Gangs Research Paper Essay

Gangs have produced a culture of their own amazingly similar to many other groups in mainstream high family. Religious, political, and special interest groups spate all be comp bed to crowds and their ideology. Typically, groups be born through a shargond out idea or goal by similar individualistics. Many ideas may be radical or may not follow the norms nonplus by mainstream rules of order. Conflicts amongst groups ar neither rare nor uncommon because of the unproblematic fact that not all ideas depart be shared by everyone in society.In history, the basis of many wars has been mainly caused by ghostly differences. A similar comparison mountain be made amidst cliques and the other members of society. Different groups in society have different ship canal of achieving a mannequin of set goals such as money or status. Gangs do not have the same actor of achieving wealth, happiness, respect or social status as mainstream society does. These ideas of innovation are a r esult of gang members rejecting socially accepted means but accept the ends or set goals.Deviant deportment has developed in gangs because of their dash of commenceing money and status. Mainstream society has set the example that a successful individual in life result conform to the idea that many days of education will lead to a career which will fundamentally provide a steady income. In surmise, gangs resort to violence and sorry activity because of their rejection to socially accepted, mainstream goals. For example, as the unemployment rate increases, research has found that space aversion increases as well.Gang members, as mentioned by Bobrowskis studies, give way mostly to Part II offenses such as property crime. In addition, Reiner mentions that one of the three realities of life that drive gang crime is unemployment. With this evidence we can conclude that on that point is a supreme correlativity between gang crime and mainstream issues like unemployment rates. In conclusion, we can take up how gangs are seen as a problem in society because of their lack of conformity to social norms. The prevalence of gangs Gangs have played a significant role in the criminal justice system and society overall.These groups overwhelm in numbers, according to the United States Department of Justice thither are an estimated 800,000 members in over 24,500 gangs spread out over 3,300 jurisdictions. tour most gang crimes occur on the streets, a 2006 survey conducted by the National Gang Crime Research Center, out of 212 U. S. schools, 25% of American schools reported a gang shooting near their school in the past year alone. In a more broad sense, gang activity was reported in more than half of state and topical anaesthetic law enforcements jurisdiction. Most, if not all, gangs have been born in or around a whacking city like Los Angeles, California.These gangs root from these study cities but, often they franchise or branch out to increase in numbers. The relevance of theoretical explanations of gang air There are a myriad of theories that have been take a shitd to attempt to excuse human deviant behavior related to gangs specifically. These theories are categorized according to their discipline biological, sociological, psychological. Generally speaking, there are a number of theories used when analyzing criminal and deviant behavior such as labeling, deterrence, anomie, nervous strain, social learning and self-control theories.There are also classifications or trains of theories such as systems, social and individual level theories. Criminal theorist and researchers join forces in an inductive process, in which they make up quantitative data, make empirical generalizations then finally produce a hypothesis, leading to a factual-based hypothesis. The emergence of criminal theories is extremely classic, especially when attempting to explain gang crime. Given these assumptions, we can scrutinize theories carefully and develop polity implications to improve the criminal justice system.Different theories explain the wide variety of factors that contribute to deviant behavior within a gang. For example, the labeling opening assumes that pro forma labeling of offenders motivates them to take on more serious criminal careers (Criminological Theories 158). In addition, more or less theories such as strain theory explain how social strain or stress is experienced by an individual when they accept society goals but, experience blockages while attaining those goals. A theoretical explanation of gangs and gang crimeClosely observing the strain and anomie theory we can see that it explains how gangs create their own socially disapproved means to obtain the goals that are promoted by mainstream society. Strain and anomie theories are complementary regular(a) though, strain theory is in the individual level and anomie theory is in a social level theory. Strain such as unemployment rates, housing availability, st inting instability, and lack of educational opportunity enhance gang behavior in one way or another.Robert Merton explains 5 goals of adaptation to strain and these are conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. When analyzing gangs we classify them as innovators. They seek the approved goals society has publicized, yet they create a new way or new means to obtain that goal. Mainstream society and law abiding citizens accept the means they are addicted to obtain the ends that are promoted this is considered conformity.Essentially anomie/strain theories, as say in Criminological Theories, perceive blocked goals as producing deviance-inducing strain. Gang members are typically lower-class members of society and as result, there is a lack of resources available. This strain will cause gang members to become deviant separating them what is more from the middle and upper classes. Separation and peer rejection are other elements in strain theory even though there has been weak correlation between these deviant behavior and peer rejection. In addition, a big component evaluated in strain theory is the perspective an individual has towards the nerve-wracking grammatical case.The event must be seen as unjust and high in magnitude in order for the individual to act upon the stressful event in a deviant matter. For example, if an individual loses a close coition due to a gang related murder the strain will be of greater impact than if the individual experienced frustration in school. In this case there is great probability that the individual will resort to gang violence. A review of the research on the theorys viability Research supports general strain theory and prevention programs involving family therapy arm Merton and Durkheims theoretical contributions.Delinquent gangs continue to be concentrated in lower class and minority neighborhoods and empirical research has been consistently determination positive correlations between gender, social class and deviant behavior. These variables are important to analyze when researching gang crimes because they are unarguably causes of strain to individuals. Members of lower socioeconomic class will almost always innovate new, usually illegitimate, means to achieve the goals set by society and data gathered end-to-end the years has proven this statement.From Durkeim to Merton and, most recently Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin, have all amend upon strain theory with research data and facts. Conclusion and recommendations I personally believe that the strain/anomie theory has very strong points, even though I see no concrete separation between strain and anomie. Many argue these as two separate theories but, I see one large, information-packed theory. It can be overwhelming analyzing so overmuch possible explanation for gang behavior and strain/anomie theory adds on to the bombardment of possible justifications.Fundamentally speaking, strain/anomie theory explains the different pa ths individuals take and what stressors affect them along the way. Many stressors affect individuals in a different way. Not all minorities and lower class members will deny legitimate means to obtain certain goals such as, not all gang members are searching for the same goal law-abiding citizens are. I believe policy implications arising from strain/anomie theory are more closely related to other theories like social puzzle theory and self-control.