Synthesis of Learning

Posted: September 9th, 2013

Synthesis of Learning

A gang is a group of individuals with a discernible hierarchy that claim sovereignty over a territory and proceed to exercise authority over that given territory. Gangs emerged in the 20^th century in the US during the prohibition era in order to garner control of the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages. Currently there are 1.4 million gang members in the US with African American gangs being the most prominent despite the fact that they do not have the largest following. About half of the illegal activities in the US can be traced to gang activity with New York, Chicago and Los Angeles being the most overrun by gangs.

A notable example of the exploration gang activity is conducted by The National Gang Crime Research Center (1996) which is based out of Chicago and which conducts research on gangs and their affiliates and proceeds to make this information public through periodicals, and also provide reintegration services to gang members. It provides information about the state of gangs in the penal system, the strength and/or necessity and function of these types of gangs.

The National Gang Center (1990) is another organization which in addition to instituting anti-gang programs also helps communities prevent the formation of gangs. This center offers an anti-gang program which provides funding for the prevention and intervention of gang activity in various communities. The center also provides training facilities to various communities on how to deal with gangs and gang related activities.

In addition there is also the Michigan Gang Research Project (2009) which focuses on the role of youth in gang based violence and activity. This project based out of Michigan poses options on how to deal with research activity and also talks on methods and strategies used by gangs to conduct illicit activity. The project also gives insight on how to save those inducted into gangs or if this option fails how to punish those involved in gang activity.

Topics to be addressed are the proliferation of gang activity and how to address the question of how to address the problems of the emergence of gangs. We will be addressing which communities are primed for the formation of gangs and in these which individuals are more likely to be susceptible to the inculcation into gangs. We will also be addressing how modern gangs differ from gangs of the past in terms of increase in the level of violence, whether today’s gangs are involved in organized crime and the ethnic factors that comprise gangs.

With the staggering number of youths involved in gang activity and the various violent ways that these gangs use to distinguish themselves from each other it is obvious that not all people involved in gang activity can be saved and the incarceration of gang members seems not to have an effect on gang activity. Gangs prey on at risk communities and individuals from impoverished households where options are hard to come by. Gangs are also compounding the problem of racial and hate based violence which further divides communities they are based in.

the only solution to gang and gang violence would be the sensitization and training of communities on how to deal with gangs, ways to protect the community, and the increasing of options of at risk youth in these communities. Funding should also be provided to programs that fight gang activity which would ensure that communities have a protection system from the illegal and dangerous activities that gang proliferation brings to their communities.
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