Free Essays on Gangs

"Once inside, I was walked through a gauntlet of desperate men. Their hot smell in the muggy corridor was as foul as their appearance. None of them seemed to have a full set of front teeth. Many bore prominently displayed tattoos of skulls or demons. One could argue whether it was the look of these men that led them to prison or whether it was the prison that gave them their look. Just looking at them made me fear for my life" (Hassine, 7). Most inmates in correctional facilities felt the way that Victor Hassine felt on his first day in a correctional facility in Pennsylvania called Graterford State Prison. New inmates are seen as "fresh meat". They fear their life. Most of these inmates find sanctuary in gangs. Inmates join gangs for protection. Gangs in correctional facilities are more of a necessity, unlike street gangs. People don't need a gang to survive in the street because there are other ways one can find help, a family, protection, belongingness, etc. But in correctional facilities one's outlets are limited. One's preoccupation in jail is survival, which leads inmates to change their habits, personality, and even their values. Living in an environment where "an unexpected smile could mean trouble, a man in uniform is not a friend, being kind is a weakness, and eye contact is a threat" doesn't leave one much of a choice, does it? There are numerous gangs in correctional facilities but among the most common are the Latin Kings, Five Percent Nation, and the Netas. Some gangs in these facilities are extensions of neighborhood street gangs. Their names are based on their urban location, like the 21st and Norris Gang, the 60th and Market Gang, and the 10th Street Gang in Philadelphia. There are also less common prison gangs like Los Solidos, Latin Locos, G27, Nation, Brotherhood, Elm City Boys, 20 Luv, and Esses. White gangs almost always originate in prison and are a minority. They a... Free Essays on Gangs Free Essays on Gangs The book that I chose to read was a book called â€Å"Gangs† by a woman named Karen L. Kinnear. I chose this book for one simple reason, the tag at the bottom of the front cover. The tag on the cover says Contemporary World Issues. I wanted to read something that was current in today’s society and it was something that is pretty familiar to many young black men these days. If black men are not involved in gangs then they are very knowledgeable about them. This book talked about what gangs are, who joins gangs and why, and many other facets involving gangs. According to the book, a gang is very difficult to define. This is so because of the questions proposed. One question that was asked was if a gang is just a group of people who hang around each other. Then another question that was asked was if adults in a group could be classified as a gang. Then it was asked if the group has to be involved in some kind of criminal behavior. All these questions make it obvious to see that gangs plague today’s society to a point that we can not even put a definition on what a gang really is. According to this book by Karen Kinnear, defining gangs is often a political issue that reflects the interests and agendas of the various individuals and agencies involved with gangs. These individuals and agencies would happen to be law-enforcement personnel, politicians, advocates, social workers, the media, and researchers. After reading this part, I was highly shocked at how true that really was, and I really never recognized that until readin g it here in this book. The definition of a gang has changed from each person who defines it to the next. A researcher named Frederic Thrasher decided to offer his definition in the year of 1927. He said that a gang â€Å"is an interstitial group, originally formed spontaneously, and then integrated through conflict. It is characterized by the following types of behavior; meeting face to face, milling,... Free Essays on Gangs Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today's cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long-range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings' personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of the media, the government, theatre, drugs and our economic system. On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Money is also a crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that s/he could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that children’s morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom. Since no one can completely turn off their minds, these children must be learning something while watching the television. Few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown from a gang's perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang existence as accepta... Free Essays on Gangs Gangs have been and will always be a part of society, They have in one form or another been around for hundreds of years. For example pirates were in some way or another a form of an organized gang. The groups that traditionally come to mind when one thinks of modern day gangs are the Crips and the Bloods from California, and the people Folk originating from Chicargo. The origins of the Crips and Bloods can be traced to the late 60's, and the gang culture is so ingrained on the west coast that many families have three and even four generations of gangsters residing in the same residence. The people Folks started out in the late 70 and early 80’s Depending on whose figures you listen to (some officials have a tendency to downsize the numbers). As of January, 1993, L.A. gangs set’s numbered between 800 and 1000, with anywhere from 120,000 to 220,000 members. These numbers are often debated, and depending on whose criteria is used to decide who is and is not a gangbang er. The figures could be considerably higher. This paper will elaborate on some of the facts surrounding Juvenile gangs. Over the past several years we have seen a increase in the number of juvenile crimes and juveniles joining organized gangs. These juveniles are not only joining at a younger age but are committing more violent crimes then there antecedent. What makes these young men and women decide to participate in the violent and often deadly crimes of gangs? Why would a youngster be so eager to submit himself or herself to the torture of initiation or risk there life by having sex with a known person that’s HIV positive? Although varies regions of the country may have different meanings or definition for the term "gang member" a good description for a gang can be found in the November 1991 issue of school safety update published by Pepperdine University’s National School Safety Center, it defines a gang as "A group of three or more individuals with... Free Essays on Gangs Gangs Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today's cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings' personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several institutions. These include the forces of the media, the government, theater, drugs and our economic system. On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Money is also an crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10 year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that s/he could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom. Since nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang's perspective. To a child this portrays a violent gang existence as acceptable. 'The Ends Justifies the Means' mentality is also t... Free Essays on Gangs "Once inside, I was walked through a gauntlet of desperate men. Their hot smell in the muggy corridor was as foul as their appearance. None of them seemed to have a full set of front teeth. Many bore prominently displayed tattoos of skulls or demons. One could argue whether it was the look of these men that led them to prison or whether it was the prison that gave them their look. Just looking at them made me fear for my life" (Hassine, 7). Most inmates in correctional facilities felt the way that Victor Hassine felt on his first day in a correctional facility in Pennsylvania called Graterford State Prison. New inmates are seen as "fresh meat". They fear their life. Most of these inmates find sanctuary in gangs. Inmates join gangs for protection. Gangs in correctional facilities are more of a necessity, unlike street gangs. People don't need a gang to survive in the street because there are other ways one can find help, a family, protection, belongingness, etc. But in correctional facilities one's outlets are limited. One's preoccupation in jail is survival, which leads inmates to change their habits, personality, and even their values. Living in an environment where "an unexpected smile could mean trouble, a man in uniform is not a friend, being kind is a weakness, and eye contact is a threat" doesn't leave one much of a choice, does it? There are numerous gangs in correctional facilities but among the most common are the Latin Kings, Five Percent Nation, and the Netas. Some gangs in these facilities are extensions of neighborhood street gangs. Their names are based on their urban location, like the 21st and Norris Gang, the 60th and Market Gang, and the 10th Street Gang in Philadelphia. There are also less common prison gangs like Los Solidos, Latin Locos, G27, Nation, Brotherhood, Elm City Boys, 20 Luv, and Esses. White gangs almost always originate in prison and are a minority. They a... Free Essays on Gangs GANGS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON FAMILIES Introduction The aim or objective of this paper is to thoroughly report on why individuals join gangs and how gang membership can put people’s friends, family and even themselves in jeopardy of being seriously injured or killed. The researcher is aiming towards a few topics on this paper such as gang membership, graffiti, violence and vandalism, and spreading gangs. Most people do not realize or do not know how dangerous gangs can be and this can lead to serious consequences. Literature Review Gangs affect the enviroment or city in which people live. They affect the enviroment of families and cause harm to victims and witnesses in areas of gang territory. Incentives or becoming a gang member, graffiti in the neighborhood, gang violence, the spread of gangs, and gang prevention will be explored thoroughly. The research found on gangs mainly focused on adolescent and young adult males. The most popular reason for joining a gang is coming from a dysfunctional family and wanting a sense of having a family (Lahey). These types of people do not think very highly of themselves. They feel good belonging to a gang because they believe that their family, friends or community has not paid any attention to them. People of certain races or cultures may believe that they are powerless or have no opportunities. Gus Gedatus states that â€Å"they may not feel that they are apart of society† (Gedatus 8). These types of people look at participating in a gang as being cool. Another popular reason for joining a gang is to follow family tradition. Some people’s parents or maybe even grandparents have belonged to a certain gang and will be upset or feel that the person is betraying the family. Youth form gangs because people fear it. This fear may give the members a sense of power. These types of gangs tend to move into neighborhoods that are unfamiliar with gang activit y in ... Free Essays on Gangs â€Å"GANGS† Across the United States there is a type of subculture that needs to be dealt with and destroyed. Gangs are the type of subculture at hand. Gangs can be defined as a subculture because they exist within society while maintaining their own norms, beliefs, and values. Gangs are a subculture of violence, whose values demand the use of violence in overt situations (Adler, Mueller, Laufer 2001). Gang membership promotes violence and other delinquent behavior from its members (such as vandalism and drug relations). Gangs need to be abolished if we hope to clean up our streets, get our children back in school, and have a chance at winning the drug war. Are you as person looking to seek a public office ready to deal with this issue? I will continue to give you some background knowledge of gangs. Let the fact be known that it is not illegal to be in a gang, but once a criminal action takes place gang members have stepped over the line and their membership is now perceived as illegal. One of the main ways that gang membership forms is from generation to generation. A child is exposed to the gang activity taking place in his or her neighborhood and may want to take part in this gang to fill an emotional void. This void might be in need of love from a â€Å"family† group, respect, or a sense of belonging to a peer group. A child might have older siblings that are members of a gang and the younger child longs to be like the older sibling. Youth might also join a gang for the protection from other gang violence and the chance to make money fast. Whatever the reason is for joining gangs, America’s youth believe that gang membership allows them to achieve a level of status that was impossible to attain outside of the gangs. It is estimated that there are more than 24,500 gangs active the United States in 2000 (Egley, 2001). The average number of gang members for 2000 was 750,000 (Egley, 2001). These number... Free Essays on Gangs Analysis of Gangs Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today’s society. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable awn prestigious way to live? The long range answer to these questions can only be speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings’ personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized. However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I believe there is much to blame. On the surface, gangs are caused by peer pressure and greed. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it sound glamorous. Money is also a crucial factor. A young kid is shown that he/she could make $200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. This amount of money causes gang life to look like a gold mine. Anyone could use this kind of many, and attempt to get it. Although these are important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things that are strongly against their morals. One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies. The average child spends more time at in front of a television set than he/she spends in a classroom. Since their minds are still working, they take in what is on the television and â€Å"learn† from it. Unfortunately, very few hours of television watched by children are educational. Many shows on television today are extremely violent. This shows children that gang life is exciting as well as acceptable. This is taught through many shows where the â€Å"good guy† captures the â€Å"bad guy† through violence and is then being commended. A young child sees this as ...