Social Marginalization
Social Marginalization:
The coming about of Gangs
Matt Postle
Gangs and Criminal Justice
In A Rainbow of Gangs, James Drey Vigil states that, “the street gang is an outcome of social marginalization. Marginalization is to downgrade to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group. Urban youths are being left out of mainstream society on so many levels that it forces them to the margins of society, resulting in gangs. Street gangs come about more often in low income ethnic neighborhoods. This marginalization is affected by families, school, and law enforcement. The location and ethnicity of where a young person grows up may lead to marginalization. A low income neighborhood forces one to live with less right from the start, therefore young people are pushed right to the margins of society. If you throw in ethnicity in a low income neighborhood, your mainstream society is the margins. If there already is a gang in your neighborhood, you grow up watching them and learning their way of life, resulting in you becoming a member. These low income neighborhoods are so far from mainstream society that they basically have no choice but to resort to gangs as a way to survive. If you don’t come from a strong household you have more of a chance of becoming marginalized. Vigil states that “Family life and parenting practices play the initial role in the socialization of a child” (Vigil). If you are fatherless or even just come from a home that has no love, you have a greater chance of becoming a member of a gang. Not having a father leaves you without that discipline from a male figure that you need. This may force your mother to make bad decisions such as going to a gang for help or even for just a sense of belongingness and protection. She is forced to the margins of society because there is no father around. From day one, your family is what introduces you to the world and society. If that
The coming about of Gangs
Matt Postle
Gangs and Criminal Justice
In A Rainbow of Gangs, James Drey Vigil states that, “the street gang is an outcome of social marginalization. Marginalization is to downgrade to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group. Urban youths are being left out of mainstream society on so many levels that it forces them to the margins of society, resulting in gangs. Street gangs come about more often in low income ethnic neighborhoods. This marginalization is affected by families, school, and law enforcement. The location and ethnicity of where a young person grows up may lead to marginalization. A low income neighborhood forces one to live with less right from the start, therefore young people are pushed right to the margins of society. If you throw in ethnicity in a low income neighborhood, your mainstream society is the margins. If there already is a gang in your neighborhood, you grow up watching them and learning their way of life, resulting in you becoming a member. These low income neighborhoods are so far from mainstream society that they basically have no choice but to resort to gangs as a way to survive. If you don’t come from a strong household you have more of a chance of becoming marginalized. Vigil states that “Family life and parenting practices play the initial role in the socialization of a child” (Vigil). If you are fatherless or even just come from a home that has no love, you have a greater chance of becoming a member of a gang. Not having a father leaves you without that discipline from a male figure that you need. This may force your mother to make bad decisions such as going to a gang for help or even for just a sense of belongingness and protection. She is forced to the margins of society because there is no father around. From day one, your family is what introduces you to the world and society. If that
Cited: Vigil, James Diego, “Young People join Gangs because of Social Marginalization,” A Rainbow of Gangs: Street Cultures in the Mega-City. U.Texas. 2002. Class Notes