangs in the global city: Alternatives to traditional criminology.

Urbana, Ill: University of Illinois Press.