I am Somebody Gang Membership K LowLockwood Gangs
“I am Somebody”: Gang Membership K. Low/Lockwood
Gangs “A group of people that form an alliance for the common purpose, and engage in unlawful or criminal activity”
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Historically • Membership levels and violence correlate to peak levels of immigration and population shifts as in the early 1800’s, 1920 s, 1960, and late 1990’s. • Primarily white gangs (mafia) until the 1930 s 1940 s due to immigration (people came and weren’t accepted, they created their own subculture) • Estimates place gang affiliation at between 500 k 1 mil, with 16 k-22338 k gangs in the US.
Why Join? • • Gangs are a subculture that create opportunities for lower class males who otherwise are unable to attain wealth and success through traditional avenues as they don’t have the necessary skills and supports to become a part of middle class society. Gangs offer a rigid structure of behavior A sense of belonging, recognition, and protection, status, surrogate family • • • To gain a sense of belonging and sense of attachment To escape intolerable situations at home To emulate admired persons -older siblings, mother, father, tough guys in the neighbor To escape poverty Forced into membership (through threats and intimidation; peer pressure) To become rich and powerful To "Get Back" at society To experience adventure and excitement To be "Somebody" or gain respect Environmental survival
Characteristics of a gang member • • • Male Poor student Dropped out of school Unemployed Police record Lower socioeconomic status Homophobic Limited feeling of guilt Lack of empathy Egocentric Manipulative Low self esteem Status in a gang: • Wannabes: Youth ages 9 -13 who aggressively seek roles and status in a gang • Gangbangers: Youth ages 13 -25 that are accepted as gang members. The “soldiers”, consist of 80% of members • Original Gangsters: Achieved permanent status. Sometimes retired or semi retired as well as founders of group
Christopher, age 13 Case Study • • • Mother: age 31, addicted to crack, lost custody, in and out of jail Timeline: Father: in prison, addict, physically abusive • Age 9: played gang at recess Christopher: carries a gun for • Age 11 -12 - did errands for gang protection, lives with aunt and members, ran money and drugs, cousins, shares a mattress on the provided a distraction when gangs floor in a bad neighborhood in committed a theft or property crime Brooklyn, NY. Rarely attends school, barely reads or writes, smokes pot to • Age 13: Quit school, wears gang relax and drinks heavily. Wears colors, involved in wannabe gang designer jeans, and puma sneakers. activities. Police label him as a gang member • Christopher is willing to do anything to gain respect and admiration and the status of Gangbanger Gangs meet his needs of being in a culture that offers him friends, a set of values, and income. His life experience of growing up in a drug infested and extreme poverty placed him at extreme risk of gang involvement
Females • Many girls are first • Historically used as sexual introduced through rap objects. Thought of as music, and are drawn to either whores or saints. gangs as a way of self protection from violence, • Why? Dysfunctional and mistreatment from families, lack of people in their lives. education, need for belonging. Tied to self • Serious crimes by women esteem, relationships have increased in the last with family, environment, two decades school, and neighborhood • Women are 38% of membership in gangs
Community • Availability of jobs Boston’s Operation • More than the Ceasefire: highly minimum wage regarded and replicated • Community strategy to reduce programming like Big serious juvenile and Brother Big Sister which gang violence in Boston provides a support – See resources for more system and a good role information model to at-risk youth
Gang prevention video Gang Prevention. webloc
School • Intervention most needed is • Understand warning signs of between 3 -7 pm. possible gang involvement • Good after school • Review ethnic and cultural programming backgrounds of specific gangs in your area in order • Summer programming: to appropriately design these families cannot afford prevention programs summer camps and sport activities. Scholarships and • Provide opportunities to alternatives that provide have ethnic pride and learn safe and constructive to function in the culture in options are necessary acceptable ways
Individual Intervention Counseling Psychodrama Most effective with marginal Individual works out issues members and wannabes through role playing with their alter ego without Teach new behavioral their impulse taking over alternatives Group counseling can have members help each other gain insight in a comfortable, helpful forum.
Prevention (Gang Training) Positive peer pressure Adult mentor Peer mentor *Parental involvement* Dress code in school Collaboration with law enforcement, and social service agencies • Training to school staff to recognize gang signs, dress, and language. • Invite a jailed gang member to speak at school • Increase self esteem of at-risk youth • • • Conflict resolution training Dispute mediation training Job placement Emphasis on negatives of gang membership in schools “SC can assist at-risk youth with finding other ways of getting the feeling of belonging, acceptance, respect, admiration, and accomplishment that these students crave. ” Examples: Sports, military, school clubs
Resources • http: //www. cops. usdoj. gov/files/RIC/Publication s/Gangs. Card_FBI. pdf • http: //www. fbi. gov/news/stories/2008/july/gang s_071008 • http: //www. fbi. gov/statsservices/publications/2011 -national-gang-threatassessment • https: //www. ncjrs. gov/pdffiles 1/nij/188741. pdf • http: //www. gangsorus. com/index. html
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