Analysis Of A Gang Essay Research Paper

Analysis Of A Gang Essay, Research Paper

Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today’s

cities. What has made these groups come about. Why do kids feel

that being in a gang is both an acceptable and prestigious way to

live. The long-range answer to these questions can only be

speculated upon, but in the short term the answers are much easier

to find. On the surface, gangs are a direct result of human beings’

personal wants and peer pressure. To determine how to effectively

end gang violence we must find the way that these morals are given

to the individual. Unfortunately, these can only be hypothesized.

However, by looking at the way humans are influenced in society, I

believe there is good evidence to point the blame at several

institutions. These include the forces of the media, theater, drugs, the

government, and our economic system.

By looking at the forces of the media, theater, drugs, and the

capitalist economic system we can apply Akers. social learning

theory and the Marxist theory as the cause of Gangs. Akers. social

learning theory addresses the forces of the media, theater, and drugs.

Akers. social learning theory states that criminal and delinquent

behavior are acquired, repeated, and changed by the same process

as conforming behavior. It also addresses four major concepts of

differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement, and

imitation. It goes on to say that this process will more likely produce

behavior that violates social and legal norms than conforming

behavior when persons differentially associate with those who

expose them to deviant patterns, when the deviant pattern is

differently reinforced over conforming models. Marxist.s theory has

capitalism the as the cause of crime. Marxist theory states that

ownership of the means of production by the capitalist ruling class

produces a society that is inherently criminogenic. The theory

believes that the crimes committed are either, .crimes of

accommodation or crimes of resistance to the capitalist system.

On the surface, peer pressure and greed cause gangs. Many teens in

gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it

all sound glamorous. Money is also a crucial factor. A kid (a 6-10

year old, who is not yet a member) is shown that s/he could make

$200 to $400 for small part time gang jobs. Although these are

important factors they are not strong enough to make kids do things

that are strongly

against their morals.

One of the ways that kids morals are bent so that gang violence

becomes more acceptable is the influence of television and movies.

This is an example of the social learning theory. The average child

spends more time at a TV than she/he spends in a classroom. Since

nobody can completely turn off their minds, kids must be learning

something while watching the TV. Very few hours of television

watched by children are educational, so other ideas are being

absorbed during this period of time. Many shows on television today

are extremely violent and are often shown this from a gang’s

perspective. A normal adult can see that this is showing how foully

that gangs are living. However, to a child this portrays a violent gang

existence as acceptable. ‘The Ends Justifies the Means’ mentality is

also taught through many shows where the “goody guy” captures the

“bad guy” through violence and is then being commended. A young

child sees this a perfectly acceptable because he knows that the “bad

guy” was wrong but has no idea of what acceptable apprehension

techniques are.

Gore in television also takes a big part in influencing young minds.

Children see gory scenes and are fascinated by these things that they

have not seen before. Older viewers see gore and are not concerned

with the blood but rather with the pain the victim must feel. A

younger mind doesn’t make this connection. Thus a gore fascination

is formed, and has been seen in several of my peers. Unfortunately

kids raised with this sort of television end up growing up with a

stronger propensity to becoming a violent gang member or

‘violent-acceptant’ person.

“Gangs bring the delinquent norms of society into intimate contact

with the individual.”1, (Marshall B Clinard, 1963). So, as you can

see if TV leads a child to believe that violence is the norm this will

manifest itself in the actions of the child quite, often in a gang

situation. This is especially the case when parents don’t spend a lot of

time with their kids at the TV explaining what is right and what is

wrong. Quite often newer books and some types of music will

enforce this type of thought and ideas.

Once this mentality is installed in youngsters they become

increasingly prone to being easily pushed into a gang situation by any

problem at home or elsewhere. For instance, in poor families

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