Gangs in America - Research Paper Example

 Abstract The paper deals with the history of gangs in America. The paper provides a brief historical timeline of gangs in America and considers peculiarities of different gangs from different eras. Key words: gang, drug trafficking, social factors, poverty, cooperation. Part I Gang and Criminal Subculture Timeline Part II-Gang and Criminal Subculture Research and Presentation 1800 Five Points Dickens described this gang in the following way: “considerable length describing the horrors of the Five Points, concluding, "all that is loathsome, drooping, and decayed is here" (Howell & Moore, 2010). The participants are basically of Italian-American origin. Paul Kelly established the Italian Five Points Gang. This gang was brutal and they fought for death. They fought for territory control and adopted other poor young men from their district in Manhattan, New York. Social underpinnings and a strong desire for power were the main triggers for their brutal activities. Another co-leader of this gang Johnny Torrio was a significant member of the Sicilian Mafia. He recruited street hoodlums to join the Gang. 1900 gangs: Polish and Italian gangs flourished in America. Chicago experienced a brutal force of Polish gangs. Every block of Milwaukee Avenue was occupied by the members of this gang. They wore grey hats and they committed numerous crimes. Gang development was intensified in the result of larger immigrants groups’ expansion in America. The Poles, Italians, Irish and Jews came to America. Actually, there is a clear heritage of gangs: from 1800 they adopted the worst traditions and earned their living by robberies and other crimes. Nevertheless, in the beginning of 1900: “the gang situation downtown had entered its decadent phase. Gangs were splintering into tiny groups, while bands of juveniles and amateurs were coming up everywhere” (Howell & Moore, 2010) 1960 gangs are well-known as powerful gangs, which consisted of black and Puerto Rican gangs. They cooperated with political forces of America and different social organizations. The Chinatown gangs operated for more than 20 years. During 70s-90s there was a serious conflict between African American gangs and Puerto Ricans. There were numerous internal conflicts between these gangs, which intensified drastic consequences among them (Ribando, 2007). Asian youth gangs joined the rows of gangs in Chicago in 70s-80s. Chicago gangs can be considered a global phenomenon. On the one hand, these gangs have blurred gender and virtual limits for their members. For example, they have developed their own websites with secret chat rooms and they adopted girls and young women to their rows. Moreover, in 70s gangs showed the highest levels of cruelty and violence: “gang crime was more lethal than any time in history; more people were shot, stabbed, and beaten to death in gang-related incidents than during any previous decade . . . and the prevalence and sophistication of firearms used was unprecedented" (Miller 2001, p. 142). Gangs of 90s are well-known for their internal oppositions for taking control over lands. Thus, African-Americans, Puerto Rican and Euro-American youth has fought against each other and tried to establish their honor (Howell & Moore, 2010). Trinitarios as especially violent gang was created in the late 90s and its members were often involved in drug trafficking, robberies and murders. Gangs of 2000 are mainly involved in drug trafficking. Specifically, according to the reports by state law enforcement authorities to the National Drug Intelligence Center, “Mara Salvatrucha is mainly involved in distributing cannabis and methamphetamine. Most cannabis sold in the United States is either domestically produced or imported from Mexico and Canada. Little if any is imported from or through Central America” (UNODC, 2007, pp. 63–64). Therefore, there is an evident struggle with the most powerful gangs. They have very powerful and influential political and economic bonds and the modern government is unable to deal with a huge scope of crimes. Recommendations and Conclusion There is a need for relevant and a comprehensive policy, dealing with negative consequences of gangs operations in America. At the same time, it is appropriate for the government to look at social conditions nationally, because as we could see, gangs occur in the result of poverty and a desire of having money. In accordance with timeline, it is evident that ethnic groups have always been the members of different gangs. Thus, in 1880-1920 Irish, Jews and Italians initiated gangs in America. In 60s-70s gangs consisted of blacks and Latinos. Males from America wanted to earn money by means of robberies, thefts and murders in case they had bad conditions of living, family problems or many other external factors. Social and physical disorders in the cities of America resulted in creation of gangs. The most marginalized gangs were the Latino gangs. In the result of immigration and internal migration, America experienced several periods of gangs development. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify other influential factors of gangs’ occurrence in the West of America. Latino gangs operated in the Western and Southwestern regions and became “transnational gangs” (Howell & Moore, 2010). Nowadays, gangs are connected with narcotics-trafficking cartels, which cooperate with the military. The modern America is intimidated by three popular and well-known gangs, such as MS-13, 18th Street, and the Mexican Mafia (Howell & Moore, 2010). Currently, there is a need to stop involvement of gangs in the processes of drug-trafficking. It is possible to take control over air transport and sea-crossing routes via Central America and Mexico. It is relevant to develop more stable relations between Mexico and Central American countries in order to decrease harmful effects of MS-13 and 18th Street gangs. Thus, it is possible to claim that there are more political and economic implications in the current struggle against gangs. In the beginning of gangs’ occurrence, there were more social implications and benefits from gangs’ activities were essential for the members of gangs only. In the course of development, militants and politicians realized that gangs can play a role of a golden calf and joined the rows of different gangs. These suggestions can be supported by annual growth of drug trafficking to America from Mexico. References Howell, J.C. and Moore, J.P. (May 2010). History of Street Gangs in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/History-of-Street-Gangs.pdf Miller, W.B. (2001). The Growth of Youth Gang Problems in the United States: 1970–1998. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Ribando, C. (2007). Gangs in Central America. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2007). Crime and Development in Central America: Caught in the Crossfire. New York: United Nations. Read More