Reaction Analysis

Question 1: Nature and Extent of Gangs and Their Activity in the U.S

            The report is comprehensive in giving the number of overall gangs that operates within the country, their actions, and the criminal activities that they engage in. It is a street, prison, outlaw motorcycle group, and a survey of gangs that operates within the borders of the country. After a study on gang-related activities in the country and reports from the federal, state, tribal, and even local agencies, the street gangs mostly engage in street level and large scale drug trafficking, assaults, robbery and threats, and intimidations (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2015). Prison gangs also smuggle drugs, cell phones, and contrabands into prison. Other activities that are done by these gangs include murder, prostitution, racketeering, human trafficking, money laundering, and witness intimidation. The survey concluded that more than 96 groups are involved in across borders operation, more so with Mexico gangs like Sinaloa Cartels being among the top three groups operating on the border smuggling cocaine and other drugs (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2015). 

            The report also concluded that social media platforms have been giving these gangs the strength they need to conduct their illicit activities in and within the country borders. The platforms are mainly used for recruitment, communication, rival targeting, and also evade law efforts (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2015).

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Question 2: The Main Proponents and Context Surrounding the Development of Social Disorganization, Strain, Cultural Deviance/Subcultural Theories as Explanations of Gang Activity

            The issue of development of social disorganization and deviant behavior among many gang members have been addressed in many types of research. The capacity of many gang members to manipulate members of the society is very high and often lead to enormous consequences to people around them. Most of these can be termed as psychopaths or sociopaths who develop the ability to not abide by social rules (Shelden, 2013). Deviance can be described as the violation of the already established social or cultural norms of codified law. The extremes of deviance is crime or consensus crimes where there is almost a public unanimous agreement where acts like rape, murder, or sexual assault can be considered intolerable and punishable. In contrast, actions like smoking marijuana, which is illegal in several states, can be lenient as there is public disagreement on whether it is wrong or not. These are called conflict crimes.

The development of social disorganization can also be attributed to rapid change in economic and social structures, commonly referred to as zones of transition. Socially disorganized areas tend to nature and produce criminal traditions passed to youths and other generations, a description of why many members of the gangs highlighted in the reports are youths and young people (Tobin, 2008). The concept was prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s, with it being redefined by modern gangs. This has brought the groups many members from different countries like Mexico and also from different states, making some gangs large organizations with members from all over the country.

Question 3: Using the work of William Julius Wilson and Walter Miller, explain how each suggests underclass environments lead gang formation

            William Julius Wilson states that discrimination, poverty, and culture might be the few aspects that might push people in joining gangs and contributing to gangs’ activities. Wilson suggests that racial prejudices can affect the overall behavior of a person. He suggests that if conditions that make a person feel that those residing in inner-city are the ones privileged and that other persons are not restricted to access legitimate opportunities, their cognitive expectations will improve. Most would focus on obtaining new opportunities. Wilson attributes gang formation to be a result of being as outlaws and being discriminated against and denied to access opportunities like other people.

 On the other hand, Walter Miller explains that gang formation is a result of the focal concern within the lower class culture, which emphasizes on violent behavior. He views that smaller class generations are attracted to criminal activities and deviant behavior like delinquent behavior, which develop and become a subculture in society. This focal concern theory describes six values or beliefs that are found within youths living in this social class. They include toughness, trouble, excitement, fate, autonomy, and smartness. The concept of destiny is the belief the youths have regarding their lives in that they have less control over their lives as their future has been determined.

References

National Gang Intelligence Center. (2015). National Gang Report. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/stats-services-publications-national-gang-report-2015.pdf/view

Shelden, R. G. (2013). Youth gangs in American society (4 ed.). Western Oregon University.

Tobin, K. (2008). Gangs: An individual and group perspective. Pearson/Prentice Hall.