Gang Activity in the United States - Essay Example

Gang Activity in the United s Introduction Youth gang activity in the US is on the rise but because the activities of these groups are not always reported accurately or some of these groups are not identifiable as gangs, there is no certainty on the actual statistics. Moreover, seldom do gang members admit that they are gang members, so it is harder to come up with strategies to manage it. Perhaps what is more important is to understand how these groups come to be and how it affects the disenfranchised youth. This paper will attempt to provide an overview of the state of gang activity in the US in terms of its composition, the at-risk groups for entering street gangs and possible ways of circumventing these risks to protect the youth. Definitions Currently, youth gangs are difficult to define because the nature and behavior of gangs vary considerably from one geographic area to another. However, the term "youth gang" is used to distinguish it from "street gangs" who are groups of adults engaged in criminal activities. Youth gangs are generally a loose organization of three or four young people between the age of 12 and 24 who usually have a name for the gang as well as distinctive clothing and hand signs. Gang membership is more or less permanent and is often characterized by delinquent behavior. (Powell and Egley, 2007) Prevalence in the US Youth gang activities were surveyed between 2002 and 2005 and the average number of gangs is 25,000 nationwide. For this period, the National Youth Gang Survey Analysis came up with the following statistics: Larger cities have the most number of gangs of 7-15 members (30.8%) followed by suburban counties (21.4%) Rural counties had the most number of gangs of 3 or fewer members (56.3%) followed by smaller cities (48.3%) Youth gangs of 30 or more members are reported in 17.6% of large cities and 14.9% of suburban counties From year to year for a 10-year period between 1996 and 2005, the number of gangs fluctuated 20% either way and has recently demonstrated numbers less than 25,000 Of 25,000 gangs, the average total gang membership is 750,000 over the 10-year period Fifty percent of larger cities reported one or more gang-related homicides between 2002-2005 while 75% of smaller cities and rural counties have none Ten percent of larger cities reported a maximum of 10 or more gang-related homicides Youth gang problems were reported in larger cities (population of 100,000 or more) by practically all law enforcement agencies over several years Smaller cities, suburban counties and rural counties show a decline in the 10-year period, with 50% of rural county law enforcement agencies reporting gang problems (National Youth Gang Center, 2007) In 2004, 173 cities with 100,000 or more reported youth gang problems and gang-related homicide and in 171 of these 25% of all homicides are considered gang-related. Of law enforcement agencies that responded, 53% indicate that the gang problem was easing up while 47% said it was worsening. (Egley and Ritz, 2006) Community conditions that precedes youth gang formation When adult supervision, traditionally found in the home or at school, is alienating, ineffective or absent, the chances are the youth will form into groups to establish some structure, usually at a common place of congregation such as the public park or community center. Many of these young people are left to their own devices and have much time on their hands. When a group of young people has few opportunities for future careers, this tends to solidify the group's identity into a gang. There is no nationwide trend for the surge or ebb of youth gang activity, although larger cities appear to have a stable, persistent problem with gangs while rural and suburban counties report variable bouts of gang problems. (Powell and Egley, 2007) The 2001 National Youth Gang Center (NYGC) reported that 67% of gang members in large cities (New York, Rochester, Washington, Denver, Colorado and Seattle) were 18 and older while 17% were under 14 years old. Most of the surveyed youth who admitted to being gang members (49%) were Hispanic while 34% are African-American and 10% white. Asians comprise 6% while the remaining were of different races. However, this is the average composition; the ethnic mix of gang members vary widely based on the prevalent composition of the community in question. For example, in communities with a high proportion of Asians will tend to have a greater percentage of gang members of Asian descent. Carlie (2002) confirms that there is a steadily increasing proportion of Hispanics in gang membership, exhibiting an increase of 20% from 1995 to 2000. This is attributed to high migration and birth rates of this racial group, and Hispanics are moving into communities outside the Sunbelt states. This is considered the Hispanic gang phenomenon, replacing the Irish and Italian gang prevalence of the late 19th Century when it was mostly the Irish and Italians who were migrating to the US. About one-third of youth gangs are a mix of racial groups, especially in small cities in which 54% are mixed-race gangs. Large cities have a smaller percentage (32%) of racially mixed gangs, perhaps due to the larger population. The Midwest region has the largest concentration of mixed-race youth gangs. (Carlie, 2002) About 30% of all gang members are female at any one point, but female members tend to leave gangs at an earlier age. About 42% of all gangs have mixed genders, and the trend shows that the higher the proportion of female members, the lower the rate of delinquency. (Powell and Egley, 2007) Most youth gangs do not have the organization or management skills for orchestrating illegal activities such as drug trafficking, despite popular opinion. These are mainly the work of the more organized "street" gangs, or adult criminal organizations. At most, youth gangs may be involved in distribution at the street level under the supervision of an adult group, and violence is often as a result of drug use by individual gang members rather than as a result of being a member of a youth gang. However, it must not be discounted that youth gang members are ten times more likely to use a gun and to succumb to violent and offensive behavior than any other class of delinquents. Many are more likely to be criminally active while a member of a youth gang i.e. 85% of adolescent robberies. (Powell and Egley, 2007) Risks associated with gang membership The youth who are at risk for joining youth gangs include poor self-esteem, early delinquency or violent behavior, involvement with undesirable peers who may be aggressive or delinquent, poor family relations, low school attachment and academic performance, alcohol or drug use and poor community conditions such as "tough" neighborhoods and access to firearms. The youth join gangs primarily for social reasons, especially if friends and close relatives are already part of a gang. It may also be for protection, especially in communities with sharp delineations i.e. race. Some, but less frequently, join to make money through criminal activities such as selling drugs or protection. Many have also reported being forced to join or be at risk of reprisal. Gang membership has been found to be of typically short duration, one year or less. In areas where youth gangs are more established, such as Chicago and Los Angeles, gang memberships may last longer. Within the ranks, those who are considered marginal or short-term members typically leave without mishap. However, core or long-term members experience more difficulty, especially if the gang is an established, even a generational kind. Long-term involvement with a gang seriously curtails the choices that a young person may have in terms of employment and social opportunities. More dependence is visited upon these members, and their identification with a particular gang can have adverse consequences once they are removed from the protection of the group. Depending on the function a particular members serves in the group, secession from the gang could be interpreted as an act of hostility or disloyalty. Moreover, many long-term gang members are likely to be dropouts and single parents. Many find it difficult to adjust to a normal life, and tend to continue into adult criminal activity. (Powell and Egley, 2007) Intervention Law enforcement agencies are often the ones expected to deal with youth gang activities. However, punitive action is rather like closing the barn doors after the horse has bolted. (Grabianowski , 2007) The problems that encourage the proliferation of youth gangs in particular are social in nature and an effective solution should therefore address these problems. The following are some recommendations based on the identified risk factors for youth gang membership: 1. Stronger home environment. It has been proven time and again that idle hands are the devil's playgrounds. Young people who lack guidance and structure in their lives will tend to drift and associate with people who are likewise unsupervised. Because they have nothing better to do, they hang out and get into mischief. Parents should know the whereabouts and activities of their children. They should be encouraged to bring their friends home so establish as sphere of influence off the streets where they are vulnerable to gang coercion. 2. More reactive schools. Teachers and school administrators should also be vigilant in preventing gangs from forming within the school's jurisdiction and be on the look out for delinquent behavior such as truancy. 3. Proactive community support. Social programs geared towards the youth would greatly enhance the opportunities open for these young people by establishing support networks as well as employing their time productively. In ethnically diverse communities, such programs would also promote integration while these people are in a more receptive phase of their lives. Conclusion While youth gangs are not as big a problem for law enforcement agencies as bona fide street gangs, the prevalence in the US is indicative of far-reaching and deeply entrenched social problems that need to be addressed. Many of these gang members are juveniles and as such hardly capable of handling risky situations such as gang wars and the use of firearms. The racial composition of gangs show that there is a problem of integration of minorities in all sectors of the country, otherwise these children will not need to band together to feel safe and secure, especially for those who are at the lower economic level of societies. If left unchecked, long-term membership in youth gangs may very well result in a vicious cycle of the underprivileged youth growing into an unproductive adult who will beget still more underprivileged youths. It is the duty of the community to prevent children from being drawn into potentially harmful youth gang activities that would lead to their undoing, and punitive action is not the best solution for this population sector. Stronger social structures and support will go a long way to encourage the youth to stay at home, in school and off the streets. References Carlie, M. (2002) Into the abyss: a personal journey into the world of street gangs. Missouri State. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://www.faculty.missouristate.edu/m/MichaelCarlie/what_I_learned_about/gangs/racial_composition.htm Egley, A. & Ritz, C. (2006, April) Highlights of the 2004 National Youth Gang Survey. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200601.pdf Gang statistics. (2007) Faith and Service Technical Education Network. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://www.fastennetwork.org/Display.aspPage=gangStats Grabianowski, E. (2007) How street gangs work. How Stuff Works. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://people.howstuffworks.com/street-gang.htm/printable Howell, J. and Egley, A. (2007) Frequently asked questions regarding gangs. Institute for Intergovernmental Research. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://www.iir.com/nygc/faq.htm#q1 National Youth Gang Center (2007). National Youth Gang Survey Analysis. Retrieved August 5, 2007 from http://www.iir.com/nygc/nygsa/ Read More