Gangs
The classification of gangs is helpful from a sociological and criminological standpoint. However, sociologists must be careful not to carelessly classify groups of individuals as gangs, given that the majority of what are known as street gangs are not as highly organized as the media has presented them to be (Weisel, n.d.). Some law enforcement officers have identified axes of classification based on age of membership, and their orientation toward socializing and partying on the one hand, versus pure delinquency on the other (Weisel, n.d.). Moreover, law enforcement acknowledges that most gangs are loosely knit rather than being hierarchical organizations. There are regional-based classification systems as well as classification systems that take into account the structure and function of the gangs. The urban gangs do tend to be more highly structured and better organized than gangs that are not based on specific urban jurisdictions (Weisel, n.d.). Focused on criminal behavior rather than petty delinquency, city gangs attract considerable media attention.
Street gangs are considered to be a universal phenomenon, even if "they are most evident in the United States," (Klein, n.d. p. 108). In the United States, gangs may be analyzed on the basis of location, ethnicity, gender, cultural diffusion, cohesiveness, crime patterns, and crime amplification (Klein, n.d.). Five fundamental classifications of street gangs emerge in the literature: the traditional gang, the neotraditional gang, the compressed gang, the collective gang, and the...
Gangs as Culture and Subculture Subculture Gangs are a global presence. There are gangs in nearly every culture. While they are variations in intentions and behaviors, there are general patterns and basic characteristics of all gangs. The paper will briefly explore the definition of gangs, the history of gangs, the effects of them both locally & globally, as well as the reactions from the communities in which they gangs reside and conduct
Inmate Classification in Iowa Iowa Inmate Classification The classification system used for prison inmates is primarily designed to stratify prison populations by their tendency to commit violent acts, either in public or in the prison system (reviewed by Gaes and Camp, 2009). This approach is believed to increase the efficiency of a correctional system by housing nonviolent offenders in less costly facilities and to minimize the negative influence of the worst offenders
Gangs Introduction Gangs in America have formed the subject of a large number of research works, thereby becoming a growth sector (Sanchez-Jankowski, 2003). The definition of the term ‘gangs’ is: an ongoing informal or formal group, party, or alliance of at least three individuals whose primary activities include perpetrating at least one of the crimes listed below: 1) attacking using a lethal weapon, 2) murder, 3) burglary, 4) selling or holding in
However, some gang members specialize in multiple criminal activities such as street robbery, human trafficking and drug trafficking. Street Gangs Street gangs are the major concern to parents, school administrators and the communities because they recruit students and the youths across the United States to enhance the growth of gang memberships. Street gangs are the most prevalent type of gangs in the United States because they influence a strong control in
This is in direct contrast to male serial killers, who more often select random, unknown individuals as their victims (Mouzos & West, 2007). In fact, it is estimated that around 70% of female serial killers select family members or someone who is dependent on them as a victim. An example of this is both filicide and infanticide, which are crimes most commonly committed by women (Aki, 2003, cited in
Labeling Theory Originating in sociology and criminology, labeling theory (also known as social reaction theory) was developed by sociologist Howard S. Becker (1997). Labeling theory suggests that deviance, rather than constituting an act, results from the societal tendency of majorities to negatively label those individuals perceived as deviant from norms. Essentially, labeling theory involves how the self-identity and behavior of individuals determines or influences the terms used to describe or classify
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