Juvenile gang in Birmingham, AL - Research Paper Example

This paper will examine the nature of gang problem in Birmingham, Alabama. Gang presence in Birmingham, Alabama is a real problem just as it is in the various states that make up the US. A gang may be defined as a group of 2 or more people, who come together for the common purpose of acquiring financial and/or political benefits through illegal means (Delaney, 2005). To achieve this, gang members utilize violence, intimidation, harassment and other unconventional means to establish and maintain their influence and significance in areas, which they perceive as their territories.

Gangs, therefore, are a major threat to security within their areas of operation and though the federal government and state governments have continued to arrest and prosecute gang members, not much has been achieved (Delaney, 2005). This paper is a critical evaluation of gangs and gang related crimes in Birmingham, Alabama. Gang violence in Birmingham, Alabama is not a new phenomenon especially due to the fact that it is one of the places in the US, which are rich destinations for immigrants (Howell, 2011).

However, the authorities, in the past, have continued to downplay and under report gang existence probably in an effort to mask their inability to deal with the problem. On the other hand, some law enforcers and community leaders especially in the FBI gang taskforce have acknowledged the rising cases of gang behavior especially in the young population comprising mostly of school children. The taskforce observed that immigration of people of Hispanic origin to the region has been one of the major contributing factors to gang behavior in the area as they are known to have the culture of influencing and participating in organized criminal activities such as drug and gun trafficking.

Reports indicate that gangs, such as SUR 13, which is highly associated with Mexican mafia, have