Youth Gangs
Jimmie Simpson University of Phoenix
Although some may argue that gang activity and youth involvement has grown exponentially through the years, it has been an ongoing epidemic for decades. Methods, levels of violence, rules, and motivations may have changed over the years, but the basic infrastructure has remained the same. The earliest accounts of youth involvement in gangs first appeared in Europe or Mexico, while the earliest record of youth gangs appearing in the United States are recorded as early as 1783. In the early 1800’s youth gangs appeared to spread in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, in the form of poverty stricken Irish immigrants. Kids banded together and ran the streets stealing food and goods to help feed their families. These crews were more a nuisance than anything else (Howell, 1998). In the 1970’s and 1980’s, trends changed and guns and drugs were introduced to the streets. Young gang members became influenced by more options by way of mobility and easy connections to more lethal weapons which made them more dangerous on the streets. Instead of fighting young gangs were now performing drive by shootings, a tactic that was taken from walking up on someone, shooting them, and then running. Gangs of the 1980’s and 1990’s seem to have more and more younger members, but also more older members than before. With this came more members with prison records or ties to prison inmates, and more lethal weapons. It also brought members who were considered “OG’s” to the forefront, and these older members became the leaders and directed the younger members on what to do and how to do it. They became a boss, father, and older brother to the fresh young recruits. As crack cocaine was introduced in the 1980’s, so was major drug trafficking. This changed the direction of gangs forever, as more money became involved than ever before. Instead of fighting for territory and respect, now young gang members had money in their
Although some may argue that gang activity and youth involvement has grown exponentially through the years, it has been an ongoing epidemic for decades. Methods, levels of violence, rules, and motivations may have changed over the years, but the basic infrastructure has remained the same. The earliest accounts of youth involvement in gangs first appeared in Europe or Mexico, while the earliest record of youth gangs appearing in the United States are recorded as early as 1783. In the early 1800’s youth gangs appeared to spread in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, in the form of poverty stricken Irish immigrants. Kids banded together and ran the streets stealing food and goods to help feed their families. These crews were more a nuisance than anything else (Howell, 1998). In the 1970’s and 1980’s, trends changed and guns and drugs were introduced to the streets. Young gang members became influenced by more options by way of mobility and easy connections to more lethal weapons which made them more dangerous on the streets. Instead of fighting young gangs were now performing drive by shootings, a tactic that was taken from walking up on someone, shooting them, and then running. Gangs of the 1980’s and 1990’s seem to have more and more younger members, but also more older members than before. With this came more members with prison records or ties to prison inmates, and more lethal weapons. It also brought members who were considered “OG’s” to the forefront, and these older members became the leaders and directed the younger members on what to do and how to do it. They became a boss, father, and older brother to the fresh young recruits. As crack cocaine was introduced in the 1980’s, so was major drug trafficking. This changed the direction of gangs forever, as more money became involved than ever before. Instead of fighting for territory and respect, now young gang members had money in their