Gangs Essays (Examples)

641).

Both of these concerns present a validity and a legitimacy that would certainly temper the expected growth of such areas of the city, and, if left unchecked, have the potential to overwhelm the benign effects of reduced crime and social and salutary outreach benefits. The most successful way to deal with the former of these issues, is to implement a policy specific to the activity of minors. There is a significant amount of evidence that indicates that adolescents are those who are most at-risk for enlisting in street gangs and selling drugs, a fact that is readily corroborated by Bourgois' case study of Tito in which his subjected "immersed himself with all his energy into New York City's gang life in early adolescence" (24). Within these proposed areas in street drugs are legal, a simple remedy for the problems of adolescent interaction would involve developing a system for the…

References

Bourgois, P. (1997). "Overachievement in the Underground Economy: The Life Story of a Puerto Rican Stick-Up Artist in East Harlem." Free Inquiry. 25 (1) pp. 23-32.

Gilderbloom, J., Hanka, M., Lasley, C. (2008). "Amsterdam: Planning and Policy for the Ideal City?" sun.louisvill.edu. Retrieved from  http://sun.louisville.edu/pdfs/Amsterdam_Article.pdf 

King, R. (2003). "The Economics of Drug Selling: A Review of the Research." Prisonpolicy.org. Retrieved from  http://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/sp/5049.pdf 

Read, J. "Stringer Bell's Lament: Violence and Legitimacy in Contemporary Capitalism."

Gangs and gang-related activities are serious problems in American society. Books like Snitch, by Allison van Diepen, show that gangs are infiltrating almost every part of America and are leading to the proliferation of drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. However, gangs are not just talked about in novels like Snitch. Gangs are real, as I learned when interviewing a former gangbanger. Gangs have made such an impact on the people whose lives are directly affected by them, that poetry has been written about gangs. Many research organizations have studied gangs, showing that the problem needs to be addressed immediately. The problem is that gangs are as much of a symptom as they are a cause of problems. Gangs would not exist if there were more legitimate means to form communities and identities. In particular, gangs reflect underlying social injustice, related primarily to ethnicity and poverty. There are also legislative issues…

Works Cited

Carlie, Michael K. "Why Gangs Form." Into the Abyss. Retrieved online:  http://people.missouristate.edu/MichaelCarlie/what_i_learned_about/gangs/whyform/why_gangs_form.htm 

Hunt, Geoffrey P. And Laidler, Karen Joe. "Alcohol and Violence in the Lives of Gang Members." NIAAA. Retrieved online:  http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/66-71.htm 

Parker, Nick. Interview.

"A Timeline of Chicago's Gangs," (n..d). Retrieved online:  http://gangresearch.net/ChicagoGangs/tiimeline.html

Gangs

The problems that gangs cause to communities is enormous. And the resources that police departments and other law enforcements are required to use to monitor gangs is costly. Since gangs aren't going away any time soon the problems they create and the young lives they waste will be with society for the foreseeable future. This paper reviews the problem based on the government eb site, CrimeSolutions.gov.

Definition of Gangs and Gang Membership

The National Gang Center (NGC) explains that the most important aspect in terms of defining a gang lies within the realm of actually committing crimes. If the group is involved in criminality -- in rural or urban or suburban areas -- it doesn't matter what their leadership is in that particular group. It's also not important in the process of defining whether a group is truly a gang or not as to whether they display colors, have…

Works Cited

National Youth Gang Survey Analysis. (2009). Age of Gang Members / Gender of Gang

Members. Retrieved November 24, 2010, from  http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov .

National Youth Gang Survey Analysis. (2009). Demographics / Age of Gang Members.

Retrieved November 24, 2011, from

Gangs in Prison

Although the United States prison system remains extremely dangerous due to overcrowding, guard and administrator abuse, and widespread detention and isolation practices that would be considered torture by the United Nations, they also serve as fertile breeding grounds for dangerous gangs, and in fact, American prisons have given rise to some of the most dangerous prison and street gangs of the twenty and twenty-first century. Of these, five stand out for their violence and resilience. The Aryan Brotherhood, the Black Guerilla Family, the Folk Nation, the Mexican Mafia, and MS-13 have all made a name for themselves in the prison system due to their violence, and although some have declined in scope and power as a result of concerted law enforcement efforts, all of these gangs remain a threat to security and safety, both for prison employees and the general public. By examining the foundations and spread…

Works Cited

Allender, D.M. Department of Justice, FBI. (2001). FBI law enforcement bulletin: Gangs in middle america. Washington, DC: FBI.

Department of Justice, Criminal Division. (2011). Prison gangs. Department of Justice.

Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ocgs/gangs/prison.html

Department of Justice, FBI. (2008). The MS-13 threat. Washington, DC: FBI. Retrieved from  http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/january/ms13_011408

However, educate him or her to be self-confident as few children who do not react as the intimidate desires is not likely to be selected as a fatality. Work with the child's school to deal with the problem as some school employees may be able to offer some sensible recommendation to help the child plus keep records of the events so that you can be comprehensive in your negotiations with school staff about the child's experiences at school whilst it may facilitate to talk with the gang member or his/her parents keeping in mind to be careful while moving ahead. Speaking directly to the gang member like this may signal to him or her that the child is weak. Parents of a gang member may be unsuccessful to see something wrong with harassment associate it to positioning up for oneself. If the problem continues or rise even more than you…

Bibliography

White House. Violence Prevention. Retrieved on December 2, 2007 at http://www.yic.gov/drugfree/prevention.html

Burnett, Gary - Walz, Garry. (July 1994). Gangs in Schools. Eric Digest 99. Retrieved on December 2, 2007 at  http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-1/gangs.htm 

National Youth Violence Presentation (July 1, 2007). Youth Gangs and Violence. Retrieved on December 2, 2007 at http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/youthgang.asp

Gangs

Since the 1980s, the media has become increasingly interested in urban street gangs, both in the entertainment industry, such as in records, movies, and television shows, and as a newsworthy matter in journalistic media. In both cases, media tend to portray gangs in an exceptionally stereotypical fashion. Ironically, however, the images presented in the news media and in the entertainment industry are seemingly mirror opposites. In the entertainment industry, gang life is glorified in movies and music, such as gangsta rap, in which gang members appears as iconoclastic heroes that are fighting to retain their individualistic way of doing things in the face of a world that has done nothing but try to crush them. Indeed, in many ways, this stereotype is identical to the image of the romantic hero. The news media, on the other hand, tends to demonize and villify gang members in its portrayals. Typically it…

Bibliography

Herbert J. Gans. Deciding What's News: A Study of CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly

News, Newsweek, and Time. New York: Vintage Books, 1980.

Harvey Molotch. "The City as a Growth Machine." Retrieved at http://nw- ar.com/face/molotch.html.

Martin Sanchez-Jankowski. Islands in the Street: Gangs and Urban American Society. California: U. Cal Press, 1992.

Gangs in the Military

In the present era the gang problem is all encompassing and intimidating in a greater measure compared to any other period in history. In the bygone 20 years, gang associations have transcended all socioeconomic, ethnic and racial limits and currently pervade American society. Gangs by way of increased dreadfulness, felony and economic costs influence society. Now we are confronted with the outcome of the gang subculture's startling intensification over the past two decades: diminishing public safety, community image and quality of life. Gangs have the capability of upsetting military discipline and organization.

The attraction of a gang in military is being an element of some entity, security, social status, and an individual enjoying nice things in life, inclusive of wealth, authority and respect. Several gang members are very isolated being the nastiest ones. They are known as lieutenants, keeping themselves in the background always. These lieutenants…

References

Jackson, Lonnie. (1998) "Gangbusters: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention." Lanham, MD: American Correctional Association.

Knox, G.M. (1993) "An Introduction to Gangs" Buchanan, MI: VandeVere Publishing, Ltd.

Mitchell, Miller, J; Rush, Jeffrey P. (1996) "Gangs: A Criminal Justice Approach" Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Company.

Sheley, JF; Zhang, J; Brody, CJ; Wright, JD. (1995) "Gang Organization, Gang Criminal Activity, and Individual Gang Members Criminal Behavior" Social Science Quarterly, Volume. 76; Issue 1, pp.52-68.

Gangs

Brotherton and Barrios' assessment of the role of women in Almighty King and Queen Nation (ALKQN), they describe the role of women as functional primarily for the image of the gang rather than their 'usefulness' as members of the gang. In ALKQN, Queens, term used for female members, are often useful for the gang by acting as accomplices in the drug trade, helping to hide and transport drugs and weapons for the gang. Furthermore, female members are functional because they provide a good image for the gang, giving a sense of legitimacy of the existence of the gang, for it helps out marginalized women create autonomy, identity, and at the same time, belongingness, as member of the gang.

It is evident that seeking cohesion in the community by joining gangs is also a way through which women can also assert their autonomy -- that is, by finally making their…

In the 1940s, the Klan began using bombings of their homes to scare blacks who had moved into the "wrong" neighborhood. In 1944, the IRS filed a lien against the Klan for over $600,000 and it was forced to disband. Its numbers by then had dwindled to about 10,000.

During the 1950s, to the present day, the Klan has disintegrated into separate small groups with different purposes depending on location. Their issues today have been updated to illegal immigration and same-sex marriage. Other Klan groups have become neo-Nazi skinheads. It is estimated that their total membership in 2008 is about 6,000.

Outlaws Motorcycle Gang

The Outlaws Motorcycle Gang, one of the biggest outlaw gangs in the country, formed in 1935 in McCook, Illinois. It now has over 200 "gangs" in several countries. Only men who own a specific-size motorcycle can join the club. Their main rival gang is Hell's Angels.…

Bibliography absoluteastronomy.com. (2009). Outlaws motorcycle club. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from absoluteastronomy.com:  http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Outlaws_Motorcycle_Club#encyclopedia 

Kaplan, D., & Dubro, A. (2003). Yakuza: Japan's criminal underworld. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Knowgangs. (2008). The almighty latin kings nation. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from Knowgangs.com:  http://www.knowgangs.com/gang_resources/profiles/kings/ 

pbs.org. (n.d.). The Colombian cartels. Retrieved June 27, 2009, from pbs.org:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/business/inside/colombian.html 

Simpson, C., & Pearlman, A. (2005). Inside the Crips: Life inside L.A.'s most notorious gang. New York: Macmillan.

" This was to show that Tweed was tough on crime. it's no wonder that Bill, the Butcher, leader of the Natives, is so violent. In the course of becoming a mentor to Amsterdam, he explains, "You stay alive with fear. Fear," he says, "preserves the order of things."

is gang wreaks most of its violence on the Irish whom they place at the bottom of the social scale along with blacks. Unlike Tweed who just wants their votes, Bill, the Butcher and his gang would like to kill all of them.

A great wave of Irish immigrants came to America during the 19th century. In the middle of that century a famine swept across Ireland, and Irish Catholics were severely impacted. In only three years, more than 500,000 people with nothing to eat died of starvation (Nickens, 2002). Those that lived migrated in large numbers. According to the movie,…

His gang wreaks most of its violence on the Irish whom they place at the bottom of the social scale along with blacks. Unlike Tweed who just wants their votes, Bill, the Butcher and his gang would like to kill all of them.

A great wave of Irish immigrants came to America during the 19th century. In the middle of that century a famine swept across Ireland, and Irish Catholics were severely impacted. In only three years, more than 500,000 people with nothing to eat died of starvation (Nickens, 2002). Those that lived migrated in large numbers. According to the movie, 15,000 a week landed in New York City. As the Butcher put it, "...they come off the boat crawling with lice and begging for soup." He referred to them as the "Mother whoring Irish niggers."

Irish Catholic immigrants often went to work on labor gangs that built canals, railroads, streets, sewers and other projects involving construction and were hated because they worked for lower wages. They were seen as "alien invaders." Irish Catholics who lived in urban tenement slums -- as they did in the film -- in areas of overcrowded, filthy squalor, where crime flourished and people struggled daily just to survive. Considerable prejudice was expressed against Irish immigrants. The Know Nothing Movement, for example, tried to oust Catholics from public office (Shannon, 2006). This was shown in the film when an Irishman was elected Sheriff and murdered

Gangs:  Membership Prevention intervention suppression
There are various strategies that could be adopted in an attempt to reign in the gang membership problem. The strategies offered by youth.Gov, a U.S. government resource for the creation and maintenance of sound youth programs, would come in handy in this regard. The said strategies could be grouped into three main categories, i.e. prevention, intervention, and suppression responses. One strategy relates to strengthening families. It is important to note that “gang members often come from homes where they feel alienated or neglected” (Chaskin 97). It is this feeling and experience of neglect and/or alienation that motivates the said youths to seek solace in gang membership. Thus, strategies meant to strengthen families would be effective in seeking to prevent gang membership. Such strategies could be inclusive of sensitizing families on the various conflict resolution strategies they could pursue in case of misunderstandings, ensuring that there are…

Gangs are a reality in most cities and neighborhoods. To a large extent, gangs thrive on membership – effectively meaning that they strive to recruit new members and ensure that those within the ‘family’ stay. Towards this end, gangs have been known to prey on various targets – including second-generation immigrants and high school/college students - in an attempt to soar their membership and protect certain interests. New York City has a rich history of gang activity. This text concerns itself with gang activity within New York City. In so doing, it will not only give a concise description of the origin of gang activity in the city, but also highlight key facts relating to gangs in the city.
Discussion
From the onset, it is important to note that today, gangs can be found in almost all five boroughs of the city. In seeking to chart gang activity in New…

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 possession for production, selling, offering for sale, transporting, or offering to produce controlled substances, 5) arson, 6) shooting at any occupied automobile or inhabited house, 7) intimidating victims and witnesses, and 8) carrying out a grand robbery of a vehicle, vessel, or trailer, in addition to sharing a common sign, symbol, or name, whose members have separately or, as a group, previously or currently participated in some pattern of hang crime (California Department of Justice, 1993).
Classification of…

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…

References

Branch, C. (1997). Chapter 1: Since the Days of Knights: Historical and Psychological Overview of Gangs. pp. 9-27. Perseus Books, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Education Research Complete database.

Branch, C. (1997). Chapter 2: Developmental Aspects of Gang Membership. pp. 28-43, Perseus Books, LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Education Research Complete database.

Gibbs, Jewelle Taylor. (2000). Gangs as Alternative Transitional Structures: Adaptations to Racial and Social Marginality in Los Angeles and London. Journal of Multicultural Social Work, 8(1/2): 71-99. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from Education Research Complete database

Ruble, Nikki M. & Turner, William L. (2000). A Systematic Analysis of the Dynamics and Organization of Urban Street Gangs. The Americal Journal of Family Therapy, 28(2): 117-132. Retrieved August 25, 2009, from Education Research Complete database.

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…

REFERENCES:

Winters, Clyde a. "Learning Disabilities, Crime Delinquency, and Special Education Placement." Adolescence 32.126 (1997): 451.

Hagan, J. And H. Foster. "Youth violence and the end of adolescence." American Sociological Review, 66.12 (2001):874.

Jeffery, C.R. "An Interdisciplinary Theory of Criminal Behavior." In Advances in criminological theory (1989):69.

Curry, G.D., & Spergel, I.A. "Gang involvement and delinquency among Hispanic and African-American adolescent males." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 29 (1992): 273.

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…

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…

References: All sources peer-reviewed, government or considered reliable.

Blankenstein, A. "Marines sold military assault weapons to L.A. gang members, authorities allege." Los Angeles Times L.A. Now, 9 Nov. 2010. 26 Dec. 2011 (4, 13)

Cooley, S. "Findings and proposals from the District Attorney's Office." L.A. County District Attorney. April 2008. 26 Dec. 2011 < da.co.la.ca.us/pdf/LADA_Gang_Crime_&_Violence_APR_2008.pdf > (9)

Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The Continuing Gang Threat." National Gang Threat Assessment 2011 Key Findings, National Gang Intelligence Center. 21 Oct. 2011 (15)

L.A. County District Attorney's Office. "Gang Crimes." Hardcore Gang Division, 1 Nov. 2011. 26 Dec. 2011 (16)

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…

REFERENCES

ARISE as a gang prevention program. (2007). ARISE Foundation. Retrieved November 6, 2009

from  http://www.ariselife-skills.org/Home/Gangs.aspx  ARISE foundation. (2009). Retrieved November 6, 2009 from  http://www.ariselife-skills.org/Home/Home.aspx 

ARISE life-management skills program. A five-year evaluation. (N.d.). University of Miami.

Retrieved November 10, 2009 from  http://www.ariselifeskills.org/docs/pdf/5yearevalexecsummary.pdf

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…

The community fails to acknowledge the fact that a hybrid gang is an organized group with a recognized leader whose activities are either criminal or, at the very least, threatening to the community in South Florida. They are not being educated enough to understand. Communities lack acknowledgment of understanding the characteristics of hybrid gangs. They do not understand that Hybrid gang show their uniqueness and unity in obvious ways for instance jewelry, colored clothing, jargon, and signals (Crews, 2014). The lack of acknowledging the problem in South Florida, has caused people to not realize that their key source of income for most hybrid gangs is narcotics which fuels a lot of the violence.

Communities fail to acknowledge Hybrid gang members of all ages and that they are used by the gang in the unlawful sale of narcotics and other illegal actions. It is a wrong belief that hybrid gang only function in less wealthy districts. Hybrid gang exist in virtually every community in South Florida and the communities want to ignore the elephant in the room. South Florida does not acknowledge that the gangs belong to one of two alliances, either "People" or "Folks." They do not even realize that both associations are alive and well on South Florida's streets, and in most circumstances are unpleasant rivals. The "Individuals" hybrid gang all wear their identifiers to the left side, while the "Folks" hybrid gangs wear their identifiers on the right (Roles, 2013). Not knowing these characteristics have caused the community to be in ignorance.

They also do not acknowledge that firearms and gang violence go hand in hand. In one study based on responses from 835 male inmates in 6 juvenile correctional facilities in 4 States, researchers found that movement from nongame membership to gang membership brought increases in most forms of gun-involved conduct. Forty-five percent described gun theft as a regular

Gangs

The Issue of Gangs

History of Gangs in the United States of America

Northeast egion (specifically New York City

Midwest egion (specifically Chicago)

West egion (specifically Los Angeles)

South egion First period

Current Status of Gangs in the United States of America

Types of Gangs in the United States of America

Factors Triggering Indulgence in Gangs

Impacts of Gang Activities on United States of America

ecommendations for Community esponse

This paper will analyze the nature of gang membership within the United States of America by delving into the historical trends and current status of gang membership in the nation. Moreover, the paper will also discuss the factors that trigger the formation of gangs in the state. In addition, it will also put light on the types of gangs that exist in the U.S.A., and the impacts that these entities have on the nation. Furthermore, it will also propose recommendations…

References

Howell, J., Egley, A., Tita, G., & Griffiths, E. (2011). U.S. Gang Problem Trends and Seriousness, 1996-2009, pp. 1-14. Tallahassee: Institute for Intergovernmental Research. Retrieved from  http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov /content/documents/bulletin-6.pdf

Howell, J., & Griffiths, E. (2015). Gangs in America's Communities. [S.l.]: Sage Publications.

Madden, V. (2013). Understanding the Mental Health Needs of Young People involved in Gangs, pp. 3-26. London: Westminster Joint Health and Wellbeing Board. Retrieved from  http://www.mac-uk.org/wped/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Mental-Health-and-Gangs-Report-2013.pdf 

Pappas, C. (2001). U.S. Gangs: Their Changing History and Contemporary Solution, pp. 1-14. Washington, D.C: Youth Advocate Program International. Retrieved from http://yapi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/report-gangs.pdf

deviance relates to the American Dream

In his book, Always unning: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A., Luis J. odriguez uses his own experience and writing talents to tell the story of lives that are caught in the fire of bad luck. Children who happened to be born in some of the poorest neighborhoods of LA in the 1960's, 70s or 80s, as odriguez, were condemned to contamination from the gang life that was going in the streets, around their homes, even creeping into their porches. The U.S. was marching on its way to become a world leader while huge urban areas like those of LA or Chicago were infested and ruled by a way of life that had little or nothing to do with the "American dream." Prostitution, drugs, alcohol and extreme violence, were the four main driving forces of "progress" in the "barrios." Life had little to…

Rodriguez's account of his own life is, as underlined before, a story that makes one think outside one's own little universe. He does not use pathos in his writing, he would rather present the facts as they are, as painful as that might be. Because of his frankness, he writes, some schools have banned his book from their library shelves or taken it out of their reading lists. Those he is writing about are too real and too close to the students who might come across this book. Is it possible that some school officials were afraid that the experiences described here could be harmful for those young minds and sous they were supposed to train for life? Were they afraid the children might get contaminated by its lecture? In fact, the question is: is it possible that the people populating this book could be harmful for the entire American society because they are a part of it and not a separate entity, as they would like to keep it?

Conley, Dalton. 2013. You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist (Core Third Edition). W.W. Norton. New York. London Rodriguez, Luis J. 2012. Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A, Open Road Media, Jun 12, 2012

Pacheco, Juan. 2009. March 12 forum at UCLA on "Global Perspectives on Youth & Violence." Available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLCjpX9aDmY

Gangs in Public School

Many schools especially in urban and suburban areas continue to register gang-related activities within their premises and involving their students. This study appreciates the dangers associated with such gangs to the schools and other stakeholders around them. Various laws and regulation have been passed in different states in the U.S. allow parents to withdraw their children from certain public schools. Schools reputed for gang-related problems stand to lose students. This paper provides the scope of action steps in which schools take to intervene, prevent, and suppress the scope of violent gang activity while establishing crisis response plans. The strategies are developed to address potential actions of school violence including gang activity.

Gang members bring in their attitudes, behaviors, and conflicts to the school compounds. The dangerous gang issues and activities of a given community take place within local schools. Gang members take on each other within…

References

Branch, C., (2013). Adolescent Gangs: Old Issues, New Approaches. New York: Routledge.

Garot, R. (2010). Who You Claim: Performing Gang Identity in School and on the Streets. NYU Press

Kinnear, K.L. (2009). Gangs: A Reference Handbook. New York: ABC-CLIO.

Macnab, N. (2012). Uncle Sam's Schoolhouse: Bullying, Predators, and Students. New York: Dog Ear Publishing

Gang Prevention Programs in Los Angeles

The issue of gangs and the gang related deaths and violence has been a thing of concern across the nation and in Los Angeles in particular due to the alarming high levels of gang activities within the city. Los Angeles City has been described severally as the "gang capital" of the nation, due to the numerous gangs that are in existence as well as the long history of these gangs, going back to 50 years ago. Los Angeles Police Department (2016) there are approximately 450 active gangs in Los Angeles with a membership exceeding 45,000 members. The membership of these gangs has continued to increase over the last five years due to the lucrative narcotics trade. Over the last three years, it is documented that 16,398 violent crimes were associated to gang activities, 491 of these being homicides and 7,0478 being felony assaults, 98…

References

A Better LA, (2016). Funded Programs: R.A.C.E. Retrieved April 29, 2016 from  http://www.abetterla.org/programs/ 

Basheer A., (2016). B.U.I.L.D. Brotherhood for Independent Leadership through Discipline. Retrieved April 29, 2016 from  http://www.streetgangs.com/homicides/build.html 

H.E.L.P.E.R Foundation, (2016). HELPER: Our Mission. Retrieved April 29, 2016 from http://www.helperfoundation.org/

Los Angeles Police Department (2016). Gangs. Retrieved April 29, 2016 from  http://www.lapdonline.org/get_informed/content_basic_view/1396

Gang Violence Prevention

Gang Violence

Study of each and every society around the world gives us a phenomenon, which indicates at a certain graph related to organized crime. American society has long been associated with such a vice, and there have been many unearths made in this direction. There has been a lot of study and research associated with fact that how these gangs formed and what is the major motivational factor behind such activities. Several studies in this regard have brought forward certain phenomenon which forms the basis of gang formations and majority of which is related to unsatisfied social structure. These gangs are formed in the societies, which are highly disintegrated and have developed into individually functioning micro units. Extensive liberalization of political policies and the general promotion of individualistic approach towards life in most countries have motivated certain individuals in direction of organized crime, and this is…

Bibliography

Alleyne, E., & Wood, J. (2010). Gang involvement: Psychological and behavioral characteristics of gang members, peripheral youth and non-gang youth. University of Kent. Retrieved from:  https://kar.kent.ac.uk/27523/2/Gang_involvement_-_Revised2_ACCEPTED_by_Aggressive_bevhavior.pdf 

Donnellan, M.B., Trzesniewski, K.H., Robins, R.W., Moffitt, T.E., & Caspi, A. (2005).Low self-esteem is related to aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency. Psychological Science, 16, 328-355.

Dukes, R.L., Martinez, R.O., & Stein, J.A. (1997).Precursors and consequences of membership in youth gangs. Youth and Society, 29, 139-165.

Esbensen, F-A., Winfree, L.T., Jr., He, N., & Taylor, T.J. (2001). Youth gangs and definitional issues: When is a gang, and why does it matter? Crime and Delinquency, 47, 105-130

gangs of New York film

Gangs of New York" is a chronological film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is film that blend well with the novel "The Gangs of New York," written by Herbert Asbury (Asbury). The film narrates using commended historical precision, the Five Points district of New York City during the mid-19th century (Gilfoyle 620). This film includes, among other issues, a precise depiction of the grueling socio-political environment of the Five Points; at the same time accentuating on the extensive injustices and harassment caused by this society.

Gangs of New York - Executive summary

The film Gangs of New York has a high level of racism, war, and political corruption. The production of this film occurs between 1846 and 1862. The story narrates about the issues surrounding the Irish immigrants and the Americans citizens who take the name of the Native Americans. Amsterdam Vallon comes back to…

Local Gangs

Part I Research Process

Using the Internet Explorer search engine, "ergen County Passaic County" was typed in. It returned no results for any gang issues. The search terms, "ergen county Passaic County gang issues in local community" was entered. It returned the results on an article, "State police survey shows gang activity in all N.J. counties" (Fabiano, 2011). The article named ergen County as one in nine counties with higher than average gang presence. The article also talked about law enforcement officials questioning the results of the survey based on the results not adding up to the number of arrests that were gang related. And, another problem of a significant population of illegal immigrants staying isolated from police and being a breeding ground for gangs.

The search terms, "New Jersey gang statistics" was entered. It returned the 2007 State police survey that compared data to the 2004 survey…

Bibliography

New Jersey Announces Gang Suppression Initiative Through Stepped Up Enforcement and Awareness Efforts. (2001, Nov 16). Retrieved from New Jersey's Online Gang Free Community:  http://www.njgangfree.org/gang-news/launch1116.htm 

Gangs in New Jersey: Municipal Law Enforcement Response to 2007 NJSP Gang Survey. (2007). Retrieved from New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety:  http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/njgangsurvey-2007.pdf 

Gangs in New Jersey: Municipal Law Enforcement Response to the 2010 NJSP Gang Survey. (2010). Retrieved from New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety:  http://www.njsp.org/infor/pdf./gangs_in_nj_2010.pdf 

Fabiano, G. & . (2011, Jan 28). State police survey shows gang activity in all N.J. counties. Retrieved from NewJersey.com:  http://www.northjersey.com/news/012811_State_police_survey_shows_gang_activity_in_all_NJ_counties.html

Government

Since gang-related crimes fall within the jurisdiction of state, this research will give an insight on the need to find solutions that increasingly include all levels of government. Congress needs to pass legislation that will change immigration enforcement laws and make more aliens deportable. In addition, the federal government should take a more active participation in helping local and state jurisdictions develop anti-gang responses. The local, state and federal governments must take a stand, and combine forces to combat the immigration problem that continue to plague this country into the next generation.

Importance of the Study

The die has been cast, there is no turning the clock back now and the Mara Salvatrucha and 18th Street Gang have established themselves in the United States and far beyond. The origins of the current situation with MS-13 and the 18th Street Gang date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s…

References

Armstrong, W. (2009, February 16). 'Sanctuary cities' protect murderous illegal aliens. Human Events, 64(37), 8.

Bansal, M. (2006) Chertoff: Street Gangs a Threat to National. Retrieved November 12,

2006 from  http://www.CNSNews.com .

Barber, B. (1996). Jihad vs. McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism are Reshaping the World. New York: Ballantine Book.

MS-13 -- the focus of a nationwide crackdown by FBI and federal immigration agents -- has become known in recent years for home invasion robberies, drug dealing and machete attacks on its enemies. however, after the sweeping chaos across America, the FBI has heightened concerns that MS-13 could be far more dangerous than thought.

Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, continues to expand its influence in the United States. FBI investigations reveal that it is present in almost every state and continues to grow its membership, now targeting younger recruits more than ever before.

To counteract this growth, the FBI formed the MS-13 National Gang Task Force in December 2004. Based at FBI Headquarters, this intelligence-driven task force combines the expertise, resources, and jurisdiction of federal agencies that investigate this violent international street gang. It focuses on maximizing the flow of information and intelligence, coordinating investigations nationally and internationally, and helping state…

Reference:

Electronic visa application begins for visa waiver countries. (2009). Foreign Policy Bulletin, 19(1), 40-57. doi:10.1017/S1052703609000525

Boatright, L.R. (2006). "Clear eye for the state guy": Clarifying authority and trusting federalism to increase nonfederal assistance with immigration enforcement*. Texas Law Review, 84(6), 1633-1674. Retrieved from  http://search.proquest.com/docview/203710946?accountid=34899 

Donohue, L.K. (2006). Anglo-american privacy and surveillance. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 96(3), 1059-1208. Retrieved from  http://search.proquest.com/docview/218394830?accountid=34899 

Hamm, M.S. (2009). Prison islam in the age of sacred terror. The British Journal of Criminology, 49(5), 667-685. doi:10.1093/bjc/azp035

Juvenile Gangs

Gangs have been thorns on the flesh of the citizens of the United States no wonder they have occupied a prominent position in American criminological literature. Gang wars between the Crips and the Bloods in Los Angeles are testament to the gang culture among certain communities in the United States. As opposed to the Dutch youth who are interested in music and romance of the West Side Story, especially the video clips and compact disc with gangster rap, the Americans juveniles appear to have negative associations (Klein, 2001). The language of the youngsters perceived to be engaging in juvenile gang activities is characterized by hyperbole and contains refers to competition and violence. The youth style personified by rappers like Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. who appeared to talk about the hard life in their neighborhoods referred to juvenile gangs. This research paper seeks to review literature on criminal…

References List

Defleur, L.B. (1967). Delinquent Gangs in Cross-Cultural Perspective: the Case of Cordoba.

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 4(1), 132-141.

Flores, J.R. (2006). Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report. Retrieved from  http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED495786.pdf 

Klein, M. (2001). The Eurogang Paradox: Street Gangs and Youth Groups in the U.S. And Europe. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

al, 1994). Furthermore, the role of police in a community has to change from merely trying to suppress gang activity to actively trying to prevent gang activity. (Spergel, et. al, 1994).

The proliferation of gangs is one of the most pressing social problems facing modern America. While the primary purpose of gangs may be to engage in criminal activity, they serve other social functions that attract teens as gang members. Each teen who becomes involved in a gang runs a significant risk of not being able to participate in normal, non-criminal society. Therefore, it is important to understand how teens become involved in gangs and to focus efforts on prevention. Although no one theory seems capable of entirely explaining how and why teens become involved in gangs, the various criminological theories and the social disorganization theory are capable of giving insight into why children feel attracted to gangs. These theories…

References

Cantillon, D., Davidson, W., & Schweitzer, J. (2003). Measuring community social organization: sense of community as a mediator in social disorganization theory.

Journal of Criminal Justice, 31, 321-339.

Jones, D. et al. (2004). Street gangs: a review of theory, interventions, and implications for corrections. Ottawa: Research Branch Correctional Service of Canada.

National Youth Gang Center. (2006). National youth gang survey analysis. Retrieved November 2, 2006 from National Youth Gang Center

Girls and Gangs

When people think of gangs and gangsters, they often think of young males. While females may be part of gang culture, they are often viewed as being in the periphery. In many ways, this view of female gang membership is correct. For example, females that are affiliated with gangs have oftentimes been reduced to sexual objections, being used for the gratification of gang members, as a way to lure new recruits (Firmin 2009, p. 15). Furthermore, female sexuality has traditionally been seen as a way to ensnare rival gang members, so that female gang members and females associated with gangs have often acted as spies infiltrating rival gang networks (Aabbad 2012, p.272). However, the traditional view of girls as sexual accessories and playthings for gang members does not reflect the reality of the modern-day gang situation. While women still face significant marginalization and sexual violence within the…

Contemporary Wales, vol. 22, no.1, pp.178-195.

Young, T. 2009. 'Girls and gangs: Shemale gangsters in the UK?', Youth Justice, vol. 9, no.3,

pp. 224-238.

There are many factors that are not dealt with within the ambit of the theory; for example the extent to which the Hispanic culture has become a part of the mainstream culture. Therefore there are many critics of this theory who believe that it is an oversimplification of the reality on the ground. "Many scholars of criminology, however, believe the alien conspiracy theory is an oversimplification of the very complex and multi-ethnic nature of crime..." (Historical interpretations on Prohibition and organized crime)

3. Conclusion

In the final analysis Hispanic street gangs are a phenomenon that is strongly related to ethnic and social factors and to the way that the individual perceives of him or herself in relation to the larger society. While both ational Choice Theory and Alien Conspiracy Theory can explain aspects of the Hispanic gang phenomenon, they often do not account for all the factors affecting Hispanic street…

References

Arfaniarromo, A. (2001). Toward a Psychosocial and Sociocultural Understanding of Achievement Motivation among Latino Gang Members in U.S. Schools. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 28(3), 123. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000891430 

Boose, D.W. (2003). Rethinking the Korean War. Parameters, 33(4), 175+. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002573236 

Coughlin, B.C., & Venkatesh, S.A. (2003). The Urban Street Gang after 1970. 41+.

Duffy, M.P. & Gillig, S.E. (Eds.). (2004). Teen Gangs: A Global View. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=107029652

Motorcycle Gangs

Is it a gang or is it a club? How did it form and why? What does it take to become a member and what are the reasons? These are all important questions to anyone interested in knowing more about motorcycle gangs/clubs. At the very start, one must decide whether to consider the organization a gang or a club.

The definition of an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang interpreted by a recent Canadian Court Decision: Court File No.45646/92 and published in the Blue Line Magazine Feb 1998 is as follows:

They are often used interchangeably with the term "one percenter"

The 1% symbol is commonly displayed on tattoos by members, or on gang colors

Love of the motorcycle, especially the Harley-Davidson

Paramilitary in nature involved in crime close-knit fraternal organization

The definition continues at length, but one is able to perceive the direction of its intent. A gang is not…

References

Blue Line Magazine. Police Motorcycle Gangs - Are They Righteous Outlaws?

As retrieved June 11, 2004 at http://www.law-enforcement-ethics.com/article_archives/Police%20motorcycle%20Gangs.pdfPublished Feb 98 Blue Line Magazine

Glory Riders Christian Motorcycle Ministry as retrieved June 11, 2004 at  http://www.gloryriders.com/membership.html 

Motorcycle Club Colors as retrieved June 11, 2004 at http://www.arnie.co.uk/colours/htmpages 1-4.

S. And maintain approximately as many members (both domestically and abroad) as the Hell's Angels. Their criminal activities are more focused on the manufacturing, distribution, and sales of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamines. The banditos use "puppet" or minor affiliate clubs who are not themselves Banditos but operate with the Banditos' authority and conduct some the parent club's criminal activities on their behalf.

Conclusion:

In the modern era, widespread crackdowns and joint operations initiated by state and federal law enforcement authorities and legislative tools such as the federal acketeer Influenced and Corruption Organizations (ICO) Act have greatly reduced the influence of the Italian Mafia/LCN in American society but organized crime still persists, even if on a much smaller scale than half a century ago. However, whereas the power and reach of LCN has been greatly reduced, a significant influx of newer criminal enterprises has filled much of the gap vacated in…

References

Henslin, J. (2002). Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Macionis, J. (2003). Sociology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Pinizzotto, a., Davis, E., and Miller, C. "Street Gang Mentality: A Mosaic of Remorseless Violence and Relentless Loyalty." FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,

September 2007: 1-7.

Young people growing up in Compton, East Los Angeles, and other communities with high rates of poverty, social disorganization, and anomie are exposed to a number of risk factors that are conducive to gang membership. Those risk factors include "poverty, immigration, discrimination, social isolation, limited educational opportunities, low parental monitoring, drug use," and some degree of positive reinforcement for gang membership (Freng & Taylor, n.d., p. 135). Moreover, gangs have historically been entrenched in Los Angeles, and some contemporary gangs can trace their historical roots to the early 20th century, which imbues those social organizations with a relatively high social status coupled with nostalgia and family pressures. esearch has shown that tradition plays an important role in multigenerational gangs in that "the long history of multigenerational gangs, coupled with parents' former involvement with the same neighborhood gangs, brings a sense of tradition to the gangs," ("Gangs, Family, and the Gang…

References

Cahill, et al. (2015). Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program. Retrieved online:  http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000622-Evaluation-of-the-Los-Angeles-Gang-Reduction-and-Youth-Development-Program-Year-4-Evaluation-Report.pdf 

Freng, A. & Taylor, T.J. (n.d.). Race and ethnicity: what are their roles in gang membership? United States Department of Justice. Retrieved online:  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/243474.pdf 

"Gangs, Family, and the Gang as Family," (n.d.). Retreived online:  http://family.jrank.org/pages/674/Gangs-Family-Gangs-Gang-Family.html 

Hoover, M. (1999). Where all the madness began. 28 May, 1999. Retrieved online:  https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/poverty_prejudice/gangcolor/madness.htm

Career Development Program Juveniles in Gangs

The intervention plan provides various professional and organizational insights on the program and facilitation service. The program recognizes the relevance of initiating capacity, professionalism and skills of the persons involved while contributing towards the achievement of the strategic priorities and goals. The programs provide consultative information and services for the units of planning, team development and implementation of change processes (Bradshaw, et al., 2013). The system coordinates training in the correctional units. The medium-term goals of the project include providing advice and support for the application and development of staff and organizational development initiatives. The suite of program components will build on professional capabilities, leadership and management skills, organizational knowledge and team performance and development.

Literature eview

Various authors have literature on correctional systems. The practical approaches in gang situations include the need to address service delivery problems. The programs involve different stakeholders and…

References

Anonymous, (2004). Gangs and Delinquency in Developmental Perspective. Adolescence, vol. 39, (153): 187

Bradshaw, C. P. et al., (2013). Bullies, Gangs, Drugs, and School: Understanding the Overlap and the Role of Ethnicity and Urbanicity. J Youth Adolescence. Vol. 42:220-234

Holder, Jr., E. H., Robinson, L. O. & Slowikowski, J. (2010). Best Practices to Address community Gang Problems: OJJDP's Comprehensive Gang Model. National Gang Center

Koffman, S., et al., (2009). The impact of a Comprehensive Whole Child Intervention and Prevention Program among Youths at Risk of Gang Involvement and Other Forms of Delinquency. Children & Schools, vol. 31(4):239-244

2. Challenging state legitimacy -- Transnational maras are a significant threat to the authority of legitimate governments. This is especially true in areas where the legitimate authorities are weak or plagued by corruption. It can result in the decreased ability of the government to maintain necessary functions, services, and goods to the public.

3. Acting as surrogate governments -- Transnational maras can completely supplant the legitimate authorities in some regions. In those situations, they establish their own local rules and extort taxes and protection money from the local population.

4. Dominating black market business -- Transnational maras can take over the economic sector by establishing their own businesses, in which case they compete unfairly with legitimate businesses by intimidating them and because they do not have to pay taxes or comply with any of the other restrictions and legal requirements that legitimate businesses must respect.

5. Infiltrating public sector and…

Murder Inc. by Graham K. Bell
 

Book Summary

Starting from the 1920s, the American crime landscape underwent a complete transformation under an all-star gang of thugs, garrotters, and snipers. Ethnic and religious diversity was evident in its members. A majority of them hailed from New York City itself, chosen from its toughest neighborhoods, including Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and Flushing. The exorbitant amount of crime they perpetrated led the media to name them "Murder, Inc.."This merciless gang, considered the innovation of Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and other elderly gangsters, was quick to catch the entire nation's attention, and made headlines across the country for more than twenty years. Graham Bell highlights the sinister history of the most infamous Mafia crime organization, including the men's identities and the forging of their partnership (Arcadia Publishing, 2010).

The media labeled 1930s-40s organized crime gangs "Murder, Inc.."These gangs were said to work on behalf…