Gangs And The United States - 2035 Words

Gangs are very dangerous to everyone in society. â€Å"Gangs are groups of people (mostly young males) who band together for protection and a sense of belonging. The U.S. Department of Justice officially defines a youth gang as a group of young people involved in criminal activity† (Gangs 1). There are about one million gang members in more than 20,00 criminally active gangs in the United States. Also, that group of about one million people, are accountable for up to eighty percent of our nation’s crimes. Since 2005, gangs have nationally added about 200,000 members (Targeting Gangs 1). This is why more action from the community needs to be taken to help with the growing gang-related crimes here in America. To start off, origins of gangs are unclear, but some researchers say that gangs came to America in the early 1800s. These first gangs were in New York and Philadelphia and members of these adult gangs were from the Irish, German, and Italian ethnic groups. Youth gangs did not start to form until after World War II (Opposing Viewpoints Gangs 109-110). Additionally, what kind of people are in gangs? Well first off, there are Latinos, which make up forty-nine percent of gang members ; African Americans, thirty-four percent; White, ten percent; Asian, six percent; and the other one percent is just the other category (â€Å"Facts About Gangs† 109). Also in 1996, according to the National Youth Gang Survey, the members of gangs were fifty percent under eighteen years old and fiftyShow MoreRelatedPrison Gangs : The United States991 Words   |  4 PagesThe fact that prison gangs are not visible to the public makes them seem unknown to the public eye, however the pose the same threats to the United States as all other gangs. Prison gangs are also often written off and forgotten about by authorities due to fact that they are incarcerated. â€Å"Due to their seclusion from the public and their minimal visibility, prison gangs are difficult to target and are thus frequently overlooked as threat actors, which enables them to commit various crimes withoutRead MoreGang Violence And The United States1470 Words   |  6 PagesGangs have been a part of American culture in the United States since the early 19th century when immigrant youth organized themselves into street gangs as a means of urban and economic survival. Today, gang violence has reached an almost catastrophic level in the United States. Criminal street gangs have become one of the most serious crime problems in California. Gang violence accounts for one of the largest personal threats to public safety for nearly all the cities in this state. Salinas, CaliforniaRead MoreTransnational Gangs And The United States1820 Words   |  8 PagesTransnational Gangs and Immigration August 2015, 907 murders, and average of 25 murders per day committed by 13-15 year old gang members. (Transnational Gangs Part 1;Understanding the Threat, 2016) El Salvador is the epicenter of gang activity in Central America and the largest influence on gang activity in the US. Showing no respect for law enforcement, borders, and little for human life gang violence is a requirement for young teens to become members of the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and theRead MoreGangs and Violence in the United States Essay810 Words   |  4 PagesIn todays United States we have a huge problem affecting society, gangs and the violence that follows them wherever they go. These days’ gangs aren’t just compiled of grown adults, they often lure in young teens to do dirty work and to add numbers to their turf. Despite laws aimed straight at these gangs they still defy the law and wreak havoc upon the territory that they claim. The members in the gang have a gang first mentality and will do everything possible to provide for and protect their fellowRead MoreVietnamese Gang Trafficking And The United States1660 Words   |  7 Pagesdocumentation, and extortion on an international scale. Little is known about the international infrastructure of Vietnamese criminal organizations. However, the main Vietnamese gangs operating in the United States, Canada, and Australia appear to be the 5T and BTK, along with a number of less formally structured gangs. These gangs are noted for their readiness to use violence and their mobility. They are mainly involved in murder, assaults, extortion, armed robbery, drug trafficking, street crime, automobileRead MoreCriminological And Gang And Non Gang Involvement Across The United States895 Words   |  4 PagesCriminological and Gang MembershipApril SmolkowiczGeorgia Gwinnett CollegeCriminological and Gang MembershipSocial scientists have researched and documented empirical findings of the many one-of-a-kind influential factors of formative years gang and non-gang involvement across the United States. While it is now not feasible to predict whether or not a younger man or woman will be a section of a gang, possession of certain danger elements can extend the probability.Social Leaning Theory Article OneRead More Gang Violence in the United States Essay1192 Words   |  5 PagesGang Violence in the United States Gang violence in America is reaching alarming proportions. Chicago police Commander Donald Hilbring states, Gangs are everywhere. All throughout the city of Chicago, the suburbs, throughout the state, throughout the nation. Chicago police state that so far this year, more than 100 gang-related murders have occurred. Everyday an other report on the evening news relays the tragedy of a child accidently caught in gang crossfire. The image of blackRead MoreGangs and Organized Crime in the United States3905 Words   |  16 PagesGangs and Organized Crime in the United States Criminal Justice Janaree Nagel 10/15/2011 Gangs and Organized Crime in the United States is on the rise. With the increase in turf wars, position and the financial gains, gang wars and Organized Crime are linked together in many ways. Within this paper, I will show how they are all tied together in. The M-13’s are the largest reported gang controlling large areas of our states. However, the largest area to which the MS-13’s controlRead MoreEssay about Street Gangs in the United States1399 Words   |  6 PagesStreet gangs in this country can probably be traced back to the first wave of Europeans who migrated to the colonies for a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the first gangs were formed as a means of self protection, with the thinking that there is simply strength in numbers. The missions of gangs in today’s society have grown and emerged to include many violent criminal avenues, including drug trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and extortion but the original thinki ngRead MoreHispanic Gangs: Not Just a California Problem Anymore1475 Words   |  6 PagesGangs are not a new problem to the United States. Gangs have often been romanticized in literature and the media with a classic example being â€Å"West Side Story†. Americans have long been fascinated with the Mafia, and infamous gangsters such as Al Capone and John Gotti have even been elevated in status as cultural icons. Americans have seen an uprising in â€Å"Gangster Rap† since the early 1990’s. Many people tend to think of gangs in America as being made up primarily of young inner-city black males