Gangs and Gang Violence: Understanding the Problem and Finding Solutions

1. Criminal Violence: Patterns, Causes, and PreventionRiedel and Welsh, Ch. 11“Gangs and Gang Violence”

2. A Problem of Definition • No consensus on the meaning of the term • Definition provides indication of the number of gangs • Gang member vs. gang motive • Definition provides information for resource allocation and public fear of crime • Cities may deny there is a gang problem for political and social reasons. • Awareness of gang problems hurts tourism.

3. Focusing the Definition • “A street gang is any durable, street-oriented youth group whose involvement in illegal activity is part of its group identity” (Klein & Maxson, 2006, p. 4) • Definition has been agreed upon by more than 100 American and European researchers. • Minimal definition is sufficient for distinguishing street gangs from other youth groups.

4. Are You a Gang Member? • Self-nomination One method of determining who is a gang member is to ask adolescents. • Research done indicates that as definitions involved more gang characteristics, respondents became more antisocial. • Self-nomination has been shown to be a useful technique.

5. Are You a Gang Member? (cont.) • Law enforcement uses crimes committed as an important criterion. • Also uses self-nomination technique to designate individuals • Rural counties rely on display of tattoos, colors, or other symbols. • Self-nomination and crimes committed are two most important measures.

6. Figure 11.1 Percent Change in the Estimated Number of Gangs, 2002-2007 70 64.4 60 50 40.9 40 Percent 30 25.5 20 17 15.3 10 0 Larger Cities Suburban Cnts. Smaller Cities Rural Cnts. Total Area Growth and Change in Gangs

7. Size of the Problem • Number of gangs increased to 27,300 by 2007. • Decreased to 20,100 by 1995, then increased • Figure 11.1 shows greatest change from 2002 to 2007 has been in rural counties. • Compared to total number of gangs, rural counties have the smallest number while larger cities have the largest number.

8. Demographics • Age: Percent of gang members over 18 has consistently increased, to 63.5% in 2006. • Gender: Over 90% of gang members are males. • Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino gang most frequent, followed by African-American gangs • White gangs are the fewest in number.

9. Gang Organization and Violence • Five types of gangs : Traditional, Neotraditional, Compressed, Collective, and Specialty • Specialty gang is narrowly focused on specific set of criminal acts such as burglary or drugs. • Gang Violence: Most frequent crimes are drug sales, aggravated assaults, and robberies. • Gang-related homicides are 5% to 7%.

10. Explanations • Strain Theories: Based on Merton’s theory • Cohen: Lower-class rejection of middle-class values • Cohen’s delinquent acts were “malicious, nonutilitarian and negativistic” • Cloward and Ohlin: Saw a conflict between lower- and middle-class values and limited structural opportunities • Posited illegitimate opportunity structures

11. Explanations (cont.) • Cultural deviance theories emphasize conflicts in cultural beliefs • Walter Miller’s theory emphasized focal concerns: cultural values that coincidentally conflicted with middle-class beliefs • Marvin Wolfgang and Franco Ferracuti postulated a subculture of violence theory: • Lower-class youth use violence as a method of solving interpersonal problems

12. Explanations (cont.) • Social control theories try to explain why people do not commit crimes and violence. • Travis Hirschifocused on the social bond: • What are the social forces and institutions that “keep people in line”? • James Vigil and Steve Yun applied social control and multiple marginality to Mexican gangs.

13. Interventions • Five Types of Intervention • Suppression includes arrest, incarceration, and other forms of criminal justice. • Social Intervention includes social and psychological approaches, street workers, and religious conversions. • Organizational Change and Development • Community Organization • Opportunities Provision refers to job training, increasing opportunities for employment, and assistance with school.

14. Operation Ceasefire • Boston Police Department started program to reduce gang violence. • Focused on small number of serially offending, gang-involved youth • Emphasis was on gun trafficking within the state. • “Lever pulling”meant that any violent event would set off a coordinated response by police and social services. • Evaluations were positive and programs in other cities were started.