Development and Influence of Gangs - Essay Example

Gangs al affiliation Development and influence of gangs Question Article Why American boys join street gangs Street gangs are thegreatest and the most difficult problem in the society because it keep changing and evolving. However, researchers point out that the problem can only be understood by having vast on childhood tendencies. Additionally, knowing the cause of the problem is easy if a person understands a tendency that fosters child recruitment to gang at the age where a child is developing psychologically. Most gang’s leaders prey on young individuals that have certain characteristics matching with their lifestyle. It is a surprise to many analysts of this problem because; most of them have not realized that this has been the strategy of gangs. Young people join gangs because they feel vulnerable in their society. For example, frustrations or inner conflicts are some factors that encourage young people to choose the gang as they only solution. As such, gangs relieve them of their pressure, offer protection, and financial support. They show the victim ways to make money, provide them protection from other hostile members or hostilities from the surroundings. In addition, the new recruits are often asked to act aggressively to others so as to be feared by other groups. The issue of gangs has been studied for quite some time. Knowledge gained from the study has assisted in providing ways of dealing with gangs. Nonetheless, the issue of the gang evolution should be studied from child development stage. Additionally, it should be approached from an environment at which a child develops. For example, a troubled child can be lured easily to gang membership (Taylor, 2013). Article 2 History of Street Gangs in the United States The first documented gangs were reported in London in 17th century. It is also believed that gangs existed as early as 12th and 14th century. However, they were not as aggressive as 20th and 21st century gangs. They dealt with small things like robbing people along the highways, breaking into people’s home and other petty crimes. The first gangs in the U.S. started after the American Revolution. They, however, were not serious as gangs that evolved in early 19th century. The article reviews the emergence of gangs in four regions in the U.S.; West, Northeast, South and Midwest. Based on the study of the development of gang in those regions, it was revealed that the emergence of gangs encouraged others to develop the same idea of gangs. The emergence of gangs in the Midwest and Northeast was as a result of poverty and immigration. The white immigrants from Europe were mainly poor and had no marketable skills. As such, they couldn’t feed themselves or find jobs. The natives Americans, especially Anglo native-born American could offer assistance to those immigrants. They looked down upon them, and so it was the beginning of gangs in such places. The discriminated groups had to look for ways to survive in a harsh society. Crime activities and the emergence of gangs were their only ways of survival. Conversely, the Western region saw the emergence of gang and crime related activities because of Mexican immigrants. It is believed gangs’ emergence in the Western region especially Los Angeles, El Paso and Albuquerque was brought by Mexican immigrants. In their culture, some Mexicans have a mentality of gang activities for their survival. A well-known group, named Pachuchos in Mexico socializes with young people and introduces them to gang life. The three regions, Midwest, Northeast and Western regions were, however, flooded by the second wave of immigrates. Many of these new immigrants were African-American, who settled in Northern and Western parts of the United States. Other groups that involved in gangs activities are Asians, Hispanic and Latin Americans (Moore & Howell, 2010). Question 2 Moral Disengagement Crighton and Towl (2015), moral disengagement is one issue that foster the involvement of youth in crime activities. The authors explain that the young people will need to forego their moral standards so that they can successfully immoral activities. Moral disengagement is important social-cognitive process to the youth that they can use to validate their engagement in immoral activities. As such, they can defend themselves against self-condemnation. Socially Disorganized Neighborhoods Such places are root to the development of criminal activities that are passed from one youth to another. Younger youths can learn to misbehave from older youth in the same society because they engage together daily. As such, a place that is characterized by social disorganization is a breeding place for crime and delinquency. This may happen in two ways, cultural transmission of felonious values or through uncontrolled behavior (Kinnear, 2009). Theory of differential association Based on this theory, it is believed that youths develop the skills and attitudes needed to become delinquent by involving themselves with criminals. The theory points out that criminal behavior are taught to an individual by another individual. Additionally, the progress of learning is always successful because it comes from expert criminals. Question 3 Challenges Some of the gang members develop in armed forces and, as a result, use their expertise of weaponry in their neighborhood ones they retire. In addition, youths deported back to their origin is also a challenge because they can use their experience to recruit young people. Gang members make it impossible for the authorities to secure evidence so as to prosecute members involve in crime activities. It is because other members are working together to intimidate the witnesses, and so the witness changes their testimony for the sake of his/her life (Kinnear, 2009). Question 4 Ways of Dealing with Gangs Suppression Law enforcers can minimize gang crime by integrating suppression tactics in areas with high number of crimes brought by gangs. Suppression tactics include street sweeps, improving surveillance and identifying hot spots. The federal states also deals with immigrants involve in crime activities by deporting them back to their countries. Gang Units The law enforcers develop department that deals effectively with gang related activities. For example, department for prevention, suppression and intervention are significant in identifying and bringing down gangs in specific areas. Suppression element involves the police, prosecution, and probation towards vigorous gang leaders (Hess, K. & Orthmann, 2009). Conclusion The two articles point out the root of gangs as poverty, unemployment and discrimination. One of the articles explains the reason behind the involvement of the young people in gangs. Frustrations are one among other components that encourage young people to join gangs. On the other hand, article two shows the first documented gangs emerged as a result of poverty and security. Young people find themselves with gangs because they believe that crime is the only option for survival. The study point out how socially disorganized environment contributes immensely to crime activities and the emergence of gangs. Additionally, the theory of differential association explains ways at which gang leaders mentor young people. Dealing with gangs is a great challenge to law enforcers because gangs have active members that can issue threats to witnesses. However, the law enforcers can deal with gangs at early stages by improving surveillance, identifying and dealing with gangs in places with a high statistics of crimes. References Crighton, A., D & Towl, J. G. (2015). Forensic Psychology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Hess, K. & Orthmann, C., H. (2009). Criminal Investigation. New York: Cengage Learning Kinnear, K., L. (2009). Gangs. California: ABC-CLIO. Moore, P., J. & Howell, C., J. (2010). History of Street Gangs in the United States. National Gangng Center Bulletin. 4. Taylor, S., S. (2013). Why American boys join street gangs. International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology. 5(8), pp. 339-349. Read More