Street Gangs: What are they all about


The term Street Gang has no definite meaning to it, as this gang involves a group of people who are always up to no good. You can terminate street gangs in a lot of different ways, starting from gang control to prevention tricks.

The closest word to street gangs is a criminal organization. It implies that these types of groups create problems for the naïve and unprepared people of a neighborhood or community. It requires strategy and proper teamwork to get rid of such imbeciles.

Unfortunately, most societies and districts are not established enough to take action against these criminal activities. But, if you can manage to start a petition regarding the conditions of your society, then there is a chance for you to see better days.

In the United States, gang violence is at every corner of a street. According to a reliable estimate in 2005 from the Department of Justice, there was a survey for the National Gang Threat Assessment community.

The results of the study were very unpleasing; 731,000 gang members. Luckily, gang members are not widespread in rural areas, but they are ruling the urban environment.

With the advancement of technology, gang members are also becoming smart with their moves. They are now more confident because they can use all types of technologies to execute their theft programs effortlessly.

It is challenging to backfire on street gangs because they delete their previous records immediately after completing a heist. As said above, it requires proper planning to take these bastards down.

Crime Gangs

Whenever crime comes up, people automatically assume the presence of Mafia and other famous crime-related gangs. As you know, the sin of today is nothing like the crime of yesterday.

The laws of Mafia are now being used for many criminal organizations. As a result, the judge and prosecutors treat criminal gangs the same way as they manage the Mafia.

Well-established criminal gangs operate nationally, internationally, and locally. Moreover, all illegal activities can be terminated locally, under international or federal law.

Criminal minds work in several modes. That means criminal organizations may include small operations with a group of people who are involved in certain types of crimes, such as selling drugs.

That was just an example of the criminology of a small organization; there is a lot more to this. Large criminal organizations take part in rigorous criminal activities, such as committing illegal or unlawful activities. The worst part about their heists is that they make sure to leave no trail behind.

Furthermore, if you belong to a healthy and pleasant community, neighborhood, or society, then you can take some measures to eradicate crimes from disturbing the peace of your house.

Gang Culture

Gang culture vividly began in the 1920s. The intensity and criminal rates were not that high at that time, and individuals had different reasons to join a gang.

Most of the bands of that time were a group of uneducated people. They had nothing to do except for violating the city. Additionally, they were African-Americans.

 So, the starters of the gang culture were the blacks, as they were rejected due to their race. However, due to the advancement of the world and the way people think, the crime culture is on a whole new level.

Now, both the white and the black and working in harmony to execute uncontrollable crimes. In the United States, most gang members form in prisons.

Different Types of Street Gangs

When it comes to the types of street gangs, then you have three major categories. Each gang-type represents a different location, criminal mind, and activities.

1. Turf Gangs

Turf gangs belong to a particular territory. They are known for having strict control over their land. Most of the turf gang members are from the same ground they control.

However, they may share a common ethnicity among the gang members, only because the majority of some societies have a particular total of ethnic similarity.

Turf gangs usually name themselves after the territory they control, such as the West Side Snakes or 5TH Street hoarders. If members of other regions step into the turf territory, the fight usually ends in a blood bath or even death.

As a result, things can get scary and dreadful between other rival gangs. In contrast to this, groups use particular strategies to recruit new members.

Turf gang members are recognized as members with tattoos, chains, leather jackets, and from any other gang-related accessory.

2. Ethnic Gangs

Ethnic gangs are known for their race and nationality. Ethnic gangs usually target the ethnicities they disgust the most.

Groups like Skinhead Gangs, White Supremacist Gangs, or the Neo-Nazi gangs – all represent their hatred for Jews, Hispanics, Christians, and blacks.

3. Prison Gangs

This one is pretty easy. Whenever gang members are sent to prison, they do not lawfully demolish their gang ID. That does not stop street gangs from creating problems and fighting other gang members in jail.

Somehow, a few of these gangs form in prison, and when they reach the outside world, they being to expand their ideas and members.

Prison gang members are fierce in appearance, and the way they fight is ruthless. Sending a young gang member to prison is like sending him to college.

Furthermore, the majority of gang members indulge in illegal activities at a young age. They envy the respect and money older gang members have.

What is worse, they may even hang out with them, which leads to new beginnings in the crime world. Prominent gang members usually use children as bait to distract the police. Because even if they get caught, they will not have to suffer that much as compared to older members.

Street Gangs in Our Society

Societies struggling with economic and social problems are most likely to have gang members. Struggling communities mostly give birth to youthful gang members instead of professional gangers. All gang members have a particular dress code which they honor the most.

The majority of underdeveloped societies have a lack of jobs, and that becomes a perfect opportunity for gangs to think of illegal methods of living and earning.

They take part in assault, theft, trafficking in drugs, extortion, etc. They are different and diverse, and often change their beliefs, which leads to more disasters.

So if your society also has a street gang, then you are in significant danger.  

How to Know if There is a Gang in Your Neighborhood

There are plenty of ways to recognize the presence of street gangs in your neighborhood. If you observe the following characteristics, then there is a gang in your area.

· Secret Parties

Groups/gans plan secret parties during school hours. These parties usually include activities like alcohol drinking, drugs, sex, and lots of other illegal activities.

· Gang Appearance

Gang members typically have a specific dress code, often wearing the same color and style. In other cases, gang members wear T-shirts or jackets that display their gang nicknames.

Other than that, they may also have tattoos with their gang name or a tattoo with a sacred message that a gang member can crack.

· Street Gang Name

All street gangs have a particular name by which they are known. This name may include a cultural, street, or neighborhood item.

Street gang members love to mark their territory on the walls of their neighborhood with graffiti or depicting symbols.

· Monikers

The moniker refers to a nickname that a gang member may have. These nicknames roam around in the district In the form of graffiti or tattoos. Moreover, the name may include a street name.

The bottom line is, if you notice any of the characteristics mentioned above in your neighborhood, then you better start making calls.

Protecting Your Family From Street Gangs

Numerous measures can be taken to protect your family from street gangs. If you have kids, then you most certainly need to make some ground rules. For starters, you can get some help from these tips:

· Listen To Your Family:

Do not flange your input onto others. Many children form gangs due to their lack of understanding and trust from their parents. So the first step of protection from street gangs is to build a strong relationship with your youth.

· Get Rid Of Every Scare Tactic You Have:

Young children who involve themselves in groups may not consider their loyalties before making this decision. They only tend to notice the short-term, yet positive results of their actions.

So it is best for parents to calmly discuss the terrible consequences of gang life: injuries, prison, and death. Other than that, add a few facts to factor your knowledge and experiences.

Make your kids think about their future by indulging them in making the right decisions for themselves.

· Communicate Positively:

Believe in your children, let them know that you value their opinions. Help them to improve and identify their talents and weak points.

Discuss healthy options with your children and indulge them in thought-provoking activities. Do not oppress your opinion on them; just let them figure everything out on their own. Besides that, always praise your children and never make them feel left out.

· Take Part In Your Neighborhood Society:

If you think that you can do everything on your own, then you can’t. Make other parents participate in this petition to provide unlimited opportunities and programs that are inspiring to the youth. Make a list of a few activities that build self-respect and confidence.

· Know With Whom Your Child Hangs Out With:

Create a friendly and welcoming environment in your home that indulges your kids to invite their friends over. It is an excellent chance for you to know your children’s friends better.

· Spend Some Quality Time With Your Child:

Plan a few beautiful activities for your family, and make sure to spend some time with your children as well. Take your children to places other than your neighborhood.

Go to beaches, parks, campgrounds, museums, or whatever area that grabs the interest of your children.

· Set Some Limits:

Create some ground rules for your children to follow. Let them know what kind of behavior is acceptable and what is not. Set a schedule for your kids to be home by then. Do not let them roam in the streets without supervision.

You can not control every movement of your youth, but you can be aware of the places they are going.

Furthermore, never let your kids hang out with sketchy and older people or attend neighborhood parties because there is a 90% chance of gang members to be there.

Working With Police & Law Enforcement

Law enforcement is essential for keeping the kids away from gang memberships. Without a doubt, the law has to adopt a strategy that is beyond crime-fighting to prevent criminal activities from happening successfully.

Due to their presence and knowledge, law enforcement and the police can quickly identify a suspect in contact with gangs at a young age.

After identifying a person, they take strong measures to prevent gang-related activities from occurring. Furthermore, you can trust law enforcement officers to perform surveys in your community or neighborhood.

Collaborations with different institutes such as public health, community, schools, and other private and public sectors can lead to a decrease in gang-joining and other illegal activities.

The best way for you to ensure the safety of your neighborhood is by conducting regular surveys by official officers. As a result, you can catch these troublemakers efficiently and give them punishments according to the law.

Conclusion

To conclude everything, street gangs bring nothing but trouble to your community. If your potential youth is involved, things can get even worse.

You can stop this from happening by including law enforcement officers and regular police surveys in every corner of your street. It is a great way to decrease ganging and other criminal activities in your neighborhood. CWP

Community Watch Paper blogs:

Juvenile Delinquents

What Role Does Media Play In Presenting Crime

Featured videos



References

Recent Posts