Why Do Gangs Reduce Gang Violence?

Different aspects of the neighborhoods are claimed by gangs through ownership of land i.e. owning their house or a business, graffiti/tagging, and population of gang members loitering in specific regions. Much like any other natural creature of nature, gang members are territorial, if an individual poses a threat or opposes the group, they will take defense to hold their ground. People can distinguish whether they live near a gang by the graffiti, which is in a sense a signature for gangs like an artist signs their work to claim it. In most neighborhoods you can notice graffiti or “tagging” around buildings, underneath bridges, and garages, which many people despise because many do not want to be associated with unsafe regions. According to
Ben Green, “Violence prevention efforts that account for social contagion, in addition to demographics, have the potential to prevent more shootings than efforts that focus only on demographics.” What this means is that many people want to prevent violence and try not to become associated with graffiti on or around their property in order to become safe, which is what many people hope for. The image captures that their are two lamppost, one in the middle of the alley and one close to the end. The lamppost closest to the end of the alley is not turned on, while the other one is. Light, in this image can be seen a sense of hope and since one of the lamppost is not on it can signify no hope for many, while at the end of the alley there is hope down the line.
Another underlying aspect of an increase in crime is the inflation in today’s economy.
Low-income families are unable to keep up with the financial issues thus leaving the next generation fearful of their parents’ fate of being poor. The children of the next generation will be desperate to keep their financial status above their parents’, creating them to become tempted to join a gang for personal gain in terms of funds. School can pose a mental challenge to those who posses difficulty understanding the concepts of it, which is another factor as to why some of the youth leave school. In an economic standpoint, it is easier to manage drugs and sell them because it aquires less government involvement meaning the gang member is able to maximize their profits. However, it is even easier become a gang member than to stay in school especially if money is an issue; you do not need a degree to be associated with a gang, fire a weapon, or sell drugs. As Ben Green stated, ” Everyday in the United States, more than 200 people are murdered or assaulted with a firearm”. What Green says is that due to firearms being mixed up in mostly any situation can lead to deaths or people being assaulted, and out of those 200 people many gang members would seize the opportunity to hurt people who are disrespecting their gang. The image I have captures that by letting others know that gangs own the neighborhood, trespassing will create gang members to take matters into their own hands. You can see
this by looking at the shoes on the wires which signifies numerous aspects but the main one is that gangs marking where they linger around or what they would “own”.