Statistics, Statistics, Statistics

• Larger cities (those with a population greater than 50,000) Suburban counties Smaller cities (those with a population of between 2,500 people and 49,999 people).
• Gang problems were experienced more in areas that were bigger than smaller areas. Rural counties having less than half the reports of gang problems as experienced in suburban counties, and a bit more than a third of the gang problems reported in Larger cities.
• By 2002, teen gang problems were back on the rise, particularly in the larger areas, and the most recent figures, from 2006.
• 1999-2001 to 2006, Rural counties saw an increase of 1.5% to 14.9%. Smaller cities reported an increase of 6.7% to 32.6%. Suburban counties, though, had an increase of 10.2% for a total of 51%. And Larger cities rose 8.8% to 86.4%.
• Cities having populations of over 100,000 people, by contrast, tended to have at least one gang-related homicide.
• In 2006, areas that reported an increase of gang-related crime found that it occurred in these areas, and in this order of frequency:
• aggravated assault
-drug sales -robbery -larceny/theft -burglary -auto theft
•  The factors that were indicated as most important in increasing the level of gang-related violence were, in order of reporting:

-conflicts between gangs
-factors related to drugs
-migration of gang members within the United States rise of newly formed gangs.
-the return to the area of gang members who had been incarcerated
-conflicts within gangs
-migration of gang members from outside of the United States

Likely Signs of Teen Gang Involvement
The following are some of the many signs that might show that a teen is involved in a gang.

-knowingly associates with gang members -uses secret codes or signals to communicate with associates -fixates on particular colors of clothing or a particular logo used on clothing and to -decorate other items: this may include posters, tattoos, jewelry, etc. -has unexplained physical injuries that seem related to fighting -has more cash or more valuable possessions than one might reasonably expect -shows particular interest in gang activities, gang-related media and entertainment, etc. -raises police interest -withdraws from family, school, and community activities -breaks his/her curfew and other rules -is determinedly secretive -exhibits declines in school performance

I hope that everyone enjoyed my blog about Gangs, and I hope that you learned a thing or two. Thank you for reading.

The Most Dangerous Gang In the Country

Mara Salvatrucha perpetrate violence—from assaults to homicides, using firearms, machetes, or blunt objects—to intimidate rival gangs, law enforcement, and the general public. They often target middle and high school students for recruitment. And they form tenuous alliances...and sometimes vicious rivalries...with other criminal groups, depending on their needs at the time.

Who are they? Members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, most of them are Salvadoran nationals or first generation Salvadoran-Americans, but also Hondurans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, and other Central and South American immigrants. According to the FBI Assessment MS-13 is considered a “High Level” threat to the entire country.
　

“MS-13 operates in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia and has about 6,000-10,000 members nationwide.” You heard right more than 6,000 members nationwide. Currently, the threat is highest in the western and northeastern parts of the country, which explains it because many of the Salvadoran immigrants come into those areas.

MS-13 members engage in a wide range of criminal activity, including drug distribution, murder, rape, prostitution, robbery, home invasions, immigration offenses, kidnapping, carjackings/auto thefts, and vandalism. Most of these crimes, you'll notice, have one thing in common—they are very violent. And while most of the violence is directed toward other MS-13 members or rival street gangs, innocent citizens often get caught in the crossfire.

MS-13 is expanding its membership at a "moderate" rate

through recruitment and migration. Some MS-13 members move to get jobs or to be near family members—currently, MS-13 often recruits new members by glorifying the gang lifestyle (like other gangs, they use the Internet to promote their gang) and by adding smaller gangs into MS-13.

“Right now, MS-13 has no official national leadership structure.” MS-13 originated in Los Angeles, but when members migrated, they began forming cliques that for the most part operated independently. These cliques, though, often maintain regular contact with members in other regions to coordinate recruitment/criminal activities and to prevent conflicts. Los Angeles gang members have an elevated status among MS-13 across the country, a system of respect that could potentially evolve into a more organized national structure.

Gang Membership

Gang Membership

The pressure of everyday daily life that young kids have to deal with now a days is very stressful. Some stressors can go from trying to fit in to trying to figure out who they are, and may cause young kids to do things like join a gang in order to make their lives easier and to have guidance. Children may be living in fear on a daily basis and joining a gang becomes a solution to the problem. Gang recruiters are very aware that young kids are dealing with issues of growing up and finding themselves and therefore, gang members use the kids low self esteem and other issues this technique to their advantage. 
    The pressure to join a gang may be very strong. They may view their neighborhood gang as a solution to the torment and threats from other gangs. Having a sense of protection is important to many kids. Having security and knowing that there is someone that will have their backs is an important feeling for young people to have.
    If friends and family members belong in a gang, the kid might want to follow their footsteps to “fit in, they may start to wear certain colors or other types of clothing associated with gangs. This includes but is not limited to wearing distinctive hairstyles, use gang terminology, and  get involved with gang activities. Having family members who are gang members is one of the few reasons why young kids might join a gang. For example, as a personal story, growing up I was surrounded by gangs because I had family members who were gang members. So growing up I always thought that I was going to be a gang member because my sisters were involved. The pressure to be join a gang for me got harder when I started high school, I felt as if I needed to choose a side, I felt as if I didn’t have a choice. Luckily, I decided to not affiliate myself with anybody who was involved in a gang. I decided that I did have a choice, and as a result graduated from high school and got into college. 
    Kids often have unsupervised time. If this becomes excessive, children will search for something to do to prevent boredom, of course gang activities can and will fill the excess time. Gang activities appear exciting to kids, especially because many individuals already enjoy taking risks. Gangs provide many opportunities to take risks and find excitement . Getting kids involved in sports or club is a great way to avoid this from happening.
    The appeal of obtaining money fast can be overwhelming for kids, Gangs are involved in drugs and other Criminal activities that give young kids opportunities to get money quickly. Some kids might be offered more money for delivering a package or being a lookout than their parents can earn in a week. Many of these kids do not understand the risk and consequences that will be enforced if they are caught. They also don’t realize that they are being used by older Gang members who do not want to get caught. 

Reasons for Gang Membership

The primary age group of gang members ranges generally from 13 to 21 years.

1. Identity
Gang members cannot achieve an identity in their environment, so they gain it in the gang culture. They often visualize themselves as warriors against the outside world, protecting their neighborhood.

2. Protection
Joining a gang in a community with several gangs offers considerable protection from violence and attack from rival gangs.

3. Fellowship
Gang activity offers closeness, a sense of family that is often lacking at home.

4. Intimidation
New members are forced to join by threats, violent beatings, and initiations in order for membership.

Unlike gangs in the past, we are seeing mixed ethnic and socio-economic groups making up gangs. There is an on-going struggle for territory control and drug market control.

How Gangs Recruit

• Peer pressure, offer protection.

• Threaten safety of friends or family members.

• Offer money for what appears to be simple activities.

• Challenge kids to take risk.

• Attend parties when gang related activities are occurring.

• Family members already belong to a gang.

Consequences of Being in a Gang

Short Term:

• In trouble with the law.

• Drop out of school.

• Withdrawal from family.

• Risk of injury in a “jump-in” by your own gang.

• Drug trafficking/weapons.

Long Term:

• Lose opportunity for education and employment.

• Spend time in jail or prison.

• Possibility of losing family and friends.

• Risk of personal injury.

• Risk your own family’s life.

• Endless amounts of threats, and assaults and drive by shooting. 

 Sources:

• THE CONTRIBUTION OF GANG MEMBERSHIP TO DELINQUENCY BEYOND DELINQUENT FRIENDS 

  • http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/36/3/300.short

Gang Mentality

Reputation, Respect, Retaliation/Revenge

In order to better understand the gang mentality, Reputation, Respect, Retaliation/Revenge are the main aspects of the gang culture:


(1) REPUTATION/REP:
Having a reputation is a very important aspect of  being a Gang member.  A reputation does not only extend to individual Gang members but the entire gang as a whole. In some gangs, having “juice” (respect) in gained within the Gang itself, depending on how much juice a gang member has achieved, determines his or her status or rank in the gang.  Having “juice” is very important in the gang world, how they get their “juice” is also a very important factor. Gang members usually use their past experiences, jail time, crimes, fights and drug dealing as an attempt to impress others. Within the Gang, freely expressing past crimes gives that Gang member power and respect.


(2) RESPECT:

This is something everyone wants and some gang members carry their desire for it to the extreme. Respect is sought for not only the individual, but also for one's set or gang, family, territory, and various other things, real or perceived in the mind of the "gangbanger". Some gangs require, by written or spokenregulation, that the gang member must always show disrespect to rival gang members (dis). If a gang member witnesses a fellow member failing to “dis” a rival gang through hand signs, graffiti, or a simple "mad dog" or stare-down, they can issue a "violation" to their fellow posse member and he/she can actually be "beaten down" by their own gang as punishment.

(3) RETALIATION/REVENGE: It must be understood that in gang culture, no challenge goes unanswered. Drive-by shooting or any other violent act usually follows by a “dis” (disrespect).  The most common way to that Gangs revenge is by physically fighting it out. If the Gang is outnumbered they usually go and find more of their “homies” to keep their reputation. Sometimes they returned right away and continue fighting or the Gang takes some time to plan their revenge. It must also be understood that many acts of violence are the result of bad drug deals or infringement on drug territory. Some question the authenticity of gang rivalry in shootings and other acts of violence

Sources: http://www.ncjrs.gov

How did Gangs Originate

"Once found principally in large cities, violent street gangs now affect public safety, community image, and quality of life in communities of all sizes in urban, suburban, and rural areas. No region of the United States is untouched by gangs. Gangs affect society at all levels, causing heightened fears for safety, violence, and economic costs" ( 2005 National Gang Threat Assessment, National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations, 2005).


Definition of a Gang:

               There are many ways to define the meaning of a Gang. One common definition of a gang is a group of three or more individuals who engage in criminal activity and identify themselves with a common name or sign.

How Gangs Originated?

Gangs were first originated so that ethnic or neighbored groups could defend themselves against other people/outsiders. Gang names were usually taken by the area that the gang reside in, which could be the street number or street name. Also, many gangs used their own ethnic ID to name their gang, for example; “The downtown Paddies (Irish).” Some gang names came from a organization that the gang might be involve with. For example, there is an organization in Chicago called “Blackstone Street,” which helps organize sports and feeding the poor groups on the south side of the city, gang members turned “Blackstone Street” into “Blackstone Nation."

There are many reasons why people group up and make a gang.  Gangs see that violence gets them what they want faster than most other methods. They turn to violence for fun, profit and most of all control. Most of these people that formed the gangs were minorities who were being oppressed or bullied because of their race. The Irish, Jewish, and Italian gangs all came around the mid 1800’s, Black and Mexican gangs started in the US in the 1940’s with the great migration from rural life to urban and from Mexico to the “Barrios” or Los Angeles.

Although many gangs are formed to protect themselves from others there are those like the KKK which formed to protect themselves from reconstruction of government and to “save” their anglo saxon ethnicity. Due to the power of some gangs like all power tends to corrupt.










The 10 Most Dangerous Gangs In the World

This Video is a very good example of some of the most dangerous gangs in the world. Yes you heard correct WORLD. I will be discussing some of these gangs in future blogs. Stay Tune.