Gang Members Come From Unstable Households?
There exists a wide range of reasons as to why individuals join gangs. easons in this case could include but are not limited to the need for protection, economic gain, peer pressure as well as familial instability. itter and Lampkin (2012) note that people enlist as gang members for different reasons "but it is usually because the gang offers something the individual is lacking." According to the authors, young adults could end up enlisting as gang members "because they lack the feeling of belonging to a group or do not feel loved because of their unstable home life" (itter and Lampkin, 2012). In that regard, such individuals see the gang as a second home where they can freely interact with other members of the gang. Further, when it comes to broken homes, the authors in this case note that absentia parents (in most cases….

Added to this is the challenge that the recidivism rates for gang members are significantly higher than non-gang members. According to Hughes (2006), "gang members were almost 3.5 times more likely than nongang members to get rearrested for a new crime. (...) (T)heir gang membership in and of itself (I.e., after statistically controlling for these other factors) also increased their odds of rearrest" (p. 200). Social instability also includes an increased incidence of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Gang membership has been associated with an earlier onset of sexual intercourse. Increased unsafe safe practices also plagues gang members of all ethnicities, including Mexican-American gangs. This leads to not only an increased chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, but also for early pregnancy or fathering a child. Morris et al. found that incarcerated youth gang members also more frequently reported suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (cited in "Youth violence," 1998).….

Ethnography Field Trip
Identify the methods used in this study -- were they effective?

The research was conducted through interviews on the street and elsewhere, and also they were given a formal questionnaire to complete. The researchers only conducted research on these individuals if they met two criteria: a) if they openly acknowledged that they were in fact members of a gang; they also needed to be between the age of 14 and 24 to qualify; and b) they could be youths not linked to a gang but the same age and in the same neighborhood as those identified in "a."

How did the researcher know whether or not the individual was lying or was in fact a gang member? This is a pertinent question because most gang member do not, "as a rule, talk to researchers, anthropologists, sociologists, etc." In this case gang members would verify that those being interviewed were in….

Peer pressure also causes teens and kids to feel the need to fit in gangs. Peer pressure in the form of coercion, harassment or intimidation, may result to a person joining the gang. The desire to appear cool is also a major cause to many young people joining gangs. The trends and signs and reputations associated with the gangs such as fashion, tattoos and class appear to appeal to the persons and hence attract them to join the gangs. The excitement of young a person to defy authority also causes many to want to join gangs.
In addition, family history may also contribute to gangs. The family may have been involved in gangs over several generations. This type of gang pressure is hard to stop since the lifestyle of such people is defined by association with the gang (Marcovitz, 2010). The race of individuals may cause the need to form….

Introduction A far greater number of US citizens become victims of gang-initiated violence as compared to mass shootings or terrorist attacks. Gang members contribute to a disproportionately high percentage of the violence and crimes witnessed in the nation. Roughly two-thousand gang-linked murders are reported across the country per annum, which makes up 13% of overall murders in the nation. America's gang-connected murder rate alone (approximately 2 for every 100,000 individuals) goes beyond the overall rate of murders in almost every nation in the EU (Pyrooz & Densley, 2018). The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) claims that as many as 33,000 motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, and aggressive street gangs are currently offending across the country (FBI, n.d.), several of them being highly organized and advanced. Further, they all resort to violence for maintaining their control over localities and boosting their illicit commercial activities, such as theft, firearms and illegal drug trafficking, human….

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 the large geographical regions. Typically, street gangs are characterized with criminal activities, which include brutality and drug trafficking. Presence of street gangs is broadened with their special relations with DTO (Drug Trafficking Organization) in Mexico, Canada, Columbia and other Central American countries. Type of street gangs includes regional-level street gangs specially known for their drug dealing. Functional regional-level street gangs include Latin Disciples, Florencia, Fresno Bulldogs, Tango Blast and United Blood Nation. Local street gangs also known as neighborhood-based gangs….

In the end, the capacity for gangs persist throughout history has shown that they are not merely one-dimensional juvenile delinquents, as they are often portrayed in media. They are also well-organized groups that have the ability to serve social purposes. This also shows that a reason why society still allows them to exist is because of these social functions (Branch 1997).

Nevertheless, media is also responsible for glamorizing the life of the gangsta, which may be a factor in getting adolescent and vulnerable teenagers to join gangs for the sake of being accepted and being part of a family. The outcome of which, if not death or imprisonment, is even if a gangsta decides to become a regular citizen, he will be held with contempt and suspicion by the community.

eferences

Branch, C. (1997). Chapter 1: Since the Days of Knights: Historical and Psychological Overview of Gangs. pp. 9-27. Perseus Books, LLC. etrieved….

Gang Violence Interventions: Pulling Levers Programs
Gang Intervention

Over two decades of studies have shown partnerships between institutions and communities are required for effective and sustainable interventions to reduce gang violence, but the majority of intervention strategies have taken a reactionary approach, such as increasing policing efforts without addressing the underlying causes of gang violence (Gebo, Boyes-Watson, and Pinto-Wilson, 2010, p. 166). The lack of investment cognitive-behavioral interventions is evident by the prevalence of poorly designed studies investigating the effectiveness of such strategies, which makes drawing conclusions about their value difficult if not impossible (Fisher, Gardner, Montgomery, 2008).

A popular intervention strategy, at least among the law enforcement community, is the 'pulling levers' strategy (Braga, 2008). This strategy is essentially a problem-oriented approach to policing that involves choosing a crime problem, assembling an interagency working group, conducting research on the offender population, and coming up with a list of possible responses (the levers).….

To summarize, research on gangs has shown the gang problem to be increasing dramatically. Gang members list many reasons for joining a gang, including protection, peer pressure, economic needs, social needs, power, because relatives are members, a lack of parental or community support, and social status. According to the research, gangs tend to exist in greater numbers in low-income populations, and in single-parent households. Additionally, research has shown that while there certainly are Caucasian gang members, the majority are Hispanic or African-American.

Methods

The purpose of this study was to determine why teenage males join and participate in gang activities. The independent variables were socio-economic status, peer influence, lack of family support, self-esteem, and protection. The subjects studied were from a high population area near Houston, TX, where the majority of residents were of Hispanic decent. This study examined the relationship between gang activities and the independent variables. This section summarizes the….

Call for backup before attempting pursuit into unsecured potential gang situations

5.. Examples of gangs deploying military weapons and tactics against law enforcement:

2005: Contract assassination attempt against corrections officer in Lakewood, Wash. By United Blood Nation gang member in active service from Bremerton Navy Station (10)

2005: Ceres, California: Active-duty, U.S. Marine Iraq combat veteran gang member shoots two police, killing one, using military tactics (11)

2006: Verbal testimony by several gang members suggests veterans training gangs for combat (12)

2010: U.S.Marine Corps veterans charged with selling assault weapons to gangs (13)

2011: Twenty-seven AK-47s stolen from California's Fort Irwin Army base (14)

2011: National Gang Threat Assessment report: "Gang members are acquiring high-powered, military-style weapons and equipment, which poses a significant threat because of the potential to engage in lethal encounters with law enforcement and citizens alike" (15)

6. ACTION: If you believe you may encounter military-level threat of force from gang members, secure the scene….

Thrasher (1927) correctly identified the reasons for existence and persistence of gangs: "The gangs… offer a substitute for what society fails to give… it fills a gap and affords an escape….thus the gang, itself a natural and spontaneous type of organization arising through conflict is a symptom of disorganization in the larger social framework." (p. 13)
To prevent the youth from getting into the ills of society parents, teachers, the community and the entire nation should get together and contribute their part to it. Parents and teachers should guide the teens and explain to them about the dangers of becoming a part of a gang. The nation should provide their people with more opportunities so as to better their living conditions. Law enforcing agencies should increase their efficiency to create deterrence among the youth such that they would not indulge in delinquency. It is about time that everyone should recognize….

Gangs
The presence of gangs has always been of concern to society, largely owing to their criminal behavior. The solution to the problem, however, lies not so much in police and legal action, but in addressing, the social causes of gang development. In other words, society has to change social conditions such as poverty, family abuse and neglect, the educational system, the Criminal Justice system, employment opportunities and the nature of social programs in order to prevent the development of criminally oriented gangs. Indeed, society would probably benefit a great deal if it could stop punishing such behavior and, instead, focus on the creation of a social environment that could prevent the development of criminally oriented gangs.

The primary cause of gang development, it has been well established, is poverty. This is because poverty causes economic and social pressures that lead to youth developing a poor image of self and society. In….

George Knox, director of the National Gang Crime esearch Center, teaches law enforcement officers how to search WebPages to pick up on gang member's lingo, territories, and rivalries. He also asserts it is crucial for officers to learn how to "read between the lines" when searching gang members' WebPages. Time on the Web, similar to time on the streets, gives gang investigators the ability to read the hieroglyphics of wall graffiti, and understand Web clues. In addition, "gang identifiers, such as tattoos, graffiti tags, colors and clothing often are embedded in each site" (Gutierrez, 2006, ¶ 27). According to Gutierrez, by studying gang blogs for several hours, one can pick up on subtle word choices, which the gang members consider to be almost holy words. Knox contends that some gangs use the Internet to recruit new members.

Other Efforts to Deal with Gangs

Suppression techniques may be one of the best ways….

Hybrid Gangs in South Florida
On Public Policy towards Volatile Movements

South Florida has an increasing prevalence of criminal gangs in their communities and it is posing a growing threat to their security and safety. It is clear that in that region criminal hybrid gangs are spreading violence and fear in their neighborhoods making places like their parks unusable, and even bringing corrupt behavior passages to work and school, stopping legitimate businesses consisting of tourism, and bringing down property values. Right now, there are more hybrid gangs in Florida than ever before, with approximately 400 in South Florida alone, as stated by the latest state study. Hybrid gangs are not a new threat, nevertheless the most recent state study displays the problem is getting worse especially in South Florida. In 1991, there were 160 gangs in the south Florida region, but by 2007 the number jumped to beyond 1,500 with more than….

20, California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act, STEP Act California 186.20 (http://www.streetgangs.com/laws/stepact.html)," as well as any community that has a disproportionate juvenile arrest rate, or a high percentage of gang related criminal activity or a high number of gang affiliated acts of violence.
The Act hopes to reduce crimes of violence committed by gang members by alerting local law enforcement to their identity thereby reducing their feelings of anonymity in committing those crimes.

The Act also supports funding for the purpose of education and offering counseling and other services to current and past gang members in the hopes they will decide to leave the gang and become a productive member of society.

CONCLUSION

The gang problem is a serious one in which the dynamics create a cycle of feeling alone, finding a "family" in the gang membership, committing acts of violence for the gang and becoming incarcerated. The legislative action that is aimed….

Certainly! Here are some potential essay topics related to gangs:

1. The impact of gangs on communities and neighborhoods
2. The role of social media in gang recruitment and communication
3. The relationship between poverty and gang involvement
4. The effectiveness of gang prevention programs and initiatives
5. The connection between drugs and gang activity
6. The influence of music and pop culture on gang behavior
7. The evolution of gang culture and symbols
8. The portrayal of gangs in the media and pop culture
9. The experiences of former gang members and their efforts to leave the gang lifestyle
10. The intersectionality of race, class, and gender in gang....

## Navigating the Labyrinth of Gang-Related Essay Topics

Investigating gang-related topics for an essay can be an intricate and illuminating endeavor, allowing you to delve into the complexities of this societal phenomenon. From the historical origins of gangs to their impact on communities and potential solutions, there is a multitude of angles to explore. Let's embark on a journey through ten potential essay topics, each offering a unique perspective on the multifaceted world of gangs:

### 1. The Genesis of Gangs: A Historical Retrospection

Immerse yourself in the historical backdrop of gangs, tracing their origins and evolution across different epochs and geographical regions.....

S.E. Hinton's extended narrative in "The Outsiders" challenges traditional societal norms and perceptions of teenage gang culture by humanizing the characters and showing the complexities and struggles they face. Instead of portraying the gang members as one-dimensional delinquents, Hinton delves deep into their emotions, motivations, and relationships, highlighting the importance of loyalty, friendship, and family.

By portraying the gang members as individuals with their own unique personalities, dreams, and fears, Hinton challenges the stereotype that all gang members are inherently bad or criminal. She also explores the social and economic factors that push teens into joining gangs, shedding light on the....