In cities across the United States, a large percentage of youths are joining gangs. Especially in the past few decades, youth gangs are becoming more common and a growing concern for Americans. The problem is caused by the rapid growth of youth gang population. This growth in gang population also brought an increase to the crime rates. Youth represents a huge portion of the gang populations and are responsible for the escalation of these crime rates. According to “The National Gang Intelligence Center,” they documented approximately one million gang members in the United States. Of those documented gang members, approximately four hundred thousands of them are youths (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009).
Media across the country are focusing on youth gang issues, but what is the identification of Youth Gang? Who belongs to that group?
What is considered Youth Gang? There might be many explanations and definitions of youth gang, but this is my definition of youth gang. If individuals fit in the following descriptions, they have a good chance of belong to a youth gang.
- Youth
· age from twelve to twenty-four.
· a condition of being young
· a time of life from puberty to the attainment of full growth
- Under the California Penal Code Section 186.22 (f):
· a street gang is defined as any organization, association or group of three or more persons
· whether formal or informal
· has continuity of purpose. For example, the group repeatedly commit the same type of offense
· seeks a group identity. For example, the persons claims a specific name or they have the same tatoos
· has members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity.
Bibliography
National Gang threat Assessment 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2011 from National Gang Intelligence Center Web Site http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs32/32146/gangs.htm
Street Gangs (2011). Definition of Criminal Street Gang. What is a Gang?. http://www.streetgangs.com/laws/definition_gang.html
Wilson, J. (September, 2000). Preventing Adolescent Gang Involvement. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/182210.pdf
I’m not sure if I understand completely about your reasoning behind the influx of new gang members. When you stated: “The reason for this issue is the lack of attention by the United States Government.”, do you mean that the U.S. Government is the sole reason behind gangs in America? I think that there should be some discussion about the families or individuals role behind joining a gang. The U.S. Government and local governments do provide assistance in youth gang prevention, but I don’t think the sole responsibility is on government to reduce. There needs to be some self responsibility within the families and communities that these gangs are. Your blog is very one-sided and should push discuss the blame game, of whose fault it is for these youth gangs because gangs will always be around regardless of the economy of government programs.
ReplyDeleteIn this society i do agree that more and more youth are joining gangs. The youth that are joining gangs are getting more violent and dangerous. I agree that youths who join gangs are an example Maslows Hierarchy of needs. Individuals seek out gangs to aquire the loving, belonging, self esteem, security that they need to survive. Most individuals who join gangs mostly grew up in low economic status and have relatives who are serving time in incarceration. It is a type of lifestyle that they seek to choose, since no one can guide them to a better life.
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