What Causes Gang Violence

Gang Violence

12/02/13

Here in the United States alone has about 1.4 million active gangs and this includes the gangs in the prisons which comprising of more than 33,000 members. From what I have read the researchers are saying that there is an increase in gang members every year. They are saying 48%of the violent crime is up to 90% in other states. In the suburban areas you are seeing the top gangs with more experience with the violence. The most aggressive gang members are the juveniles and immigrants. Drug involvement is a big number on the expansion of the gangs and the violence. On Indian reservations you are seeing more of because they are adopting names from other gangs. Gangs off the Reservations they are working
with other gang members in the community to commit the crime. From personal experience living on the reservation or close to on my reservation there is a gang that is called the ERS.
This is the meaning for East River Sioux! This gang is big on my reservation and is continuing to get bigger. The violence on my reservation is really increasing every year. They deal with drug affiliation. They are big into meth, marijuana, and mushrooms. If one gang member has a problem with someone off the streets a member or a few members from the gang will take care of the situation if they don’t have a family. For example there is a kid missing since April 2010 and as of right now they cannot find him. The gang fought him and left him for dead and no one knows where. Police are saying it was gang members that have done this before and knows where to hide them on the reservation. The gang did lose a member by suicide because he knew too much and did not want to get his brothers involved or in trouble so he finished himself by doing such a bad thing to himself. On the reservation you are seeing many family members joining because they are wanting to be cool or because their families don’t care what they do. This gang is taking young brothers, sisters, and cousins from school and having them join this gang. The youngest member that I know of is 11 years old and that is the leader’s
brother. Gang members are increasing in communities, and nationwide. The violence is becoming more of a threat and they have to adapt to the new threats out there. Gangs are moving into urban areas to suburb and rural communities so their members are increasing. They do this to recruit new members so they can expand their drug dealing and new territories so they are making the money they are wanting. If you do not sell or you get robbed the gang will finish you because you are the one responsible to make the money and keep it safe. You do not see many gang members role alone they always have a few members with them. “Approximately 1.4 million active street, OMG, and prison gang members, comprising more than 33,000 gangs, are criminally active within all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (see Appendix A).” FBI. (2011). The FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment – Emerging Trends. Retrieved 12/02/2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment#CurrentGang. The gang related crime in violence does continue to rise.
From what I have read it is responsible for 48% of the violent crimes. You are seeing more of the violent crimes in bigger states. Street gangs are the biggest in the violent criminal activities, “assault, drug trafficking, extortion, firearms offenses, home invasion robberies, homicide, intimidation, shootings, and weapons trafficking.” FBI. (2011). The FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment – Emerging Trends. Retrieved 12/02/2013, from
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment#CurrentGang. There is a gang in Minnesota and is increasing throughout the United States it is called Somali gang. This gang is sex trafficking of females across the communities and state borders for prostitution. This is really increasing in the gang! This gang adopts other gang members like bloods or crips. The Somali gangs are living in low income based communities, this is really controlled by the bloods and crips street gangs.

References

FBI. (2011). The FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment – Emerging Trends. Retrieved 12/02/2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment#CurrentGang.
CDC and NIJ Book Guides Gang-Joining Prevention Efforts. (November 19, 2013). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Prevent Gang Membership. Retrieved 12/02/2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/preventgangmembership/.
KSFY Staff. (November 13th, 2009). street gangs. In Street Gangs Moving In on Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Retrieved 12/01/2013, from http://www.streetgangs.com/news/111309_gangsouthdakota.

ERIK ECKHOLM. (December 13, 2009 ). The New York Times. In Gang Violence Grows on an Indian Reservation. Retrieved 12/23/25013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/us/14gangs.html?_r=0.