Gang Violence Essay

Furthermore, the book, Youth Gangs in American Society by Randall Shelden, Sharon Tracy, and William Brown (2013) discusses several theories about why people join gangs. One theory that I think especially fits the explanation as to why people join gangs, with regards to this book, is the control/social bond theory. Shelden et al define control/social bong theory as “when a youth’s, bonds or ties, to society are weak or broken, especially with family, school and other institutions, when this occurs, a youth is apt to seek bonds with other groups, including gangs, in order to get his or her needs met”(p 193). I think so many groups in society let this boy down in My Bloody Life, including his family, the school system and even the police. Consequently with his ties to society so weak, he reached out to a gang that gave him a sense of comfort and belonging.

Throughout the Viking Age countries such as Iceland and Greenland were discovered and settlements were established. The Viking responsible for discovering Greenland and developing settlements was named Erik the Red. Like his father before him whom had been banned form Norway, Erik the Red was banished from Iceland around 985 A.D, after killing another person (Klein). The hereditary outlaw journeyed west of Iceland where he discovered the unsettled land of Greenland. This brought the Vikings a step closer to discovering North America.

The absent of a male role model in the home, some feel rejected by family as well as neglected. So they seek the attention elsewhere. Most join gangs to feel wanted, secure. If the family characteristics of little communication, set rules, punishment and other parental duties were taken serious, their youth will less likely to join a gang. Gang members may only associate with the ones who will accept them in behaviors, value and goals. Children that are not supervised are higher in their adolescence years to seek social interest in their peers that seems to have more fun in a gang. This turns out to be not so much fun when they do criminal activities. (.nationalgangcenter)

What ever happened to kids wanting saying they wanted to be a police officer, fireman, doctor or teacher when they grow up? Does anyone ever say, when I grow up I want to be in a gang? According to the National Gang Threat Assessment there are over one million gang members in California and over forty percent are under the age of eighteen. Just in Fresno alone there are over twelve thousand gang members and over 500 gangs (Overend). Gang violence is a growing problem and if we don’t try to control it now it will be a bigger problem in the future.

Alleyne, Emma & Wood, Jane L., (2011). Gang Involvement: Social and Environment Factors. Crime and Delinquency 60 (4) 547-568.

Youth gangs in Canada is becoming more and more of issue. Adolescents across Canada resort to joining youth gangs for many different reasons. A youth gang is a group of young adolescents who use intimidation and violence to gain prestige among other gangs and control certain areas of unlawful activities. For all the reasons an adolescent would join a youth gang, police and the Government have come up with programs to prevent youth from joining and to get them to leave the gangs. With programs involving prevention, intervention, and suppression, the Canadian Government is adequately addressing youth gangs within Canada.

Data shows that in 1990, there were a total of 1.492 gang related homicides in a spam of only 408 cities; and from 1996-1998 there was approximately 1,204 homicides per year within 237 cities.What makes the youth so attracted to gang affiliations? Most theories have failed to target the reasons as to why individuals join gangs. However, there has been research that young adults whom join a gang, lack some of these five stages; physiological, personal safely, feeling love and “belonging”, low self-esteem, and self-actualization. When individuals join these gangs, “fulfill” all of these characteristics. Once associated, members receive shelter and food. In their eyes, gangs are viewed as sororities, where they know if anything happens to one of their members there will be protection from the others. With that being said, self-esteem and self-actualization naturally come about, bringing personal satisfaction. Most members are those with poor family network, low net-income, leading to devoting their time to the streets. Much of these has to do with the social network from these children and are often lured into these

Gang involvement and its associated violent crime have become a rapidly growing problem for the United States. Generally, gangs consist of young people of the same ethnic, racial, and economic background. Usually of a low socio-economic status, these gangs engage in illegal money making activities and intimidate their neighborhoods and rival gangs with violent crimes and victimization. Gang members exemplify a high value for group loyalty and sacrifice.

but you may also see strange writing below it. They say to other gangs that

gang members or to rival gangs. These signs say we are number one, or Power.

The purpose of this paper is to review and verify a recent study by Scott H. Decker of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, entitled Collective and Normative Features in Gang Violence (Decker & VanWinkle, 1996). The study will attempt to address why our local increase in gang violence has reached monumental heights causing an increase in gang members appearing your court.

At the age of just four, Cesar witnessed a group of men in his tiny hometown killing his father. He was a teenager when he says the same group of men began to threaten his older brother. When he was 17 he got tired of hiding in his house, Cesar left the war ridden Honduras behind and set out for the U.S.“I wanted to escape all of that,” he said. “You arrive at a point where you can take no more.”

Gangs are becoming prevalent in today’s society and within our schools. More and more young people are turning to gangs in an attempt to escape their everyday lives and the future, which they perceive as dismal and bleak. They are initially attracted to the prestige and cash flow, which is glamorized by the street gang. Many gangs are actively involved in criminal misconduct, such as drug and gun trafficking, burglaries and homicides. However, street gangs are not just a criminal justice issue, but a social problem, which is triggered by poverty, peer pressure, boredom, despair and lacking a sense of belonging.

In society most people feel safe and do not have a sense of urgency that something appalling will transpire around them. Although these people may hear about the surplus of current events going on around the world today that may be abysmal they tend to not care because they perceive that it will not arise around their home. Gang violence in youths is a prominent problem around numerous portions of the world today. Youths are forced to go along with the engagements taken place in the gang which can be cataclysmic to society and themselves. The life of a youth and their family can be altered by just one simple decision to join a gang, put many people in danger of being hurt, however there are still many workable solutions to put these

In society today, there is a major problem We live in a society where gangs are taking over our neighborhoods in numbers. It is the responsibility of the individuals to part take in getting their neighborhoods back under control. Gangs are becoming a growing problem in American society. More young people are turning to gangs to solve problems in their lives or for acceptance. When youths join gangs, they drop all their social activities with school, family, and friends. However, individuals ruin their lives, and the chances of them having a decent education, and a successful life by getting involved in gang activity.