Free essay on a guide to understanding street gangs

Question 1

Gangs began to emerge along racial and ethnic lines. The gangs became organized and had an ethnic identity when committing crimes. The Irish were among the gangs that first emerged in the society followed Germans, Italians and Jewish gangs. These gangs are seen industrialized Cities of United States and other Countries with Industrialized Cites. These Cities are challenged with several issues that include a considerable number of minority groups. They are also challenged by social policies that have failed when it comes to implementing the policies for the poor.
The society has passed the responsibility to the authority and the social justice system to deal with criminal activities. These gangs are more prevalent in the United States than in other country. They are often larger and complicated than in most other nations. Gangs evolve all the time, and they are influential in the society. These gangs are created as a result of social rejection and rapid urban sprawl. Some of the gangs were created as a result of social injustices such as racism.
The existence of these gangs has impacted the society in several ways. It has led to stereotyping of some ethnic groups such as blacks in most American societies. The black population has increasingly been associated with crimes. The politics, personal identity and mental health of societal groups are associated with gangs. Statistics from the national gang threat assessment indicates that most gang activities are related to drug trafficking activities. The gangs continue to pose a serious threat to various communities all over the United States.
Gang members continue to threaten communities in the suburbs as they migrate from urban areas. The gangs are responsible for increasing criminal activities and increased rate of crime in the country (Burfeind & Bartusch, 2011). Criminal gangs are also involved in the immigration of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This leads to population increase that leads to a strain in resource allocation and acquisition.

Question 2

According to a survey carried out in the year 2007, gang groups are found in every part of the country (Valdez, 2009). Different ethnic groups are also represented with the Latino leading the list of gang members. Statistics also show that most youths between the ages of ten and seventeen are members of a gang group. There is a direct relationship between social and political efforts and the reduction of gang populations and activities. There are efforts by government agencies to reduce criminal activities perpetrated by gang members.
The institutions have incorporated the efforts of societal groups in order to ensure that they reach communities and individual families. This creates a positive impact to the society due to the reduction in the number of gang groups and members. Political players have also made an effort to create awareness and empower youth to shun the gang groups. Institutions have also played a significant role in the reduction of gang membership in collaboration with politicians. The effective process and management of the efforts to clamp down on the prevalence of gangs by society (Valdez, 2009). Educational intuitions have also made substantial efforts in controlling gang prevalence and empowerment of youths.

Question 3

There is a defined classification system within correctional systems that are used within the criminal justice system. This is essential in the management of the institutions. Correctional facilities in the United States have a number of gang groups that dominate activities in the society. Statistics show that more than one percent of teenagers have joined gang groups (Valdez, 2009). The response between the correctional facilities is different from law enforcement agencies (Eide & Nikunen, 2011). Law enforcement agencies have different responses and definitions of gangs and gang groups.
Law enforcers are concerned that any definition that is provided for gangs should hold in court. The gang threat response is based on the emphasis on intelligence gathering in justice systems. This intelligence gathering is attributed to the response to the gang threat in the society. The response attributed to law enforcement refers to the formation of alliance for a common purpose. This view is equal to the response in correctional facilities. Many gangs identify with control of territories within a community so as to engage individually or collectively in violent activities.
Gang groups can activities encompass different activities and aspects including lifestyle and other lifestyle avenues. Some gangs are secretive in their operations while others are private in nature such that they carry out recruitment of members. Some gangs have roles and goals that control leadership structures of various gangs. Authorities that are associated with gang groups have leadership structures that are applied in their leadership processes. Most gangs are concerned about the welfare of their gang members as they ensure that most of their social needs are fulfilled.
The gangs plan and provide economic services to their members. These gangs pursue and manage their member’s needs regardless of whether the activity is legal or not. All these are actions that are performed in response to the law enforcement agencies. Most gangs are involved in delinquent activities and values that include consistent negative responses from communities. Most communities come to see the gangs as a nuisance to the society (Eide & Nikunen, 2011). The cultures and lifestyles that the gangs live include patterns that are related to conducting the beliefs, values and skills in personal skills.
It is essential to understand the basis of gang ownership in analyzing gang responses. This corresponds to questions in asking why some youths are motivated to join gangs. Most of those who work with gangs have at one point had the opportunity to deal gangs in their experiences. Some of those who are who join gangs are for the benefits they get from gangs (Valdez, 2009). Some youths derive several from the gangs including security, status, money and excitement. In return, they are willing to do anything for the gang in order to have their place as essential members of the gangs. The gangs generate income from illegal activities like drug dealing and extortion activities. The youths who belong to a gang or group feel a sense of power and control in certain territories. They feel they have jurisdiction over other people and acquire a sense of power when they exercise their gang given authorities.

Question 4

Culture and ethnicity provide enable an environment where members of feel trusted and due to the comfort of their ethnicity. The communication between gang members is believed to be secure and efficient. As a result, some the gangs that are dominated by specific ethnic groups become competitive to outdo other gangs. Research findings indicate that there are other essential factors that are needed for the success of ethnic gangs (Valdez, 2009). There are several classifications that have been identified with organized crime. Some of these categories are Colombian drug traffickers, Japanese mafia, Italia mafia and African American drug traffickers (Valdez, 2009). Most of these gangs have specific geographical areas maked as their territory.
Their drug gangs are found in many cities around in United States. The gangs are subdivided into smaller groups with unified organization and communication. They focus on their main business which is marketing and selling drugs. They have roles and rules by which they operate. Their code of loyalty that was part of the oath administered ensures that competition is controlled in the business.
Organized crime has been a recurrent phenomenon over the years, and it has been evident among different gangs. Different ethnic groups have different rules that they apply in their leadership structures. A group such as the Mexican drug dealers is strict about their membership and operations. In order to become a member of such a group, one ought to fulfill certain requirements to qualify as a member. An oath is administered to ensure that the new member would not reveal their secrets. The administration of an oath ensures that the new members operate as the rules and regulations of the gangs.
Rebellion is not tolerated in the gangs as any one suspected to rebel will face the repercussions. The rebels would be faced with torturers experiences and would go to an extreme of death. This occurs in the event that the gang leaders feel threatened by the activities of some of their members who may become influential after some time. The organized crimes of these gangs are atrocious as there are instances where they commit heinous crimes against rival gangs. Their animosity is visible especially when they feel that a rival gang is about to take over business. Organized crime is rampant in their territories and law enforcement agencies are challenged in taking care of them.
There are instances where the groups are seen to engage the police in street battles for control of territory. Sometimes the gangs are forced to kill corrupt members of law enforcement agencies. This is sometimes viewed as a sign of impunity when the can easily attack police stations and cause mayhem. Most gangs operate in the same manner especially when it comes to enforcement of their rules and regulations. Drug dealers are also likely to be involved in money laundering in order to finance their businesses.
African American gangs are known to take part in money laundering activities. They have secluded areas that are marked as their territories that they closely guard against intrusion of the enemy (Valdez, 2009). Recruitment of new members is done selectively based on track record or criminal activities. Once one is identified as a useful candidate, he or she is recruited and assigned a role to play. Oath is also administered to ensure that the new members maintain secrecy of their illegal activities. In the instance a member violates their agreed code of operation the member is likely to be hunted down and silenced or killed.
Organized crime among African American gang groups involves bank robberies and money laundering. The gangs operate in a defined chain of command where information flows in a hierarchical order. The chain of command is hierarchical and the members at the bottom of the command are responsible for the actual execution of the activities. The gangs have a rule that intruders on their territory would be wiped out to avoid unnecessary competition.

Question 5

Most gangs are dominated by male members, and it is difficult to spot female members in gangs. There is an increasing trend of the inclusion of females in gangs. A recent research indicates that female membership in gangs is on the rise and is predicted to keep rising. Law enforcement agencies have identified different gangs that attract female members. These groups include money launderer and drug traffickers who use women to traffic their products. This is attributed to the fact that women are not easily suspected to be drug traffickers.
Research also indicates that females are the fasted growing group of offenders in the society. It also shows that most offenses are committed by female perpetrators. Female members of these gangs perform certain functions that include sexual favors (Valdez, 2009). Some females have found the need to perform other tasks including taking part in actual robberies. Some females continue to take more responsibilities and roles to attain independence. The gangs have international ties that enable them transact businesses internationally.
Some gangs have opted to create a corresponding gang that is comprised of female members who operate concurrently with males. They are seen as associates who are tasked with special responsibilities. These responsibilities are such as hiding weapons and drugs that are trafficked to other locations. Gangs that are wholly comprised of females are rare and are not of great concern to law enforcement agencies. Sometimes the law enforcers have difficulty identifying females in gang groups.
The females are likely to get away with some criminal activities because they are not easy to suspect (Valdez, 2009). They are often viewed as the weaker sex who is incapable of taking part in organized crime. Some of the criminal activities that the criminal activities that the females in organized crimes are involved in include drug trafficking. The activities that the females are involved in are just similar to the ones that the males are performing. They operate with the same seriousness and rules as the males and have rules for the recruitment of their members.
Female members who violate the rules of their engagement are punished just as the male members in gangs. Female see themselves as able members of gangs and can be independent and responsible in their own way. They prefer doing it on their own, and they are recruiting their own members to rival male gangs. This has changed the efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat the gang activities (Valdez, 2009). Initially, females were not considered as a threat in the security of the society, and they were given much priority.
Law enforcement agencies have to restructure their strategies in order to combat the rising of female membership in gangs. There is a need to create centers that can be utilized to empower females. These centers would be used to help identify the females that are involved in gang activities and combat the rise. It is difficult to clamp down on the gangs with female members because of their anonymous nature and lack of identity.

References

Burfeind, J. W., & Bartusch, D. J. (2011). Juvenile delinquency: An integrated approach. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Eide, E., & Nikunen, K. (2011). Media in motion: Cultural complexity and migration in the Nordic region. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate Pub.
Valdez, A. (2009). Gangs: A guide to understanding street gangs. San Clemente, Calif.: Law Tech Publishing.