Newman1

Tori Newman

Mrs.Wines

Comp 1

February 22nd, 2021

What Is The Cause For Gang Violence?

The growing issue of racism in our country can strongly be tied to gang violence. Gangs

do not have a racial code. The stereotype that gangs and gang violence are because the African

American population is a large part of the drawback in America. As a result, this means that race

is not the problem. Many other factors are the leading causes of gang violence in our country.

For instance, family abuse or neglect in an adolescent's everyday life, the need to find people you

“fit in” with, along with poverty or joblessness.

The rate of family abuse in America is extremely alarming, mental or physical abuse is

one of the leading factors in citizens turning to gang life. This then results in gang violence. This

factor does not play into any racial stereotypes whatsoever. Evidence is written that “ has

suggested that delinquent youth largely come from homes where there is inadequate or careless

supervision; overstrict, abusive, or erratic discipline; and lack of family cohesiveness children

raised in such settings are more prone to gang membership.”(Gang Behavior in the Schools,

n.p.g) The fact remains that in order to lessen gang violence, we must start with the youth.

Terminating the future generation’s likelihood to join a gang could solve the issue. In doing so,

we must address the fact of poor parenting along with numerous other factors, for example,

individuals facing struggles like poverty or unemployment may be another contributing factor in

gang violence.
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As a result of family abuse or neglect, some may experience the need to fill that void by

finding people they believe love and support them, gangs are known as a brotherhood. “Youth

gangs may offer the prospect of social, psychological, and physical protection for youth”(Lenzi,

Michela, n.p.g.), feeling like you have people that love and support you is vital to human nature.

An example being, ‘My mother had a deep psychological impact on me," he says. "She saw a lot

of extreme violence, a lot of death, because of the war. Gradually, he sought safety in the

brotherhood of gangsters.’(Patti McCracken, n.p.g.) , due to a large number of individuals who

experience the same trauma join gangs as a source of fulfillment, not due to the fact that they

have a certain skin color. This assumption is uneducated and largely known as a racist viewpoint.

Another racist point of view is presuming that all lower-income cities are filled with African

Americans, and or other races.

Prior to the recent event of covid-19 the U.S, economy was booming, this does not

necessarily mean that there is a vast amount of job opportunities in lower-income cities, gang life

is often idealized as a way to make easy money fast. “ Street gangs are usually criminal

enterprises, so they offer the opportunity to acquire money and consumer goods. Many members

come from backgrounds of poverty and joblessness, which create a sense of hopelessness about

the future.” Gang life is often prorated as a lavish lifestyle. Money, women, alcohol, and drugs

may mislead a large number of individuals into joining oblivious of the unpleasant aspects. In

order to support yourself and your family gang life might not sound like an awful option. In other

words, gangs are not restricted to one select race, poverty is not fixated on certain skin tones
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meaning anyone of any race may be compelled to join this lifestyle for a source of income or

escape.

Often, people tend to misjudge situations one might come to argue that gang violence is

the result of the African American population because of racism. “Racism can make an officer

seek to intimidate a suspect or use excessive force to subdue him. Fear creates tensions that lead

to the telling of jokes identical to those told by people motivated by pure racism.”(Violence Is A

Symptom Of, n.p.g.) As you can see this demonstrates that racism is more powerful than one

might think, meaning that a black male is more likely to be pulled over and arrested for nothing

rather than a white male. Making it seem to the public that the crime rate is higher because of

that specific race. When in actuality there are many other underlying causes of gang violence all

over the country.

With all things considered, gang violence is a result of many social issues in our nation

not caused on account of race. Understanding some of the actual causes of gang violence may

help to put things into perspective, and as a nation, there is a chance we could harmonize and

find solutions to the actual leading factors of gang violence. These factors include family abuse

or neglect in young adult’s everyday lives, the need to find people you believe love and support

you with, along with poverty or joblessness. In order to diminish gang violence, mankind must

see past skin color and realize that this issue is deeper than that.
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Work Cited

“Belonging: Young People Join Street Criminal Gangs for Adventure, Peer Respect, and

Emotional Support That Is Missing in Their Homes.” ​Canada & the World Backgrounder​, vol.

83, no. 3, Mar. 2018, pp. 9–11. ​EBSCOhost,​

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=134011336&site=ehost-live&scope

=site.

Kevin Shird, opinion contributor. “Violence Is a Symptom of Poverty, Not a Cause.”

TheHill,​ 9 Mar. 2017,

thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/crime/322568-violence-is-a-symptom-of-poverty-not-a-cause?rl=

1%27.

Lenzi, Michela, et al. “Adolescent Gang Involvement: The Role of Individual, Family,

Peer, and School Factors in a Multilevel Perspective.” ​Aggressive Behavior​, vol. 41, no. 4, July

2015, pp. 386–397. ​EBSCOhost,​ doi:10.1002/ab.21562.

Parks, Carolyn P. “Gang Behavior in the Schools: Reality or Myth?” ​Educational

Psychology Review,​ vol. 7, no. 1, Mar. 1995, p. 41. ​EBSCOhost​, doi:10.1007/BF02214206.