Gangs and Delinquency Study Guide

Chapter Overview

This chapter explores the realms of gangs and delinquency, comprising discussions on gang definitions, characteristics, types, crime associations, societal impacts, responses to gang activities, and future trends in gang dynamics.

1. Gangs in Society
Defining Gangs

  • What Is a Gang?

    • According to Michael W. Klein, a gang is defined as an adolescent group of youngsters perceived as a distinct aggregation by others in their neighborhood. Members recognize themselves as a group and are involved in delinquent incidents.
    • Walter B. Miller describes a gang as a self-formed association of peers, formed by mutual interests, with identifiable leadership and organizational features who commit illegal activities and control a territory.

  • Who Is a Gang Member?

    • A gang member is defined as an individual who actively participates in the activities of a gang.

  • Why Do Youths Join Gangs?

    • Reasons include:
    • Opportunity for social interaction and sense of belonging.
    • Potential monetary gain from illegal activities.
    • Protection from rival youth or gangs.

  • What Is Gang-Related Crime?

    • Gang-related crime lacks a uniform definition. It is generally considered an act of delinquency where either the offender or the victim is a gang member. Definitions can vary significantly among jurisdictions, reflecting local legal frameworks.
The Extent of the Gang Problem
  • Findings from the National Youth Gang Survey indicate:
    • 33% of crack cocaine sales are controlled by gangs.
    • 32% of marijuana sales are gang-related.
    • 16% of powder cocaine sales stem from gang activities.
    • 12% of methamphetamine sales involve gang participation.
    • 9% of heroin sales can be traced back to gangs.

2. Types of Gangs

A. Types According to C. Ronald Huff
  • Hedonistic Gangs
    • Focus on drug use and getting high, with minimal delinquent activity.
  • Instrumental Gangs
    • Engage primarily in property crimes such as burglary and theft.
  • Predatory Gangs
    • Involved in serious offenses, including violent crimes such as robbery.
B. Other Categories of Gangs

According to Cheryl Maxson and Malcolm Klein:

  • Traditional Gang
    • Large gangs, sometimes comprising hundreds of members.
  • Neotraditional Gang
    • Smaller and newer than traditional gangs.
  • Compressed Gang
    • A new gang with fewer than 50 members, typically of similar ages.
  • Collective Gang
    • With a short history and characteristics that may overlap with other gang types.
  • Specialty Gang
    • Characterized by well-defined territories, small size, narrower age ranges, and involvement in drug trafficking.
C. Characteristics of Gangs

  1. Age

    • Traditionally, gang membership diminished upon reaching adulthood. However, an increasing number of members continue their affiliation into adulthood.

  2. Race and Ethnicity

    • No specific racial or ethnic group is excluded from gang involvement; gangs often tend to be homogenous in terms of race or ethnicity.

  3. Gang Migration

  • Gangs often migrate from larger urban areas like Los Angeles and Chicago to other regions, prompting changes in their dynamics and crime patterns.
  1. Communication
    • Gangs communicate through several means:
    • Graffiti: Used for public identification and marking territorial claims.
    • Hand Signs: Gestures that signify gang affiliation.
    • Tattoos: Symbolic markings that showcase gang loyalty and identity.
    • Clothing: Specific attire can denote gang membership or affiliation.

3. Responses to Gangs

A. Community Interventions
  • Community Organization
    • Mobilizes efforts within the community to effectively counter gang presence.
  • Opportunities Provision
    • Introduction of job training and educational programs to deter youth from gang involvement.
  • Organizational Change and Development
    • Establishing dedicated gang units within police departments to better address gang-related issues.
  • Social Intervention
    • Programs focusing on counseling, mentorship, conflict resolution, and drug rehabilitation targeting at-risk youths.
  • Suppression
    • Utilizing juvenile and criminal justice systems for arrests and incarceration of gang members.
B. Role of Gang Intelligence Officers
  1. Gang Intelligence Officer Responsibilities
    • Specialists in police departments focused on gathering intelligence pertinent to gang activities.
    • Duties include:
    • Documenting gang members and related crimes.
    • Sharing gang information with other law enforcement officials.
    • Assisting in the identification of gang suspects.
    • Training other officers on gang-related issues.
    • Monitoring active gang areas.
    • Serving as expert witnesses in court regarding gang-related matters.

4. Controlling Gang Activity

A. Law Enforcement Efforts
  • Strategies for Suppression
    • Total Suppression: Targeting all gang members indiscriminately.
    • Target Suppression: Focusing only on hard-core gang members.
  • Information Sharing and Intelligence Gathering
    • Cooperating across law enforcement agencies to identify, arrest, and successfully prosecute gang members.
  • Prevention Programs
    • Initiatives designed to prevent individuals from joining gangs.
B. Prosecution Efforts
  • Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act: Legislation used to prosecute members involved in organized crime enterprises.
  • Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention (STEP) Acts: Laws aimed at reducing gang violence and promoting public safety.
  • Nuisance Abatement: Addressing gang-associated behaviors classified as public nuisances.
C. Legislative Efforts
  • Implementation of laws that introduce enhanced penalties for gang-related crimes.
  • Defining gang membership and participation as illegal activities themselves.
  • Specific crimes such as drive-by shootings recognized as separate violations due to their gang-related nature.
D. Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.)
  • Goal: To decrease adolescent engagement in gangs through preventive education.
  • Structure: A 13-week curriculum delivered by uniformed law enforcement officers in middle schools.
  • Objectives include:
    • Helping students set personal goals and resist peer pressures.
    • Encouraging non-violent conflict resolution strategies.
    • Raising awareness of the impact of gangs and youth violence on community quality of life.
E. Future Trends of Gangs
  • The principal method employed in the U.S. for dealing with gangs remains suppression.
  • Findings from the National Youth Gangs Survey suggest recurring patterns referred to as gang cycles, reflecting ongoing local shifts in gang activities and violence.

Copyright Notice

  • All information presented in these notes is based on content protected by copyright © 2023 McGraw Hill. No part may be reproduced, distributed, or stored in any form without prior written consent from McGraw Hill.