Category: Gang

Gangs are a big thing in the world all around, some more dangerous than others. These gangs use illegal actions and rivalries to make them an income outside of a job. Gang membership is on the rise for many reasons, and membership comes at a cost. Therefore, preventing and intervening in gang membership is of serious importance. Whether its drug distribution or all the way up to killing someone, it’s definitely a life you wouldn’t want your child heading to. But, some speculate there are a number of reasons leading to young kids joining these gangs. Those problems include racism, poverty, friends & family, and music.

Most rappers that are huge right now made it out of the situation they were in and did it along with their gang. An example could be Youngboy Never Broke Again who claims 4KT. While they do blow up with their gang, some of the members might let their fame get to them and start asking for money all the time. At this point, all ties are cut with that person and they move on. Gangs can either be a city/neighborhood thing or they could be worldwide.

33,000+ motorcycle gangs, street gangs, and prison gangs those of which are all violent are currently active criminally in the U.S. Today. You might ask yourself “why are these young people are joining gangs?”. Well, The Los Angeles police department helped identify these reasons to everyone.

“Identity or Recognition – Being part of a gang allows the gang member to achieve a level of status he/she feels impossible outside the gang culture.”

“Protection – many members join because they live in the gang area and are, therefore, subject to violence by rival gangs. Joining guarantees support in case of attack and retaliation for transgressions.” “Fellowship and Brotherhood – To the majority of gang members, the gang functions as an extension of the family and may provide companionship lacking in the gang member’s home environment. Many older brothers and relatives belong, or have belonged to the gang.” ” Intimidation – Some members are forced to join if their membership will contribute to the gang’s criminal activity. Some join to intimidate others in the community not involved in gang activity.” “ Criminal Activity – Some join a gang to engage in narcotics activity and benefit from the group’s profits and protection. Unfortunately, few youths realize the hazards associated with gang involvement. In many cases, parents are unaware of their children’s gang activity and are unable to intervene until it’s too late.” These all seem like reasons that are understandable but the Criminal Activity is not good for anyone. It’s all just a way to get money even though the people that worked for it are losing out on their hard earned income.

South Africa is unceasingly making headline news being affected by crime and violence. The country has been afflicted by this problem for centuries and seems to be forever troubled with such indignations. Unfortunately, this issue is a deep-rooted one, and goes way back as far as the period of colonialism. The history of violence and its roots are therefore a very sensitive and contentious subject. This paper will therefore look at violence in South Africa by first doing a brief assessment of the difference between crime and deviance from a sociological perspective, and then exploring historical factors relating to violence in the country. In addition, the focus on gang violence will be emphasised to the extent of its inception and its detrimental consequences. Furthermore, will the theoretical perspective of Karl Marx’s conflict theory be used to illuminate and substantiate this issue of gang violence. Finally, a reflection on violence post-apartheid in South Africa will be done with the purpose of gaining some understanding of where South Africa is at twenty five years into democracy.

Crime, Deviance and Violence: Sociological Perspectives

It has been established that the line between crime and deviance is very distinct. According to Adler (2001), crime can be defined in many terms and from many perspectives, but whichever definition is decided upon, will determine how the perpetrators and the victims of crime will be treated. It will also influence how we see ourselves as individuals and the society we form part of (Adler, 2001). However, generally, crime is perceived as behaviour that is regarded as the breaking of a law against society, and these types of behaviours are therefore punishable by law. Sutherland (2003) stated very simply that crime is a misbehaviour that is damaging to society.

On the other hand, deviance can as well be seen from different perspectives. Giddens (2009) defined deviance as the non-conformity of an individual in a particular society or community, where there are given social norms that each member of that society should follow. Another definition according to Crossman (2019), is that deviance is a behaviour that infringes on social norms, and it can be criminal or non-criminal. Examples of deviance can be such as nudity in public, making use of prostitutes, being inebriated in public, or even dressing ‘weird’. Some people also view deviance as a coping mechanism or as asserting control, while others may see a person’s actions as irrational, but for that person it is rational. Deviance is therefore a very complex matter.

According to Degenaar (2009) violence has to do with extreme force carried against another. Degenaar (2009) also believed that violence needs to be looked at from different levels and perspectives. He further place violence into three major categories which are physical, psychological and structural violence, in order to give a better understanding into this matter (Degenaar, 2009). In addition, Degenaar argued that certain types of violence can be justified. For instance if someone attacks a person, and the victim uses self-defence. This type of violence would then be justifiable.

Historical Factors: Violence in South Africa

Historically, it is the psychodynamics and social aspects that comes to the fore when looking at the theme of violence (Cavanaugh, 2012).Therefore, from whichever perspective violence is looked at, it needs to be viewed at from the point of where and how it all started. It was Frantz Fanon that uncovered some hard truths concerning the background of violence. Fanon (1963) claimed that it was the coloniser that brought about the idea of the ‘civilised’ and the ‘uncivilised’. This was done with the intent of proving their superiority (Fanon, 1963). It was therefore the “superior” race that introduced violence in order to maintain their status (Fanon, 1963). The violence from their side was in the form of police and soldiers, while the colonized realised that violence could in-turn be the only way they could re-claim their dignity and humanity (Fanon, 1963).

Similarly, did Kynoch (2008) believe that the colonials used violence to regulate and subjugate the black people. Kynoch (2008) added that it was the “state sanctioned violence” during colonialism and apartheid that were the historical dynamics that subsidised the high levels of violence we experience in this country today. The forms of violence enforced on black people were by means of “police brutality, torture, gender and race discrimination, oppression and dehumanisation” (Kynoch, 2008). This directed violence into the mining compounds, prisons and ultimately the urban areas (Kynoch, 2008). This form of violence became exclusive to colonial Africa (Kynoch 2008). Thus proving that people in this country were predisposed to violence in so many ways. According to Fanon (1963), the only way to overthrow the colonial rule was through decolonisation and by liberating themselves of the mind-set forced upon them by the colonist, but this would be a violent process.

Gang violence and its detrimental consequences

Abrahams (2010) stated that it was the very laws that segregated people that played a highly influential role in the formation of gangs in South Africa. The inception occurred when Africans of different ethnic groups were placed in the same lodges on the mines (Abrahams, 2010). This set up inevitably created a sense of wanting to belong, which then brought about the creation of gangs (Abrahams, 2010). The most notorious gang during that period in South Africa, was the Ninevites (Abrahams, 2010). They were infamous for taking the law into their own hands, including dealing with the white capitalists that ill-treated black workers (Abrahams, 2010). Kynoch (2008) stated that the Ninevites were gradually wiped out by the government due to them targeting the white people.

It was around the 1950’s when the Tsotsi gang emerged (Abrahams, 2010). Most of the tsotsi’s were not imprisoned when they were found guilty, they were sent to Pondoland instead (Abrahams, 2010). This then resulted in the penetration of gangs in urban areas (Abrahams, 2010). Prisons on the other hand, had a continuous inflow of African males being incarcerated (Abrahams, 2010). The law made no effort to separate the hardened criminals from those that were first offenders, and this automatically gave rise to prison gangs being formed (Abrahams, 2010).

Consequently, violence was spreading on the mine compounds, prisons and in the townships. Kynoch (2008), revealed how township gang members would rape women and girls on the streets and even in their own homes. The law and police response was ineffective and deliberately slow (Abrahams, 2010). In addition, it was evident that certain gangs were supported by the state, which encouraged urban violence even more (Abrahams, 2010). The segregation laws of the 1950’s therefore created a very unequal nation (Abrahams, 2010). The whites were living in wealthy areas while the people of colour had to settle on the outskirt areas (Abrahams, 2010).

Gang violence based on the conflict theory

Karl Marx was the father of the conflict theory and highlighted a social perspective that points towards factors that creates conflicts in society (Carver, 1982). The main understanding of this theory is focused on how the rich and powerful prey on the poor and the disadvantaged (Carver, 1982). It also highlights the maintenance of social status and inequality. The ultimate goal of the conflict theorist is for social change and equality (Carver, 1982). It has however been proven that inequalities exists in almost every area of life as the capitalists are always pursuing ways to maintain their status.

It is such inequalities that causes “lesser” groups like the gangs to rise up and fight back. The competition in this regard is for power. The ones in authority are always trying to gain more power, while the gangs are merely attempting to hold on to the little power that they do have. Fanon (1963) disputed that even after colonialism, business people and property owners tried to take up positions held by the colonial. Instead of freeing people of the inequalities, they reproduced it for their own benefit and well-being.

This therefore perpetuated the struggles against inequalities and thus caused gangs to retaliate even more so (Fanon, 1963). Due to the historical factors that aided to the formation of gangs initially, gangs were now more determined to avoid a repeat of what was done to them before. Additionally, the fact that they were once robbed of their land, identity and power, they would do anything to prevent such injustices done to them even to the extreme. This is evident in the fact that gangs are territorial, they have their own identity and always fight to maintain power.

Violence post-apartheid

Violence in South Africa has clearly caused tremendous strain on the citizens as it makes headline news on a daily basis. According to 2007 statistics from the South African Police Services (SAPS), there has been a decrease in violent crimes throughout the country (Pillay, 2008). The general feel amongst the population does not agree with this finding. The government has made an effort to encourage social unity in an attempt to reduce violent crimes (Pillay, 2008). Despite all efforts made, violence and atrocities related to it, seemed to be at an all-time high.

Very recently, the country experienced xenophobic attacks that were very brutal and violent. It is the very countries who once hosted our political exiles, whose people are now being hurt, killed and ordered to leave (Khumalo, 2019). Also very recent, and still at present, is the gang violence in Cape Town. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed to the city to deal with gang violence (Davis, 2019). Subsequently, the army has been requested to extend the period of deployment (Davis, 2019). Almost every single day someone becomes a victim of crime in one way or another.

Moreover, the country also experienced gender-based violence to the extreme. One of our very own students at The University of the Western Cape (UWC), Jesse Hess, became a victim of this senseless, heinous, crime (Hlati, 2019). Furthermore, was the senseless killings of four children whom were murdered by their own mother (Mabona, 2019). None of these are justifiable in any way or form. The sad fact is that we are twenty five years into democracy and it is as if not much has changed.

This paper has looked at the issue of the violent nature of crime in South Africa. It considered the various definitions of crime, deviance and violence, in order to provide some different perspectives. A brief investigation was done to gain some historical factors that could possibly explain the violent nature of crime. The aspect of gang violence was then explored by looking at its inception and its consequences. Furthermore, Karl Marx’s conflict theory was used to view the status of gangs and the reasons behind some of their actions in their plight to maintain power. Then lastly, this essay looked at violence post-apartheid and some of the very recent experiences the country had to deal with.

In 1980, a brutally violent civil war broke out in El Salvador. Thousands of Salvadoran refugees poured into the United States seeking a better life. One of those refugees was a boy named Nelson. Nelson and his family landed in a guetto neighborhood of Los Angeles. While his parents worked numerous jobs, Nelson spend much of his time by himself, in a new country still trying to adapt to new customs and the English language. When he and other Salvadoran kids went to school, they were bullied by Chicano kids because of their foreign accents and cultures. Thinking that enough was enough, one day they took all the violence they’d known as kids and combined it with the anger they built up inside. So, that year, they formed a group of their own, Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The tables turned when suddenly the victims of constant bullying became the bullies themselves. Years later, in 1996, the U.S. government deported a large number of immigrants including Nelson. Now an adult, who spoke English and wore gangster clothes, he didn’t fit into Salvador’s culture anymore; other Salvadorans realized, but they didn’t torment him. Contrary, they wanted to be like him meaning they wanted to join MS-13. A country trying to recover and rebuild from a war, unexpectedly, had the first ever gang problem on their hands and it only got worse (Ted, 2018). In a recent TED Talk, Gerardo Lopez, a former MS-13 member, before speaking about why he joined the gang and how he found a way out, goes back to the beginning by recalling this unbelievable story that MS-13 is the tragic outcome of a tragic environment.”

Before those major events occurred that would result in the creation of one of the most notorious gangs in the country, the roots of gangs in the U.S. trace back to their surface on the East Coast circa 1783. New York’s street gangs, the first ever form of gangs, developed in three periods; the ones responsible form the formation of gangs in this northeastern part were the English, Irish, and German immigrants. Contrary to the later ones, these gangs known as “the forty thieves,” “the bowery boys,” and “the fly boys,” included youngsters fighting over local territory (Howell & Moore, 2010). Years later, in 1820, questions toward the seriousness of these gangs ceased to exist as they began their involvement in violent activity. Not long after, a wave of Poles, Italians, and Jewish immigrants began to flood and with that began more rise in gangs. The 1920’s and 1930’s, a time of rising crime, showed the establishment of Mexican-American and African-American gangs. By the 1920’s, New York City, gangs shared a link with well-known organized crime groups such as the Italian’s established, American Mafia. They were partners in crime for corrupt businesses. Afterwards, gangs spurred at different times in three other regions. They began to flourish not only in the Northeast but in the Midwest, West, and South as well. Another large city that showed that organized crime groups were prevalent was Chicago. The West region showed to have the first appearance of gangs in the early 1890’s. By the 1960’s the two most famous gangs in history emerged, Bloods and Crips. Meanwhile, the South coast rose much later as important gang territory.

Today, gangs have evolved; prison, hybrid, motorcycle, and youth gangs are among those that have emerged since the traditional street gang. These gangs often form along racial or ethnic lines. Studies show a greater percentage existing of Hispanic/Latino (46%) and African-American (35%) gang members compared with other race or ethnicities. Los Angeles is home for Hispanic gangs; its members use slang that is a combination of English and Spanish language. They are referred to as “cholo(a)s,” meaning “Chicago gangster,” or “pandillero(a).” African-American gang members are mostly seen in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. Due to society’s perspective of them, black gang members deal with constant discrimination and racism that exists more than in any other racial gangs. The other 11% consists of white and 7% among other gang members (Asian) (Cassada, 2010).

The term “gang” has no official definition as may meanings exist, none which have been established as the universal one. Researcher and author of The Gang, Frederic Thrasher, states that a gang is “an interstitial group, originally formed spontaneously, and then integrated through conflict. It is characterized by the following types of behaviors…The result of this collective behavior is the development of tradition, unreflective, internal structure…and attachment to a local territory.” Thrasher’s definition influenced multiple researcher’s definition of a gang. Gang bangers are proud of who they are, and they want their presence to be known. So, they employ characteristics such as a name, logo, colors, clothing style, hand signs, and tattoos. These features set gangs apart from one other; they each have their own. Each gang has a distinctive name and claims control over their turf, which can be a block, neighborhood, or an entire part of their city. Gangs will often use graffiti and vandalize property with their symbols and colors to inform the community that they marked their property. Graffiti is not simply art, gang graffiti on buildings and other public places is also used to bring intimidation to rival gangs. Gangs are identified by their colors worn by their members. The traditional gangster clothing style is the Nike Cortez shoes, Dickie Pants, Panettone shirts, and bandannas around the head or hung loosely in the back pocket.

Becoming a part of a gang means making a commitment. Besides proving their pledge of loyalty and gaining the other members trust, he or she must go through a tough initiation first-that involves a strict procedure before making their position official. Yet, they are willing to do whatever it takes to be a part of something bigger and more powerful than themselves. For males this means being beaten, fighting against current member(s), or carrying out a mission, or committing a crime. Meanwhile, females, most of the time, have two options: being hit for a short amount of time or having sexual intercourse with gang veterans.

People constantly hear about them in the news, gang bangers have been called murders, violent, destructive, lawbreaking, and criminals. A lot of what people have heard about gangs is true, while some of it tends to be incorrect. The form that news media interprets gangs often misleads the concept of their reality. Mike Carlie, a professor of sociology and criminal justice at SMSU, argues that mass media misinterprets the gang problem by focusing on individual gang violence rather than on the social causes that contribute to the formation of gangs. Often, the media presents black youth as a representative of all gang bangers. People’s view of gangs is also shaped by law enforcement, who typically define gangs as “organize crime” (Stark, 2000). Therefore, the distorted image created in the people’s mind is that the world is a completely frightening place. The press has published a large number of gang-related articles, and the most controversial trending topic is Trump vs MS-13. Although information may be false, the fact that gangs are dangerous is without no doubt.

Statistics suggests that young adults joining gangs is a serious problem that America faces. According to an FBI report, 1.4 million are currently active in more than 33,000 U.S. gangs. As of 2010 reports from law enforcement agencies show that teenagers ages thirteen to eighteen make up the largest percentage of the gang demographics across the country. There are about 24,500 youth gangs with approximately 772,500 teen members, this is equal to 7% of the U.S. teen’s population (Frieden, 2011).

As research shows. the number of young adults involved in gangs has spiked. There are many factors that contribute to why youths join gangs. According to Karen L. Kinnear, she references that those main reasons are peer pressure, poverty, and lack of parenting (Kinnear, 2009). In some cases, being in a gang runs in the blood. Daily, young adults are pressured not only from their friends but their family as well to be a part of a gang; most of the time, they tend to look up to their role models, but sometimes those models are not good ones. Rather than being told not to follow in their footsteps, they are encouraged to carry on the family legacy. There have been times when they remind themselves that they’re not meant for that lifestyle, but they feel like they have that sense of duty. People have come to believe that gangs were the result of the growing number of dysfunctional or broken families. Gang member usually come from the low-class city areas, and many of them are recent immigrant to the U.S. Teens feel frustrated when their parents don’t provide them with their standard necessities. When they see an opportunity to help their family financially, they sacrifice themselves by joining. Lopez was born in L.A.; the neighborhood he grew up in as a kid was MS-13 territory. As a child, he knew he did not want to be a part of a gang; sadly, his mother wasn’t around most of the time, and he would spend much of his time alone in the streets. One day, an MS-13 gang member pointed a gun at his face and robbed him. He would try to dodge him, by doing anything to avoid being seen, which meant traveling miles outside of the neighborhood in order to escape the gangs; he wasn’t safe no matter where he went. Lopez recounts the time he saw them from his apartment window celebrating Nelson, who recently came back from El Salvador. Unlike Nelson, who had respect, power, and pride, Lopez yearned to have those three things. It wasn’t until then that he wanted to be revered in his own neighborhood, so at only 14 years of age, he chose to join MS-13. All that glory he felt vanished in thin air; it wasn’t long before he regretted his decision. Before attaining gang membership, teens think that joining is their only option for survival and there’s no other door open for them. Unfortunately, like Lopez, many youths are affected by the role of social factors and fall victims to believing that there is no other option. However, they must realize that they always have a choice. They should realize that gang membership means seeing as how they are putting their lives at risk and sacrificing and dealing with the dangers and ruthless streets.

Throughout the years, the amount of gang violence has increased and the number of deaths due to the violent acts has skyrocketed. The aftermath of it all is that the loved ones of the innocent lost lives are left behind to endure the pain. Gangs are responsible for 48% of violent crime, in most jurisdictions (Frieden, 2011). The #justiceforjunior trial is the latest that drew outrage among the city and across the nation. On June 20, 2018, at nearly midnight, Lesandro “Jr.” Guzman-Feliz, laid dead right outside of St. Barnabas Hospital. Minutes before a group of gang members, who carried machetes and knives, hunted and dragged Jr. from a Bronx-neighborhood bodega. the incident, captured by, revealed the barbaric strategies of the gang called the Trinitarios, a Dominican gang that was established in New York prisons, went viral on all social media platforms (Wabc., 2018).

Gangs rob the youth of their teenage years, and whatever the reason they had for joining deprived them from a normal life. The love they claim they have for the gang and for brotherhood blinds them from a future. They start making bad choices, are exposed to a life filled with violence and filthy crimes that will eventually land them in jail. Many like Lopez, lament joining in the first place and feel regretful. After a series of life reflecting, Lopez decided it wasn’t too late for him to get out. Therefore, there should be more done to help prevent further gang involvement. Unfortunately, like he mentions, society also plays a huge part in this. Society tends to ignore young people who are following a wrong path and pay less importance. Preventing greater spikes of gang violence begins with preventing young adults from joining gangs or having any involvement with them. By telling his personal story, Lopez wants to raise attention to the current ongoing issue. Alex Sanchez, a former MS-13 gang brother that he looked up to, told him about the opportunity to join his gang intervention group. Part of Lopez was reluctant; he feared not knowing who he would be without the gang. He thought about the younger generation than him and was inspired to get out. Lopez states how young vulnerable kids want to feel that sense of belonging and accepted, which is a main target for gangs. They don’t have to go the same route as their friends and family, there is always a different path, the right one. Sadly, not all make it, as families are left behind mouth fill with prayers that it wasn’t their child’s dead body laying underneath a white sheet. The strong bond they form with their brothers fades once they see their bodies in caskets. The youth must be led in the right path. With the help of the program and his personal will, Lopez soon realized that members from other gangs felt the same, the only thing that separated them was the name of their gang. At the program they learned to express themselves without using drugs and violence, and it took them traveling to different places to share their story and more people listened. By speaking to audiences, they gained the same feeling of respect, pride and power they had while being a gangbanger. Lopez faded away from the gang, ultimately leaving. He admitted that not even a police department welcomed the gang intervention group instead treated unlawfully. After receiving his degree in criminal justice, Lopez worked in youth detention facilities as a youth counselor to continue to get kid gangs. Although MS-13 was his past, he continued to be punished by society for his past. Lopez stresses the importance to get kids out of gangs. They feel alienated and just want to belong and belong, feel valued and have a purpose; it’s no surprise why Lopez decided to join. After leaving MS-13, Lopez had his gang intervention group to support him. Strong families are key to violence prevention group session interactions build a mutual understanding across generations (Ted, 2018). Unfortunately, most people don’t have that luck. They have nowhere to turn to and nowhere to go. Lopez states 70% of kids who try to leave a gang but don’t have another support system in place fail. The only way to accomplish to get kids out and keeping them out is to create an environment that will support them through every stepping stone. Now, Lopez, is the executive director of Homies Unidos Denver, a gang violence prevention and intervention organization. This facility empowers youth and families to become advocates of social change rather than agents of self-destruction. The sense of self-esteem that a gang provides them is false you have to love yourself first no one can do that for you. Their negative actions have impacted their family’s communities and each other. They begin taking responsibility for their actions.

What started as a group of street kids hanging out in the boroughs of New York led to the emergence of modern-day gangs. The current growing gang problems the nation faces are the results of years of complex factors. Today, gangs have become a tragic epidemic. Unfortunately, like Lopez, other gang member’s life has become the tragic outcome of a tragic environment. Throughout history, gangs have been cultivated and become profoundly recognized as the most feared group, such as MS-13 being considered the most “dangerous” gang in the world. Gangs have highly developed from the late 18th century to present day. Gangs are the cause of the increased number count in deceased tortured people occurring around the world. The fear being consumed by everyday gang violence eats away the lives and hopes of others.

Works Cited

1. Cassada, Raychelle. “Teen Gangstas.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 11 Oct. 2010, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/teen-angst/201010/teen-gangstas.
2. Curran, Amanda. “Common Characteristics of Gangs.” Http://Www.wsfa.com, 24 Apr. 2009, www.wsfa.com/story/422734/common-characteristics-of-gangs/
3. Dudley, William, and Louise I. Gerdes. Opposing Viewpoints: Gangs. Gale., 2005., pp. 24-31
4. Frieden, Terry. “FBI Report: Gang Membership Spikes.” CNN, Cable News Network, 21 Oct. 2011, https://www-m.cnn.com/2011/10/21/justice/gang-membership-increase/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
5. Friedrichs, Matt. Gangs: Problems and Answers, Ethics of Development in a Global Environment (EDGE) , 26 July 1999, https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/poverty_prejudice/ganginterv/gangsproblems.htm
6. Stark, Evan. Everything You Need to Know about Street Gangs. Rosen Pub. Group, 2000., pp. 35-40
7. Wabc. “Justice for Junior: After Innocent Bronx Teen’s Death, Lawmakers Take Aim at Gang Violence.” ABC7 San Francisco, 28 June 2018, https://abc7news.com/justice-for-junior-puts-focus-on-fighting-gang-violence/3670121/

Gangs have been a top concern for law enforcement and families alike. As the population begins to increase, the amount of gang members increases. Gangs are known to be tough groups of members that range in ages and gender. Although there are many gangs, there are main gangs that rule over the others. These gangs are large in size and are known for their reckless violence. Large gangs have clearly articulated goals, can operate with financial efficiency, and can motivate their members to complete their goals (Scott, & David, 2000).

Gang are known for their street violence. However, not every gang member joins on the street. Many gang members end up joining in prison. The advantage of having the accessibility of being surrounded by potential gang members allows gangs to recruit members easier. The top notorious prison gang is the Aryan Brotherhood. The Aryan Brotherhood is a white supremacist gang that was made to help protect their selves against the other races (Orlando, 1997).

Even though the main priority of the Aryan Brotherhood was to protect their race, they are now known for drug trafficking. On top of their money from drug trafficking, some funds come from previous gang members that have been released from prison (Orlando, 1997). How the Aryan Brotherhood recruits their members are different from many other gangs. The Aryan Brotherhood holds meetings by claiming they are a church group, but instead recruit prisoners (Orlando, 1997).

Gang members are smart and diligent when it comes to recruiting and violence. The Aryan Brotherhood is no different with their recruiting tactics and their drug trafficking. Aryan Brotherhood is a gang that takes care of their members in as many ways they can. This paper will discuss the history, structure, symbols, statistics, locations, and violence of the Aryan Brotherhood.

Introduction: The Rise of the Aryan Brotherhood

The Aryan Brotherhood was created in 1967 in California’s San Quentin Prison (Fleisher, & Decker, 2001). It was originally created by racist Nazi supremacist inmates who wanted to be protected by the other races. The main race they were against were African Americans due to the threat that the African Americans were taking advantage of the whites sexually. When the gang first started, it was important for any potential members to be at least part Irish to join (Fritsvold, 2016).

Originally, there were two other groups in the prison system alongside the Aryan Brotherhood. These two were the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Society (Pelz, Pelz, & Marquart, 1991). Around 1983, the Klan members began joining the Aryan Brothers and Aryan Society, making the Ku Klux Klan numbers decrease (Pelz, et al., 1991). With the Aryan Society and Aryan Brothers living in peace, the Aryan Brothers began to increase in their assaults. The administration that was investigating these assaults started calling the Aryan Brothers the Aryan Brotherhood, and the name eventually stuck.

The Aryan Brotherhood started out being violent but was not historically violent until 1983. This was the year that the Brotherhood had eight homicides in a couple of months. These homicides were far from careful as they were brutal stabbing of black inmates. In 1984, the Brotherhood was responsible for 32% of total homicides and 40% of gang homicides (Pelz et al., 1991). This reputation increased the size of their gang membership.

The Origins and Evolution of the Aryan Brotherhood

The Aryan Brotherhood, like most prison gangs, have a “blood in, blood out” policy (Clear, Reisig, & Cole, 2017). This policy is where a gang member either has to stab or kill someone to get in and has to either get stabbed or killed to leave the gang. Depending on the area depends on the severity of the blood that has to be shed. This policy has helped the Aryan Brotherhood become the deadliest prison gang in the United States (SPLC, n.d.).

For any prison gang, structure is detrimental. The most important thing is the ability to oversee all gang activities. Starting out in a prison, the Aryan Brotherhood has learned how to coexist around law enforcement. Inside prison, the Aryan Brotherhood consists of crimes such as drug trafficking, male prostitution, gambling, and extortion (SPLC, n.d.). On the outside the Aryan Brotherhood is responsible for every crime imaginable. These crimes range from hired murders to methamphetamine manufacturing (SPLC, n.d.).

With the giant expansion of members, it is important for the Brotherhood to have structure. The Aryan Brotherhood is structured like the military. The Brotherhood has a constitution alongside of their blood in blood out policy. Outside of prison, the Brotherhood has a banking and collections system to help benefit the members in prison. This system takes a 20% tax out of any Aryan Brotherhood’s member and is then controlled by a commissioner (SPLC, n.d.). This system helps fund the current imprisoned members.

Organizational Structure and Criminal Activities

The Aryan Brotherhood gets hired to help watch major celebrities, like John Gotti and Charles Manson. However, helping out came with a small fee. Charles Manson was known for his violence and following of women. However, when Charles Manson had women visit him in prison, they were not empty handed. These girls helped smuggle in drugs and weapons into San Quentin (SPLC, n.d.).

There have been many attempts to separate the leaders away from members, but they all fail. Most of the leaders are held in solitary confinement, but still get the word out when they want someone dead. This is done through their significant others, lawyers, written codes, and even invisible ink (SPLC, n.d.). The most common method that is used is the cryptogram that was made by the Brotherhood.

This cryptogram is a secret language that was transferred through other prisons so they can easily communicate through codes unknown to anyone else. These codes make it easier to get away with crimes within the gang. The Aryan Brotherhood is a smart gang with many ways of getting around the law. There might be 29 current leaders in solitary confinement, but this does not stop crimes from being committed (SPLC, n.d.).

Symbols and Identifiers: The Tattoos of the Aryan Brotherhood

Identifiers and symbols are an important part to any gang. Identifiers and symbols range from tattoos and clothing to hand symbols. In the Aryan Brotherhood, tattoos are a big part of their attire. The tattoos range from numbers to words to symbols. The number 12 is a tattoo members get to resemble the letters A and B, since number 1 in the alphabet is A and number 2 is B (ADL, n.d.).

While some might be numbers, the shamrock is the bigger and more common tattoo. These range from just a shamrock to a swastika with a shamrock in front. Depending on the member’s location depends on their tattoo and hand sign they use. Even though the shamrock is the main tattoo, the different states add complexity to it.

The Aryan Brotherhood in Texas has a hand symbol that recognizes the number one and two for the first and second letter of the alphabet, A and B. The hand symbol is held by having all fingers up besides the thumb and index finger. On top of this, they have a tattoo with a swastika with the letters A and B surrounding it.

The brotherhood also uses ss lightning bolts, the iron cross, and the Nazi Eagle. The ss lightning bolt represents Schutzstaffel Heinrich Himmler’s police forces and private army (ADL, 2012). The ss lightning bolt is a more common tattoo often put with the iron cross. The iron cross is a German military medal that is often covered in a swastika, like the Alaskan Aryan Brotherhood. One of the more intricate tattoos is the Nazi Eagle. The Nazi Eagle was created by the Nazi party in the 1930’s to represent power and strength (ADL, 2012).

Most of the tattoos the Aryan Brotherhood get include swastikas and shamrocks. Some form of hate is major in the tattoos that the Aryan Brotherhood members get, with many just getting the word hate tattooed across their body. Even though there are not always physical signs like clothing and the same hand symbols, the tattoos of swastikas and shamrocks make it obvious which gang the member belongs in.

Membership Demographics and Female Involvement

The Aryan Brotherhood is a predominant white male gang. With the idea that this gang is tough as nails, it is a gang many white men want to join. With an estimated 20,000 members, the Aryan Brotherhood is not a small gang (SPLC, n.d.). Even though members used their girlfriends to help smuggle in drugs, having predominant female authority in the Aryan Brotherhood is rare.

Having a female presence in the Brotherhood is important for helping move drugs in and out of prisons. Female presence for violent crimes is not as common in the Brotherhood, but there is more female involvement when it comes to drugs. In 2016, three women linked to the Aryan Brotherhood were busted for running a meth ring linked to local murders (Briquelet, 2017).

Even though the women are said to be with the Aryan Brotherhood, the Brotherhood does not accept women as members. To be able to be a female in the Brotherhood, the female has to be dating or married to a male member. Even though females are not allowed to be members in the Brotherhood, they can be affiliates through marriage.

Geographical Spread and Affiliated Gangs

Originally, the Aryan Brotherhood started in the San Quentin, California prison. As the gang expanded, it slowly started to increase into other prisons. States that have the Aryan Brotherhood include California, Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon, and Tennessee (ADL, n.d.). Certain states have more than others, with Texas having more than 2,000 members (ADL, n.d.).

There have also been gangs that have spun off of the Aryan Brotherhood but are still white supremacist gangs. Expanding into other states and prisons is important for gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood. This allows for easier transportation for drugs and crimes and allows the ability to lead a gang through different passageways.

Not every gang that has the word Aryan in the name is affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood. Many of the smaller gangs, like in Alaska and Alabama, get the same tattoos and are called the Aryan Brotherhood but have no affiliation to the gang at all. This makes the locations hard to decipher when it comes to the statistical evidence on the Aryan Brotherhood.

Violence and Internal Discipline: A Culture of Fear

The Aryan Brotherhood is one of the most violent gangs in prison. They are fearless and do not let anything get in their way. They got their violent reputation after the murder of eight men in prison. These eight murders began the line of violence that has not stopped since. The Aryan Brotherhood not only attack the opposite races but also their own members when they do not follow the rules.

In 2019, sixteen members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood were charged with drug trafficking and murders inside and outside of California prisons (DOJ, 2019). The activity began in 2011 by smuggling in cell phones to reach out to the streets. These cell phones allowed the members to traffic drugs, plan out murders, discuss membership, and oversee other criminal activities (DOJ, 2019).

They got majority of their contraband through two men, MacNamara and Demar, whom posed as a lawyer and paralegal. The contraband was hidden in the wheelchair and wrapped in food wrappers. Once the contraband was found, the members told the men that they had their contraband found, and if they were questioned to blame it on the Brotherhood (DOJ, 2019).

Though many of their violence and crimes revolves around drugs and the opposite race, sometimes it revolves around their own members. In 2018 a former Aryan Brotherhood member was shot in the face for missing a meeting and owing a $96 debt (Ledger, 2018). The former Aryan Brother, Thomas Engelmann, was a long standing member with authority.

Engelmann understood the gang has a blood in blood out policy but was also told he could leave after fifteen years of duty. After watching the gang for two years, he decided to join the gang after thinking he knew what he was getting into. After joining, Engelmann swiftly found out what the gang was all about. He noticed some people could lay low and fade out of the gang, but he soon found out that his years and leadership made it impossible to leave.

Everything in the gang was going smoothly until his aunt passed away. He missed out on a meeting and was threatened his position. He eventually had his position taken away from him after missing another meeting, which ended up being raided by the police (Ledger, 2018). The members immediately assumed Engelmann had set up the raid and set out an SOS, known as Smash on Sight. This meant that Engelmann would immediately be assaulted on site by whoever found him.

Instead of physically assaulting him, two members decided just to shoot him. They immediately opened fire when they saw him in traffic, shooting him right in the face. Engelmann lost his sight and is now blind from the gun wound. Even though the shooting was not ordered, it was still conducted and shows that the Aryan Brotherhood does not play around when it comes to violence.

Recidivism plays a major role in the correctional system. The increasing rate of offenders returning to prison is partially due to the lack or loss of connection with society. Many individuals find themselves struggling to find employment or trying to redeem themselves with a community that isolates them due to the effects of their crimes. When released, many offenders resort back to criminal activity, engaging in previous relationships with individuals who influenced their life choices. Gang members are amongst those who feel they need a connection to some type of criminal organization for the rest of the lives. Members who try to isolate or leave this criminal affiliation behind are usually met with resentment, isolation from family and most times executed by their own members.

Prison gangs are linked heavily to most of the violence that occurs within correctional facilities. They control a large portion of the prostitution, gambling, drug trafficking and crimes executed both in and out of prison. Surveys have shown that prisons with a large gang population are responsible for most of the inmate homicides that occur within the prison, as well as one quarter to one half of all prison management problems. The racial and ethnic foundation for gangs is what separates them from other criminal entities. They pride themselves in this racial divide from other groups, taking care of their own members. Although some institutions offer a way out of gang life or “deganging”, by educating gang members and trying to help them quit their affiliation, this is seen as an issue to fellow gang members and usually leads to more violence.

Gangs create serious safety hazards withing prisons and communities. They’re more likely to be involved in prison violence than non-gang affiliated inmates. Many of these actual crimes ago unreported due to the lack of witnesses to come forward and testify. Studies have shown that gang members who were treated had a lesser risk of recidivism during their 24 month follow up period than non-treated members. Most gang affiliated members return to society where they cause unrest and resentment from the community. It’s crucial to treat gang members in order to reduce prison violence and prevent significantly high recidivism.

Rival gang separation has been used to reduce inner gang violence. At times this can be meet with complete opposition as in some cases gangs take control of other prisons and increase levels of violence against staff and inmates. By dividing gang leaders and subordinates, this reduces the probability of gangs planning attacks and deterring prison violence. The disadvantage to this is the cost of implementing these security measures and the side effects it can produce such as some members initiating their own gang, believing they don’t report to gang superiors anymore. This in turn causes for the increase in possible gang recruits and more violence withing prisons.

Educating gang members on the consequences of their actions may serve as a deterrent to have them dissociate from gang life. Many of them are recruited and pressured into gangs at a young age, having no input or guidance on how they can deflect from this. Although this serves for a small part of reducing gang dissociation, the effects can be fatal. Throughout a member’s relationship with their gang, the threat of death is constantly enforced, in case they decide to leave the gang behind. This is seen as an act of betrayal, which usually leads to the execution of said member, in most cases, by their own group. Members who have been able to dissociate themselves usually are inclined towards a passive path and less likely to commit crimes.

The prison environment that promotes gang affiliation inside the prison walls and facilitates gang membership is sometimes overlooked by correctional scholars. A lot of artifacts withing the prison culture are imported from the outside world. Many members believe that once in prison or having served a sentence, this gives them power and full allegiance to their gang. Gang members tend to have little or no connections in the outside world, committing to the gang completely. This makes recidivism more likely since they have a lesser chance of successful reentry.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (2002) reports that two thirds of offenders released from prison were rearrested within 36 months. The more concerning fact was that 52% of offenders returned to prison within a 3-year period. This emphasizes on the importance of offender reentry since 93% of all inmates go back to the streets. The issue of prisoner recidivism has reached higher levels and needs to be addressed accordingly. There are evident and concrete facts that well designed and implanted programs can indeed reduce recidivism. These guidelines provide risk, need and responsivity principles in order to maintain the integrity of said program and have the largest effect on reducing recidivism.

The risk principle states treatment of high-risk offenders over low risk offenders since they’re more inclined to commit crimes again. Although at time this may prove ineffective since most high-risk offenders are hardened and career criminals whose treatment becomes more complex over long sentences. The need principle is identified as what factor s contribute to an offender’s criminal character. Substance abuse, unstable relationships and a violent lifestyle are criminogenic needs that often lead to the development of said offender’s personality. Responsivity needs are met with challenges, as it depends on the offender’s cognitive abilities and their grasp of what needs to be treated in them. Most members aren’t ready or simply don’t have the will to change.

Participation in a treatment or ‘self-reformative” program is probably less threatening to a gang member and likely more acceptable to his peers than trying to persuade the individual to leave the gang immediately. At times, what may appear to be relapses, such as verbally abusing reformatory staff, may be a way to survive or to buy some interim acceptance by peers in situations where they must avoid violence. Treating gang leaders or subordinate gang members is very difficult for treatment staff as they have to attend to several issues during the treatment process such as responsivity.

For many individuals the return home can be filled with overwhelming obstacles. According to several studies, ex-offenders usually have less education and less employment experience backgrounds. This, along with now being labeled a felon, makes them less appealing to employers. This increases the barriers, such as lack of access to stable housing and health care and inability to provide financial support for their families. Without the necessary support to deal with these challenges, someone with street gang ties may be drawn back to the gang, feeling that it’s their only option to find support and a means to make a decent living. Released street gang members who return to the lifestyle they knew before their prison sentences are at a much higher risk of getting arrested again, being reconvicted and returning to prison.

Not only are gang affiliated members more likely to recidivate, but they usually do so quicker than non-gang affiliated members and commit more severe crimes. In addition to this challenge, gang affiliated members deal with barriers to rehabilitation such as social stigma, unstable living situations and impacts of violent trauma. These individuals also experience the side effects of incarceration such as being disqualifying for financial aid, housing assistance, unable to regain custody of their children and lack of access to other public benefits. There are minimal specialized treatment options available, as most reentry programs do not focus on gang affiliated reintegration and do not address the additional risk factors. To reduce recidivism, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of the dynamic needs of gang affiliated reentry population.

It is essential to understand and attend to the needs of the gang member reentry population to guide interventions and best reintegration methods. Reentry programs can assist ex-offenders in meeting their needs in areas such as education, vocational, housing, financial, family reunification, substance use, and physical/mental health issues. Most of these issues stem from their life before incarceration. By addressing the lack of emphasis towards these needs, reintegration becomes more manageable as to where individuals can function outside of the gang community and more on a personal level.

Irregular psychological patterns are a key factor that need to be analyzed as well. Many of these patterns amongst gang members rise from the environmental issues that play part in creating gangs. Many affiliates in these gangs grow up in neighborhoods that lack the proper tools to positively contribute towards society. Poverty, domestic violence and drugs in the household are some examples as to what induces an individual towards gang affiliation. Many of them display a sense of aggression and rebellion towards authority ag a young age, with little or no proper adult supervision or correction. The relationships established amongst people in these communities is not positively nurtured due to the conditions in which they live in.

Membership in a prison gang is likely to provoke recidivism in by commitment to a criminal lifestyle, illicit financial motives, and invoking an institutional response. First, prison gang membership can give a signal about the given and undetected characteristics of a particular inmate. Because prison gangs require lifetime commitment, only those inmates who are most dedicated to a criminal lifestyle will agree to join. According to several scholarly studies, it is overserved that those inmates who believe prison gang members to be of the highest accomplished criminal will be most likely to seek membership.

Another way to explain the relationship between prison gang membership and recidivism is that involvement in a prison gang makes one more likely to reoffend. Spending time with people who are hardened criminals with serious offenses increases the odds of other possible gang recruits to recidivate. Interaction with prison gang members leads to an extensive knowledge on how to better conduct criminal activity. Social networking in prison also leads to deeper commitment to a gang, with several members providing different insight on how to commit crimes. Being involved in a prison gang leads to new criminal opportunities once released because the inmate has established new associates and has jumped into the criminal social network. At the same time, a prison gang member will appear to be more trustworthy because of his affiliation, and this trust makes it easier to cooperate in criminal activity.

Members looking dissociate from a gang have a long and strenuous process in front of them. The repercussions can be deadly, or for some members, hard to adjust reentering society. Taking into consideration the rate at which offenders return to prison, gang members seem to have a higher risk of committing crime due to the allegiance that they pledge towards a gang. Many of them seem to reenter society just to commit more crimes, a sort of bragging rights to establish themselves in a higher level of the gang. Gang members glorify their group’s actions to display fear and earn respect from other gangs. They tend to show an aggressive character towards anyone outside of their group. These issues cause gang members at time to represent a complex challenge for rehabilitative programs.

The City of Toronto claims it’s safety and security, ensuring those who live there how little they need to worry. But, for those who have lived through the shocking violence that isn’t shown on TV, Toronto is not the city it claims to be. Toronto is a dangerous place for so many people, but it doesn’t have to be. Gun related gang violence is devastatingly common, in a way that flies under the radar of most people who don’t see or hear of it first hand. As the homicide rates in the city are increasing, so is gang violence and gang affiliations. But, the ideology behind it is more complicated than what is depicted on television. Although there are some measures being taken to prevent gang violence in North America, not enough is being done to understand the perpetrators of such crimes. In this day and age of gun related crimes increasing at a shocking rate, it is crucial to focus on resources for youth gang members, the future of the safety of this country, or more accurately, how safe it should be. This topic is very important to talk about, as it has been previously ignored by the media. The purpose of this report is to highlight proper prevention, and where to implement such precautionary resources, subgroups ignored by researchers in the past, important things that aren’t being given enough thought that need to be given the same amount of attention as anything else and to learn that the world we live in today has changed. Overall, the purpose of this report is to learn what leads to gang violence and what has caused gang violence to spike in the first place.

RESULTS OF LITERATURE REVIEW

Gun violence in general has become the crime epidemic of our time. With staggering rates that go above and beyond most other cities. In 2018, as compared to previous years, the homicide rate skyrocketed with 91 reported homicides by november (Figure 1), these numbers higher than any in the past decade. So many factors contribute to the violence of gang mentality, especially amongst youth, who are now influenced by so much more than their past counterparts when taking into account social media. Aproximately 50 million dollars is going into the prevention of gang culture in Toronto, and the country still implements the same methods of prevention from previous years, as they have been known to work in past circumstances (Brillinger, 2018). In the estimated 430 active gangs in Canada, youth aged 12 – 24 are responsible for a third of gun related gang activity, and 94% of youth gang members are male. These young gang members account for 80% of all violent crimes committed by adolescents. Upon further research, it was discovered that although indiginous people take up 20% of gangs in Canada, there are no programs that focus solely on preventing gang affiliation amongst aboriginal peoples, as well as there are little to no programs for youth women or immigrants in gangs (Northcott 2018). Figure 2 shows the rate of crimes amongst youth in canada by province, Nunavut being the highest, followed closely by the Northwest Territories. However, this does not change the high rates that remain in all other provinces. Violence is unquestionably a major part of gang culture. 91% of criminal gang members have reported being involved in fights, and 51% report regularly carrying a gun or knife on their person at all times. For the most part, people who were former gang members, or those part of gangs who do not participate in deviant acts showed much lower rates of fights or carrying weapons. Furthermore, those who are in currently active criminal gangs, have reported being alienated and victimized by others. 79% of them report being assaulted in the past, and 45% of which were assaults using a weapon. All of the people that were surveyed were all highschool students. Within these students (male and female; 14-17) statistics proved that once in a gang, gun-violence and possession of a weapon increased and the likelihood of selling drugs did not. After a study on the geography in major cities, research showed that gangs were much more common in neighborhoods alienated by low economic status, and having a high proportion of visible minorities. (Bania, 2009, 90-97) Figure 3 is a depiction of the concentration of violent crimes based in different areas of the city, red being high in crime, and blue being low. All these results tell something in themselves, and such facts are undeniable. What happens in further analysis is what will lead to real results.

DISCUSSION

All of the statistics and facts found above are important tools to not only understanding the mentality of gang-members, as well as the proper way to go when it comes to preventing involvement in gangs from the get-go. The youth are so important when it comes to preventing gang violence. Most of the people in gangs joined long before adulthood. As they are more vulnerable and susceptible to influences of those around them. Living in a certain neighborhood that is high in gang culture, would make those surrounded by crime and violence from a young age so much more accustomed to that lifestyle. Furthermore, when one’s entire social circle is armed, peer-pressure would play a huge role in making that person want to arm themselves. When living in a violent world, one feels safer fighting violence with violence. Jose Vivar was a former gang member in Toronto who tells his story, about what lured him into the life of a criminal gang, and more specifically what lured him into the world of guns. In his article, Vivar states: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. I wanted to be a man’s man, like the fearless cowboy in a movie with a cigarette dangling from his lips, and I wanted to own a gun… (Films) portrayed men in gangs as a family. This family would demand respect, would make money in unison and eat at a dinner table together. I wanted, more than anything, to be a part of that kind of family…Growing up, I experienced trauma. I did not witness violence at home but experienced it in the world with my friends… I had to survive – so I joined a gang.” (Vivar 2019). To begin with, Vivar explains the idealistic aspect of gang life. That type of ride or die bond shared amongst powerful and protective brotherly figures is undeniably appealing to those who don’t have or see that kind of relationship anywhere other than on television. Figure 4 shows a gang from a hollywood film, one that glorifies the sense of community in gangs. Adding on to that, when surrounded – like I previously stated – by a certain way of living, it is human nature to ‘follow the leader’ and do the same in your own life. Also, gangs and violence are in many ways a means of safety for kids and adults who have witnessed or lived through acts of violence. To carry a gun gives those people a sense of security in a world that dreams so to be necessary. On another note, something that often comes up in statistics is the large amount of Indigenous and African-Canadian youth in gangs. With a lowered economic standpoint lowered already by being in a gang, it is only lowered further when taking into account that young people aged 16 – 29 have a much lower economic status than any other age in today’s economy. Furthermore, gang activity and violent crime can often be traced back to neighborhoods of lower-income and high populations of visible minorities. (Bania, 2009, 90-97) This all seems to come down to one common denominator. Alienation -in many ways- has become the cause of joining gangs and committing violent crimes in, and even outside of gangs. It causes people to search for the community they aren’t given any opportunity to have, particularly young people, who need that ressource more than most. Alienation is known to greatly affect people’s mental health and leads to immense vulnerability. Also, once in the gang members are further alienated by society at large, through their differentiating values and beliefs compared to that of the westernized world. Criminologists, psychologists and sociologists have studied and enforced many ways to attempt ending gangs and gang violence. However, there are little to no people having been through the gang world and come out on the other side in the works to try and change the paths of youth heading in that direction. (Vivar 2019) In order to help them, it is important to exchange what they think they need for something else with equal gain. It is so important that they have outreach opportunities early on in life, and that maybe things can be changed for the better (Totten 2009).

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

To summarize, the rates in gang violence have certainly increased in the past decade, and the proper measures aren’t being taken to understand youth in gangs, and the role they play in the state of gang violence in this country. There Are so many factors and people being left out such as indigenous peoples, African Canadians, and all youth in general, as they are the key to ending gang violence. However, the world has undeniably changed, with so much more to take into account then has been accounted for, like social media and segregation. But, with the help of those who have been in the same place as the young kids coming after them, genuine change can be made for those who have been alienated by the world they want to leave behind.

This paper will examine how a popular television show depicts gangs and criminal activity, and how it compares to reality. Most people depend on media for information as it pertains to their perception of crime, however often these media depictions are inaccurate (Rhineberger-Dunn, Briggs & Rader, 2015). Perceptions of crime are based in personal experience, though because such experience is limited, attitudes and beliefs often stem from interactions lived vicariously, communicated through media, as well as through other institutions and agencies (Rhineberger-Dunn, Briggs & Rader, 2015).

It is important to investigate how accurately depicted the Netflix and CW series Riverdale is when compared to reality. A popular show such as this, that is aired worldwide, will have a major impact on viewers’ attitudes towards gangs, gender differences amongst members, and criminality (Rhineberger-Dunn, Briggs & Rader, 2015).

Plot Summary

Riverdale is a fictional town in a series that airs weekly, entitled Riverdale. There is an active gang presence throughout the series, showcasing to viewers the primary gang called the Southside Serpents – otherwise known as “the Serpents”. The show follows the lives of a group of four teenagers, with one amongst them being relevant to this paper – Jughead Jones, the son of the previous Serpent King, FP Jones (Riverdale, 2017-2018). This paper will focus on the inner-workings of the Southside Serpents during the first two seasons of Riverdale; examining the structure, rise and fall of an old and new king, as well as initiation rituals and criminal activity.

Structure of the Southside Serpents

This gang had a leader, FP Jones, whom gang members proclaimed, “the Serpent King”. His ex-wife, Gladys Jones, started another Serpent chapter in Toledo, with brief conversation of another chapter in Canada. In season one, FP lead the Serpents, while trusting a select few below him to help carry out his orders. Currently, the gang is comprised of teenagers and adults – including many families, who have been a part of the gang for generations. Once in the gang, you are able to leave, however it will always be known that said ex-member used to be a Serpent, and that loyalty will be something expected of them forever (Riverdale, 2017-2018).

Furthermore, the gang has a headquarters where everyone meets to socialize, receive orders, and find comfort. In Riverdale (2017-2018), this is called the Whyte Wyrm. This place was later taken from them, and so they tend to congregate where everyone is from – the southside trailer park. The majority of members come from the southside of Riverdale, hence the name “Southside Serpents”. This is the side of town where those who are lower on the social scale and those who earn less money, live, congregate, and attend high school, as well as grow up in the trailer park. In order to join the gang, no matter your family bloodline, you have to go through initiation. For men, this involves four steps, and for women this involves a single act (Riverdale, 2017-2018).

Gang Organization in Reality

Initiation rituals are embedded in a culture of aggression and violence, with violence being central to gang lifestyle and culture (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). Most initiation rituals are based in violence, involving being “jumped in” or committing an act of violence, whereas some members are able to be “blessed-in” and not partake in rituals – if deemed appropriate by the leader (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). Rituals can increase or decrease new members’ desire to be a part of the gang, and come with a feeling of identity transformation, and an increase in gang cohesion and solidarity (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). Often current members witness rites of passage to remind them of where they came from, and to witness the showcase of the new members’ physical and mental strength (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). Current members need to be able to trust new members to have their back, have “heart”, and not run at the first sign of trouble (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015).

Discussion of Structure

The Serpent laws revolve around being strong individually and standing strong together, protecting imprisoned Serpent’s families, leaving no Serpent behind, staying loyal and truthful, as well as finding strength in unity (Riverdale, 2017-2018). Once a Serpent, each member becomes a part of something bigger than themselves, that is a family that relies on and protects each other. Many biker gangs have the same sense of family and community, for example the well-known biker gang, Hell’s Angels. The Serpents were originally created as a way to protect and keep the remaining Uktena families together and safe from further harm by General Pickens, who came to Riverdale with his men and lead the massacre of the Uktena (Riverdale, 2017-2018).

In general, when joining a new group, there is often a ceremony or ritual that takes place just before or after joining the gang – an initiation (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). Rites of passage ensure a transmission of group’s purpose and meaning, as well as a transition from whom the new member was, to whom they are now within the group. Initiations reflect the groups’ morals and values, and what is to come, and this is precisely what is represented on Riverdale. In the first two seasons of Riverdale, the Serpents followed the common pattern of initiation, as well as of involving violence – both major parts of gang life in reality (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015). However, not much is known on initiations, with some scholars believing initiations do not exist or are uncommon (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015).

Riverdale also accurately displayed how some members are “blessed-in”, as they showed Jughead, the new Serpent King, handing a female recruit who did not perform a Serpent dance, a “Serpent jacket” to symbolize her status within the group (Riverdale, 2017-2018). New members who joined the Southside Serpents had to get an “S” tattoo for Serpents, as well as wear a jacket with their gang symbol on the back (Riverdale, 2017-2018). This is something not uncommon in other gangs, for in reality, when new members join a gang, they also receive a branding and wear symbols to show their status and connection to a specific gang (Descormiers & Corrado, 2015).

Women and Men in the Serpents

Initiation

Men wanting to join the Southside Serpents must follow four stages. First, they must look after the Serpents’ dog, ‘The Beast’, also known as “Hot Dog”. Secondly, they must memorize and recite the six serpent laws in order – these are laws which the Serpents live by. Thirdly, they are to retrieve a knife from the Serpents’ rattlesnake cage. Finally, ‘the gauntlet’, the last stage, involves a physical demonstration of loyalty and strength – meaning being “jumped into the gang” by its members. This requires the initiate to endure various punches, kicks, and blows to all areas of the body, and then rise and shake the hand of other members. Once completed, he is granted a Serpent Jacket, and is now accepted as one of their own. This last stage is significant because it demonstrates a sign of respect within the Serpents – willing to die for each other. On the other hand, female Serpents have an alternative initiation ceremony. Instead of the four stages men follow to be accepted, females have to perform a ‘Serpent dance’ in front of other members (Riverdale, 2017-2018).

Gender in Real Life Gangs

Men and women both undergo initiation, however women more often than men are “blessed in” by important leaders or “sexed in” by having sex with certain members (St. Cyr & Decker, 2003). Females are normally brought in through ties with men already involved in gangs – brothers, boyfriends, cousins, or other family members (St. Cyr & Decker, 2003). Gangs tend to be male dominated in structure, status, hierarchy, and activities (Miller & Brunson, 2000). Women tend to either be viewed as “tokens” or “sex objects”, to be taken advantage of, used to lure members from other groups, and are surrounded by hypermasculine cultural norms (Miller & Brunson, 2000).

In contrast, women can be given an “honorary male” status (Miller & Brunson, 2000). This status is given to females who grow up in the same neighborhood as male members, are tougher than typical females, fight men, and are ultimately viewed as a “tom-boy” or a “fellow male” (Miller & Brunson, 2000).

Conversely, some male members view females as weak, less than males, need protecting, not trustworthy, hold no loyalties, and struggle to fight rival male gang members (Miller & Brunson, 2000). In some gangs, females are not viewed as legitimate members, therefore, misconceptions concerning female gang involvement and violent crime are prevalent (Deschenes & Esbensen, 1999).

Discussion of Gender in Gangs

When it comes to gender differences in gangs, not much is known, and plenty of information is sensationalized by the media or met with contradictory information. No one theory can accurately describe gender differences in gang involvement and delinquency, thus requiring further research and examination (Deschenes & Esbensen, 1999). Media images of gangs simplify and sharpen the middle-class perspective of what constitutes lower-class maleness (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995).

Gang violence and defiant attitudes are connected to the competitive struggle in poor communities with limited resources alongside a reality of violence being the natural state of affairs (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995). Self-respect and status through acts of intimidation and violence are committed on the streets that are the battleground and theatre for men (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995). Delinquency amongst young men is an understandable response to their situation, a response which is equally understandable for women. Women can be just as merciless as men, and research shows they used to be sexualized more often than they are now – currently being seen more frequently as respectable and powerful (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995).

Such notions are represented in Riverdale, with there being misogynistic traditions rooted in the Southside Serpents, who have fewer males than females, as well as different initiation rituals for men and women (Riverdale, 2017-2018). Women are often seen as equal in power, and often sent on missions alongside their male counterpart. As a result of limited research on this topic, it is not known how accurate this depiction of gender differences is, as this differs from gang to gang.

Men and women a part of gangs tend to grow up in poverty, surrounded by gang violence and partake in extensive alcohol and drug use themselves as well as a common habit amongst their families too (Molidor, 1996). This is something we see amongst members of the Serpents (Riverdale, 2017-2018). Many members join gangs to feel respected by others, in addition to, or instead, for a sense of family, trust, and belonging (Molidor, 1996). In Riverdale (2017-208), we see members rarely surrounded by their parents, growing up in lower socio-economic statuses, and finding a sense of community within other members.

Serpent Crime

The Southside Serpents collectively deal drugs, are “for hire”, and commit petty theft. They have also been involved in covering up a murder, in addition to intimidation, sending threats, and assault. Additionally, there have been drag races, turf war, and violence. There is also a rival gang called “the ghoulies”, with whom they occasionally get into fights with over turf and drugs (Riverdale, 2017-2018). Moreover, some members join the Serpents to work their way through the ranks. For example, Jughead Jones joined to work his way to the top. Consequently, as members work their way through the ranks, they are given more criminal responsibility, knowledge of the inner workings of the gang’s criminal activity, and greater responsibility of protecting members (Riverdale, 2017-2018).

Crimes Within Gangs

Many young people involved in gangs have been arrested or committed (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995). These arrests include: property crimes, vandalism, violent crimes, as well as possession of a weapon – crimes often committed as a result of peer pressure or need for money (Joe & Chesney-Lind, 1995). Gangs are typically linked to homicides, drug dealing and trafficking, violence, and school disruption (St. Cyr & Decker, 2003).

Members higher in rank are more visible to police and rival gangs, as well as likely targets for members wanting to move up the hierarchy (Carvalho & Soares, 2016). Further, members are likely to be victims of police violence and extortion (Carvalho & Soares, 2016). Gang members’ violent victimization may come from within their own gangs – often subject to harsh discipline from other members, victims of predatory offending by others, as well as partaking in a lifestyle and surrounding themselves around other delinquent members increases their risk of offending and victimization (Taylor, Freng, Esbensen, Peterson, 2008).

There tends to be a high level of delinquency amongst members prior to joining gangs, which is then increased after entry, and then lowered after leaving the gang (Bouchard & Spindler, 2010). Delinquency and number of violent and drug crimes is positively linked to level of organization within gangs (Bouchard & Spind14ler, 2010).

Discussion of Crimes Within Gangs

For the most part, criminal involvement and activity was accurately depicted on the series Riverdale, however it did not display the full frontal of gang criminal involvement. Undoubtedly due to the fact it is a television show directed towards older and younger audiences. Riverdale (2017-2018) accurately depicts how the higher a member is on the hierarchy, the more vulnerable they are to police, with FP Jones, being arrested by police.

Overall Discussion and Conclusion

Jughead Jones takes a journey throughout season one and two of Riverdale, where he learns about his roots and where his dad comes from, and eventually decides to join Southside Serpents. He undoubtedly does this to gain the respect of those who hold his father, the Serpent King, to such a high standard, in hopes of earning that same respect. Jughead ultimately wishes to work his way through the ranks to lead the serpents in a new direction – one that focuses more on loyalty, family, and protection, instead of solely drugs and violence, with family seemingly falling behind these two. Jughead was not able to be “blessed in” by higher ups, and had to work his way into the gang, just as other male members. Females are still faced with misogyny and are represented less than their male counterparts. This matches closely to reality, with many females being accepted through different means than men. Riverdale also depicted Serpent women as tough and fearless, who actively take part in violence and crime.

Individuals join gangs for a sense of belonging, or because they feel like they have to or they have no other choice, having grown up normalized to gangs, crime, and violence. The media often sensationalizes criminality and gangs, making females seem inadequate, manly, or absent altogether. While at the same time portraying gangs in ways that seem entertaining to viewers – distorting reality and influencing viewers beliefs and attitudes towards gangs. This is why it is important to understand the difference between truth and distortions.

References

1. Bouchard, M., & Spindler, A. (2010). Groups, Gangs, and Delinquency: Does Organization Matter? Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(5), 921-933. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.06.009
2. Carvalho, L. S., & Soares, R. R. (2016). Living on the Edge: Youth Entry, Career and Exit in Drug-Selling Gangs. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 121(Complete), 77-98. doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2015.10.018
3. Deschenes, E. P., & Esbensen, F. (1999). Violence and Gangs: Gender Differences in Perceptions and Behavior. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 15(1), 63-96. Retrieved from http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/07484518/v15i0001/63_vaggdipab
4. Descormiers, K., & Corrado, R. R. (2016). The right to belong: Individual Motives and Youth Gang Initiation Rites. Deviant Behavior, 37(11), 1341-1359. doi:10.1080/01639625.2016.1177390
5. Joe, K. A., & Chesney-Lind, M. (1995). “JUST EVERY MOTHER’S ANGEL”: An Analysis of Gender and Ethnic Variations in Youth Gang Membership. Gender & Society, 9(4), 408-431. doi:10.1177/089124395009004002
6. Miller, J., & Brunson, R. K. (2000). Gender Dynamics in Youth Gangs: A Comparison of Males’ and Females’ Accounts. Justice Quarterly, 17(3), 419-448. doi:10.1080/07418820000094621
7. Molidor, C. E. (1996). Female Gang Members: A Profile of Aggression and Victimization. Social Work, 41(3), 251-257. Retrieved from http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/00378046/v41i0003/251_fgmapoaav
8. Rhineberger-Dunn, G., Briggs, S., & Rader, N. (2016). Clearing Crime in Prime-Time: The Disjuncture Between Fiction and Reality. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(2), 255-278. doi:10.1007/s12103-015-9300-z
9. Riverdale [Television series]. (2017-2018). CW. St. Cyr, J. L., & Decker, S. H. (2003). Girls, guys, and gangs: Convergence or Divergence in the
10. Gendered Construction of Gangs and Groups. Journal of Criminal Justice, 31(5), 423-433. doi:10.1016/S0047-2352(03)00048-5
11. Taylor, T. J., Freng, A., Esbensen, F., & Peterson, D., (2008). Youth Gang Membership and Serious Violent Victimization: The Importance of Lifestyles and Routine Activities. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(10), 1441-1464. doi:10.1177/0886260508314306

No matter your decisions in life, the group will always support you. In the book the outsiders by S.E Hinton, she shows that grouping is good because it provides protection, they are like a family, and you always have a place to go if you need to Groups are good because they provide protection In the book there are times when Ponyboy or Johnny get into trouble and the gang is always there and ready to help. When Johnny stabs Bob he goes to Dally for help and gets his help “here take this sweater it’s Bucks it will keep you warm while not having to carry a blanket”(Hinton 61) The quote supports my argument by showing the fact that if you need something the gang is always right there. Although they can provide protection they can also act like a family and be supportive.

In the book there are some points where someone in the gang needs help or guidance and the gang is there to provide that. Ponyboy says the is comforting Johnny and says this “I had seen Johnny take a whipping with a two-by-four from his old man and never let out a whimper.”(Hinton 33) That made it worse to see him break down now. Soda just held him and made him feel better. ‘It’s okay, Johnnycake, they’re gone now. It’s okay’ (Hinton, 33). After the Socs beat up Johnny, Soda comforts him and holds him like a baby. Johnny receives the love he doesn’t get from his family thats why its a good thing johnny has his “gang” to help

The final piece of evidence is that in the gang you always have a place to go or support if you need it This paragraph will show how you always have a place to go and sleep for the night In the book dally talks about how he is always willing to help Ponyboy is talking with Dally about having their house open for the gang to stay and he says this

‘We always just stick our heads into each other’s houses and holler ‘Hey’ and walk in. Our front door is always unlocked in case one of the boys is hacked off at his parents and needs a place to lay over and cool off. We never could tell who we’d find stretched out on the sofa in the morning we’d risk a robbery if it meant keeping one of the boys from blowing up and robbing a gas station or something. So the door was never locked'(Hinton 105).It supports my argument by showing a sense of family and how you always have a place to go so when johnny stabbed bob and went to seek help from the gang he got it because they are like a family they always have your back and you always have a place to stay.

Abstract

The influence of gang violence and gang prominence has become a recent threat to younger generations and children. Its prominence is much higher in larger cities such as New York and Los Angeles but tends to be higher in the impoverished area. Not only is it an issue in the United States gang violence, and gang coercing has become prominent in most counties. This is especially so in counties that have fewer financial opportunities, causing younger generations to do whatever they can to provide for themselves or their families. In certain parts of the world such as El Salvador and Ethiopia it is has become life or death whether children join a gangs and many of them are forced into violence in fear that gangs may harm them and their families

Gang affiliation and violence have been around since the 19th century and has always been prominent in parts of the United States. Gang activity began around the mid-1970s in California, specifically in Los Angeles County. Several gangs have risen and impacted neighborhoods around the country, yet its most prominent impact seems to be towards the youth and children. Adolescence and children are the most impressionable due to higher content of gray matter in the brain; therefore, it is an easier target for gangs to prey on. Unfortunately, there are several more factors as to how and why gangs have a severe impact on children. Yet, not much help or refuge is available for children and families affected by gang presence. Identifying the cause and severity of the impact gangs cause towards youth and children will help prevent and ease the violence. Further investigating the causes and impact will help create resources for youth and families seeking refuge from gang violence.

The biggest impact gangs tend to have on children and youth is a false sense of family or belonging. Many of the youth who come from abusive households tend to turn to other forms of escape from abusive situations. Youth tend to turn to gangs as a second family despite the violence that continues, except the violence is no longer victimizing the youth now become the abusers or the one in power. Fragile families tend to be the most at risk of children turning to gangs for support, mainly due to economic insecurity and relationship instability (263 Krohn). Because of how fragile families are, the youth turn to whatever is most available to convenient in their situation, which tends to be gangs. Gangs tend to manipulate children and youth when they are at their most vulnerable point, and it is especially easy when children come from broken families. Since their families are so unstable, gangs can typically prey on youth by promising wealth, family, and leadership from the gangs. The youth are impressionable, especially when put in abusive family situations, so gangs are used as an extended family and means of escape from their family abuse. Unfortunately, young children and adolescence see it as such an easy way of escape that their lifelong commitment and obedience to the gang they are now in is overlooked, putting young children in the same danger they were in before.

Family history also plays a role in how negatively gangs can impact the youth, especially when families have connections to gangs or have had them in the past. Children and youth imprint on the “leaders” and older siblings of the households because these are the people they look up to and depend on. Families set an example for children and youth, especially during the concrete operational stage of development, which is from the ages 7-11years of age. The development of logical thought characterizes the concrete operational stage in Paget’s theory of cognitive development. Therefore, when children are exposed to gang affiliation and violence in their households, they will most likely develop the same attributes as their gang-affiliated family members because it is what they have learned throughout their development. Unfortunately, the chances that a child will commit a murder double if the child’s family has a history of criminal violence, the child has a history of being abused, the child belongs to a gang, or the child abuses alcohol or drugs (122 Roufougar). The way children are nurtured has a tremendous impact on how much they learn and absorb as they are in the concrete development stage of their lives. This stage is impacted by the way the people around them act, and in gangs and violent family households, it tends to negatively impact their development of morality and right from wrong instincts. Gangs mainly use this to their advantage as violence, and gang affiliation has already been instilled into the minds of children and youth; therefore, making it much easier for young children to commit crimes and assist the gangs they are affiliated to. Unfortunately, family gang affiliation usually ends up being a cycle of violence, neglect, and abuse towards future generations of children that are brought up in homes that have connections to gangs. Gangs not only have an impact on the youth but the families of the youth as well because once families are affiliated with the gangs, it is very unlikely for them to get out of the gangs causing a cycle effect for future generations within gang-affiliated families.

Peer pressure by youth’s classmates, elders, and role models has become prevalent in contributing towards the impact younger children face. Because the youth an children are in the concrete operational stage, they are very vulnerable to peer pressure from the people around them outside of their homes. Youth and children could have healthy relationships with their families but are still susceptible to coercive situations caused by their peers who are in gangs already. Adolescent children tend to be much more vulnerable and naïve compared to individuals who have fully developed critical thinking skills; therefore, coercion by their gang-affiliated peers is much easier. Adolescents are extremely vulnerable to peer pressure, thereby substantially affecting their decision making when a coercive situation presents itself. Juveniles join criminal gangs for a variety of reasons, including a desire for protection and a sense of family (246 Finelli). Gangs take advantage of the adolescent’s members by using them to recruit more people of equal or similar age. Other children and youth tend to trust someone their own age over someone who is older and intimidating. Adolescent children will idolize and look up to peers who are ‘cooler’ and part of a group of people alike, causing them to want to join also to have that sense of family and acceptance by their peers. Some measures that are taken to recruit their peers further is by including them in their street activities as a way to demonstrate what they can do if they were to join as well. Hosting parties and organizing special events, criminal street gangs can easily target juveniles for recruitment, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation, and criminal activity ( 247 Finelli). By including other youth into events and activities that are exclusive to the gang, they are baiting adolescences because gangs know impressionable juveniles will also want to join. After all, it is fun and cool for them. However, this form of thinking ends up being their demise because now they are required to recruit more and provide to the gangs they are in for the rest of their lives, causing the youth to drop out of school and abandoning their families for the newer families.

In recent years gang coercion and involvement amongst immigrant and refugee youth has increased tremendously. Unfortunately, because gang involvement has increased amongst these groups of people, it has created negative connotations and stereotypes towards immigrant and refugee youth. Some of the main reasons why gangs have become so prevalent in these communities are because they are seen as easy targets to recruit. Gangs will take advantage of their vulnerability, especially because these groups of people migrate in search of better opportunities. The youth specifically as they are much easier to coerce into joining and have usually already been exposed to violence and have it internalized as something familiar. Within the neighborhood system, exposure to community violence is a risk factor as youth who are exposed to violence may experience internalizing and externalizing difficulties, which may lead to gang involvement (Goodrum 127). Refugee and immigrant youth have typically experienced some violence in their lives, already making it easier for them to internalize it. Because gangs are inherently violent, they use threats to persuade refugee youth to join, and gangs know because refugee youth have already had experience in situations where they are forced to survive by any means. Unfortunately, a lot of blame is put on the youth for even joining gangs but allot of these youth have no choice. The immigrant and refugee youth have already given up their families and survived treacherous conditions to migrate to a new location. So, being forced to join a gang as seen as another obstacle to overcome or even as an opportunity to survive in equally treacherous conditions. Gangs tend to specifically target individuals who are desperate for survival or those who are not well adjusted to newer territories. This causes refugee and immigrant children to live lives that they were trying to escape in the first place because they were under the impression that joining would be the best means of survival for them.

In the era of the internet and social media, gangs now can further expand worldwide in terms of recruitment, harassment, violence, and dealing. Because they are now more prevalent online harassment and bullying have increased in certain media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Gangs tend to gather in these two specific social media platforms because they can control who and what they want to see or target. Gangs can search for impressionable children for recruitment and because their information is online as well, which would make it easier for gangs to locate them for recruitment and harassment. Data from the National Gang Threat Association suggest that gang members use social media to conduct drug sales, market their activities, communicate with other members, coordinate gang actions, recruit new members, and brag about acts of violence or make threats (Patton 56). Everyone has access to the internet and social media: therefore, anyone could fall victim to online gang violence. Although most people tend to stay away from gang members online, some youth and children may not perceive it the same way as an adult would. Children and youth do not think about the consequences of coming into contact with a gang member’s online presence. Often, adolescents involve themselves unknowingly by being in contact with someone affiliated with a gang, thinking they want to be friends. The friendship can later turn into requests of harassing opposing gangs or people who the gang does not like in which they now become a gang affiliate. Because so much information is shared online, if the child attempts to leave or quit contributing to harassing people online, the gang, the child is affiliated with already have his contact information and will track them down. So, street gang violence has become an issue, but now online gang harassment has become as dangerous as in person. If anything, it is much easier to fall victim to gang harassment online because users can be anonymous and harder for authorities to track down compared to in real life where authorities can physically intervene.

In some parts of the world, gang affiliation is equated to masculinity and becomes an important part of manhood. To be rejected from a gang or excluded is to be emasculated and a great deal of shame for male youth and male children. In Puerto Rico and Colombia, it is especially prevalent in poorer parts of these countries where gang violence is much higher. The more violence and gang activity a young male does, the more masculine he is considered by his male peers; therefore, more respect is gained by that individual. Gang researchers in the USA noted this, stating the gang could act as a “vehicle” for achieving manhood, particularly for youths ‘cut off from the possibility of manhood for a prolonged period”, arguing that the “gaging process” provides symbolic evidence of the “urge for manhood”…However, in general, the socio-economic exclusion is emasculating. Gang affiliation has thus been conceived as a response to emasculation by some (180, 183 Baird). Gang affiliation has become a vessel of masculinity for male youth. Still, it has also become a way to redeem male youth from being rejected and emasculated from non-gang related things such as not being able to provide or being excluded from certain work. It has become especially prevalent in New York as well now, and to be the “baddest” is to be the most masculine in the gang. Unfortunately, this has become a global issue that is not really mentioned in the impact of gangs and gang affiliation. Men and male youth are easily ostracized for being in gangs, but the root of it is never investigated, and masculinity was not seen as a contributing factor. Gangs have become a beacon for masculinity to men who have been socially excluded by their peers and turn to violence and criminal activity to regain their manhood and sense of masculinity. However, the gain of masculinity comes at a high cost and could result in incarceration and even death to young male adolescence wanting to prove themselves as a man.

In recent years there have been measures taken to help prevent the involvement of minors becoming coerced into joining street gangs and recovery for youth seeking to escape from the gangs. Some adolescences and children can seek help now that there are more resources available to help them out of violent situations. Some people have taken up becoming mentors for children and youth involved in gangs or to help prevent involvement. The mentors have past experiences in gangs or are familiar with them. This way, adolescence, and children can relate and look up to these individuals easier. Because most children and youth do not have a mentor or someone to look up to, these mentors help fill that role and help steer them into a different path in life. The program attempts to facilitate behavior change through two distinct intervention strategies. Spotlight provides support based services, which include mentorship activities and probation counseling…the second strategy is deterrence-based and aims to discourage future reinvolvement through intensive probation supervision and targeted surveillance checks by an intensive support and supervision program worker (297 Weinrath). Programs like these only work if the child or adolescent complies and wishes to get out of gang involvement, but if they are not willing to leave the gang or are incompliant, then the program will not work for the individual at all. Luckily the program does offer services to help families and youth affected by gang affiliation find safer places to live and recourses to help families and youth recover from the violence experienced from gangs. Helping families intergrade into safer environments and form better relationships with the children and youth in their families will help prevent reinvolvement with gangs and gang-affiliated individuals. Creating safe havens for youth and their families from gang involvement will lower the impact gangs have on youth and children tremendously.

Moreover, a gangs impact not only affects the youth and children but also affects their families and living environment. Youth and children are the most vulnerable to gang recruitment, overdoses, and death because of how underdeveloped they still are. There are so many factors as to how gangs have a direct impact on youth and children the ones that have caused the most impact are how gangs have affected the way youth and children live, their mental health, sense of security, masculinity, and overall living conditions. Children should not have to fear death or getting beaten by opposing gangs, nor should they have to fear to serve the gangs they were forced to join. Because the youth are still at an age where their logical thinking is not concrete and solidified yet, gangs have an easier time convincing them to join and do as they told, despite the repercussions. Luckily, there are many more resources for families and youth trying to get out of gang affiliation and involvement safely. Some volunteers mentor children and youth with no mentor figure or need someone to help guide them in the right direction and avoid joining gangs. Being able to isolate and target the issue helps achieve what specific needs certain communities need to help eradicate gang involvement in minors. Not all communities are the same, and each has specific vulnerabilities, which is what gangs use to target children and youth in these communities. Furthermore, the impact gangs cause can be lessened and resolved by uncovering how much of an impact they cause and how they are causing has implications in the youth and children in vulnerable situations and communities.

References

1. Augustyn, B. Megan, Et Al. “Gang Membership and Pathways to Adaptive Parenting” Journal of Research on Adolescence, vol. 24, no. 02, Pp. 252-267, June 2014.
2. Baird, Adam, “The Violent Gang and the Construction of Masculinity Amongst Socially Excluded Young Men” Safer Communities, vol. 11, no. 04, Pp. 179-190, September 2012.
3. Finelli, A. Giuseppe, “Slash, Shoot, Kill: Gang Recruitment of Children and the Penalties Gangs Face” Family Court Review, vol. 57, no. 02, Pp. 243-257, April 2019.
4. Goodrum, M. Nada, Et Al. “Gang Involvement among Immigrant and Refugee Youth; A Development Ecological Systems Approach” International Journal of Developmental Science, vol. 09, no. ¾, Pp. 125-134, 2015.
5. Patton, U. Desmond, Et Al. “Internet Banging; New Trends in Social Media, Gang Violence, Masculinity, and Hip hop” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 29, no. 05, Pp. A54-A59, September 2013.
6. Roufougar, Cepideh, “The Making of a Child Killer” The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues, vol. 16, Pp.121-124, June 2006.
7. Weinrath, Michael, Et Al. “Mentorship: A Missing Piece to Manage juvenile Intensive Supervision Programs and Youth Gangs?” Canadian Journal Of Criminology and Criminal Justice, vol. 58, no. 03, Pp. 291-321, July 2016.

Gang culture in Latin America is perceived as responsible for various types of criminal problems not just within the continent but around the entire globe. The term ‘gang’, or ‘pandilla’ in Spanish, is widely stigmatised as a crime group that tends to seek violence and inhumane activities. Due to this stigmatisation, blaming these ‘gangs’ as a cause for violent activities seem to be more common than ever. However, these ‘typical’ gangs that are widely known through media coverage, are mostly transnational gangs that have acquired its reputation through extreme brutality(). In order to fully grasp why these groups exist, it is essential to explore and study the motivation behind the formation and development of these gangs. Since the mid-20th century, Latin America has involuntarily produced marginalised urban areas due to its economic and social issues, which has become a ground for the street gangs to develop as a form of reaction to ‘segregation, fragmentation, and inequality’(Alberto Weicher, 2017). Although different gangs might vary in their structure, methods of economic stability and the types and sizes of crimes, inevitably there are some similarities that can contribute to a better response towards gang phenomenon in Latin America. Evidently, only a few of these gangs evolve into a much larger scale, and a typical example of these developed gangs is maras, Central American gangs that are linked to a significant rise in violence and homicides within the continent (Franco, 2008). An emphasised studies on maras can perhaps provide insight about current approach towards the gang phenomenon, and a potential suggestions in the future. An increasing rate of violence caused by gangs in Latin America in recent days implies that undeniably, gang violence is an expanding issue throughout Latin America.

There are numerous elements to consider when approaching such vast and worldwide issue,

Evidently, Schuberth (2016) notes that although ‘urban violence is receiving increasing academic attention,’ it mainly focuses on ‘coercive mano dura policies’ and ‘yet, there remains a paucity of studies beyond such carrots-and-sticks approaches towards gangs.’

This claim further poses a problem of the public policies’ insufficiency in managing the gang phenomenon, and even implies the negative result of such policies.

The information regarding gangs are considered scarce and often contradictory.

The formation of gangs in Latin America, especially ones that are constituted by young adults or adolescents, has been an on-going research topic and a phenomenon that sparks many debates (Schuberth, 2016). Some argue that the gang phenomenon started out, in countries with dominant rates of internal migration, as an alternative method for survival. In parts of society where treatment towards citizens is marginalised, young adults that are predominantly men, have formed gangs due to their sense of disconnection or removal from the society (Jones and Rodgers, 2009).

In particular, Mara Salvatrucha or the M-13 gang, which is a type maras gang, was formed in Los Angeles by ‘Salvadoran migrants who fled the civil war in their country’. Their clear sense of disconnection with the American society is undoubtedly one of the catalyst for its formation. This disconnection, combined with the stigma towards gangs, encourages those who cannot afford education, healthcare, and possibilities of employment, to further differentiate themselves from society. A majority of gang members express this mindset through ‘distinctive modes of dress and act,’ such as wearing certain colours, using gang-specific identifying hand signs, and getting gang-related tattoos (Franco, 2008). For instance, the 18th street gang or M-18, expresses its presence through ‘Mayan numerology for the number 18, XVIII, XV3, Dieciocho, or 666’ as their unique symbols (Franco, 2008).

For most gangs, violence is a common tool for their social interaction. By being involved with numerous crimes with the intention of sustaining themselves economically, they face ‘daily interaction with the criminal justice system’(Gang and Lehman, 1990). In many of these instances, the degree of crime gradually increases as it becomes necessary for them to respond to law-enforcement with ever-increasing violence. For instance, ‘Colombian cities have experienced an uncontrolled expansion’ of outlying areas, which are named communas, as they are excluded from the benefits of normal cities and they do not follow the general rules established by the metropolis (Villoria, 2011). As such, violence has turned into a financial basis of many regions, and ‘the professionalisation of the violent’ has been rooted as the country’s unofficial economy (Villoria, 2011). It almost seems natural that these gangs, not all of them but most, seem to possess a tendency to gradually increase their influence, to attain survivability against the social justice system, or even rival gangs. In the case of Mara Salvatrucha, Wolf (2012) states that ‘gang youth turned from using knives and handmade weapons to employing industrial firearms, thus intensifying the lethality of gang violence’ in means to fight against the system. Although the ways of these gangs’ development vary tremendously, the case above portrays a direct relationship between the criminal justice system and the level of gang violence.

In 2003, El Salvador introduced a ‘draconian anti-gang policy’ called mano dura, which means iron fist (Schuberth, 2016). This repressive policy has essentially increased the deployment of military and police forces, which resulted in increasing confrontation between the gangs and the security forces (Schuberth, 2016). Fundamentally, in the last few decades, Latin America’s response has neglected the social causes of gang phenomenon, by implementing strengthened criminal justice system that solely focused on punishment.

Despite the risk of falling into generalisation, Jones and Rodgers (2009) proposes that commonly, there are three types of gangs that can be differentiated depending on their criminal activities. The first is a street-based gang that consists a relatively small number of people who participate in illegal activities in a small scale. The second type is more commerce driven, through drug business or territorial domination. Lastly, the third is a transnational gang that transcends the borders in Latin America, which is often linked to organised crime that may possess political goals. However transnational gangs do not form suddenly, but rather any small street gangs carry the potential to evolve into a larger network. Thus these three types represent the different stages of a particular gang with varying degrees of crimes committed. Regardless of the types, few similar characteristics can be noted: 1) Extensive use of violence; 2) consolidation of territorial control; 3) linkage towards illegal activities; and 4) ongoing conflicts with the system and rival gangs (Rodríguez et al., 2016). Considering these similar elements and through the exploration of a specific gang in depth, can perhaps provide a few insight about the phenomenon, which can aid in deriving better methods in handling the gangs. Central American gangs, widely known as maras, are significant because of their strong ties with the trafficking of drugs, arms and even humans.

These gangs, particularly the 18th street gang and Mara Salvatrucha, are generally considered to have gone through the three stages and now possess a transnational gang traits (Franco, 2008). Thus, as the mano dura policy is proven ineffective through recent Latin American history, revision and rectification of it seems imperative and the new policies should be devised through further research, backed with evidence and statistics.

The roots of MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) and M-18 (the 18th Street Gang) are similar to those of gangs in Los Angeles, California, and are strongly linked with mass migration and expulsion, culminating in population movement from California and Central America in both directions. MS-13 and M-18 are not at all focused on the structure of gangs in the United States at all, nor are they dependent solely on systems of removal. It has been a routine practice to deport Central American immigrants from the United States (Juan Montes and Martinez V, 2018). There are different views on the essence of MS-13 and M-18. Some scholars, on the one side, identify them as transnational organisations often associated with drug trafficking. In fact, in 2015, El Salvador’s Supreme Court declared both groups to be terrorist organisations, allowing them to be easily dealt with and substantially increasing the sentences of found guilty gang members (Jones and Rodgers, 2009). On the other side, Franco (2008) suggests that gangs are correlated with drug trafficking in the area and particularly aggressive yet common crimes. There has been a consistent phase of consolidating the connection between the Maras and drug trafficking from Central America to the United States. Despite the different perceptions of their history, most gang members’ involvement in the drug market, in the case of Maras, is quite clear. Nevertheless, it should not be presumed that these groups all begun out as strong and highly concentrated institutions that have put together the activities of thousands of young Latin Americans. Opposingly, they started as small groups who shared the same name and , more often than not, common signs, such as ‘tattoos, codes, and values’ (Wolf, 2012).

What is certain is that the information available ties these organisations to weapons and drug trafficking and with kidnappings and ransom, all of which are usually carried out from within goals. The use of violence is a distinguishing mark of these organisations; as Villoria (2011) states that ‘each gang kills in different ways’. As such, the landscape of Latin America is extremely diverse in terms of the nature and participation of adolescent groups in criminal activities. Due to these circumstances, the population is used to dealing with such methods of terror, for which there is no clear response from the government. Lack of studies on this issue restricts the likelihood of addressing the problem with strong public policies (Levy, 2015). Nonetheless, there is global evidence that there are several socioeconomic factors that play a part in participation of young people in violence and crime. Unfortunately, high-level criminal groups with transnational agendas cannot be addressed by social policies alone; but, as mentioned , such organisations are few in every country and use street gangs to expand their regional conglomeration, and public policy can be effective at this lower level of the hierarchy (Jones and Rodgers, 2009).

In Latin America, violence and crime is ever-increasing since the civil wars in Central America, and this has not been tackled effectively by any government. Although the international community has played a role in supporting numerous programs, activities and policies in means to alleviate some of the failing government’s duties, information about the impact and consequences of such programs may be absent (Schuberth, 2016).

The responses of public policy to rising crime levels and the increasing presence of youth gangs on the criminal scene are punitive in nature. Originally, Mano dura initiatives have been constructed to address gang violence by punitive measures and the police force of youth deemed to be hazardous. Several scholars voice that the key outcome of these initiatives was the increasing proliferation of youth gangs and their ties to organised crime (Jones and Rodgers, 2009). Nevertheless, knowledge of the gang problem is limited, and most information on its extent and linkages to organised and transnational crime are not credible. In other nations, ‘penal populism’ is considered to be on the increase, as seen in the rhetoric of rising retribution and the intervention of police forces to combat violence (Alberto Weichert, 2017). The findings are not clear, crime is growing and there is convergence of specific groups linked to organised crime.

Socioeconomic measures clearly indicate that Latin America is facing a youth crisis in general. In fact, the exploitation of violence is one of the most extreme and internationally focused manifestations of such crisis. Sadly, the emphasis has been on criminalising the youth problem, and the policies put in place have not acknowledged the need for substantive multidimensional approaches. It is widely understood that crime prevention will play a significant role in local and national public policy. Gang and Lehman (1990) suggests that there is no clarification about what crime prevention is, after several years of various measures and, thus, almost anything has been called preventive. Ideas spanning from soccer training to community development have been implemented with the goal of preventing crime, with outcomes that have been difficult to measure. Numerous analyses of the policies adopted in Latin America indicate that in primary, secondary and even tertiary crime prevention programmes are needed in order for measures to take place (Levy, 2015). Primary prevention attempts at reducing the occurrence of violence and crime through an emphasis on the entire population, while secondary prevention works on specific risk populations of increased potential to be related to violent or criminal activity (Levy, 2015). Finally, tertiary mitigation is about programmes that focus on people involved in crime or aggressive behaviour. As such, public policies directed at targeting people at risk of being involved with abuse are the most difficult to implement and likely maintain in the long run due to a lack of evident results. This condition has led to the development of numerous social and economic programmes aimed at reducing crime and violence. The distinction between the strategies for social protection and crime prevention should be made clear in order t avoid or restrict the criminalisation of public programmes and raise the effectiveness of decreasing crime and violence.

Because of many governments’ economic difficulties, most projects have been built with the assistance of international donors who, in many situations, lack the resources to assess the impact of their expenditure. Non-governmental organisations have carried out many projects without a clear plan to establish effective plans for assessment (Alberto Weichert, 2017). Strengthening criminal justice systems is the main objective of all programmes, and spending in primary, secondary, and tertiary reduction measures is much smaller than expenditure in crime control initiatives. The report’s most significant conclusions are that 1) the bulk of programmes are geographically focused, 2) initiatives concentrate on criminal activity and do not include such social issues such as public health or school violence reduction, 3) organisational reform and government resources have been a concern, and therefore specific initiatives have had less outcomes, and 4) for almost any of the instances, there is no review or analysis of the outcome (Levy, 2015). Since the awareness of this violence itself by scholars and policy makers is limited, the issue of its root remains open. As in various other policy areas, there is a growing number of other ways which require identification of certain routs to better policy design and implementation. Jones and Rodgers (2009) provides that crime reduction should be aimed more directly at combating organised crime, because addressing organised crime requires a different strategy to tackling certain types of crime. While more precise analyses are required, it is even more important to improve the reliability of the available information. Without clear, timely and reliable information, policies are likely to be described on the basis of personal or political views rather than on the basis of evidence.

In conclusion, gangs are a phenomena in their various forms that will not vanish in the near future. In addition, their presence indicates that the creation of youths groups and providing alternative, non-violent social structures can be an important intervention in addressing this problem. Alternative approaches provide measures to address the roots of gang development, including increasing numbers of non-worker or college adolescents, minimum standards of physical and mental health coverage, and rising rates of domestic violence. Increasing the numbers of police officers alone will not impact Latin America’s gang forming system and will obviously not limit the excessive use of terrorism in many of its major urban areas.