the U.S. today there is over 33,000 violent street gangs, including prison and motorcycle gangs with roughly 1.4 million members who are active in criminal behavior. It is nearly impossible to get an exact number of the total gang members and those who are criminally active in violent and drug related crimes. Recently, the conflicts between gangs concern the community of their safety due to the battles between territories, drugs, and power that lead to drive-by, homicides, and other street gang violence. Urban street gang violence is a problem for society and is affected by either an explanation of subculture of violence or routine activities, but if both of those are not researched accurately we turn to the overall state of mind of the individual.
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According to the article, Urban Violence and Street Gangs, defines a subculture of violence as, “the values and norms of the street gang embrace aggressive and violent behavior” (Vigil, 2003, pg. 225). Some of the norms would consists of gang members learning how to handle situations when threats have been placed on themselves or other gang members, by being stared down, rival enemies being in the wrong territory or seeking out for retaliation. All gang members are taught and obligated to be violent or aggressive after being disrespected or otherwise known as being “dissed”. When members do not follow the values or norms their self-image is at loss, as well as their loyalty to the gang. According to Vigil, “the lower-class is encouraged to fight and confront trouble by exhibiting toughness and hostility at all time (2003, pg. 229). The violent subculture influences individuals to use strength and power to get respect from other members that they wish to earn. Some children that live in high stress conditions are more likely to find it difficult to work through the stages of humane development and look up to the older males as role models. Now that we have discussed how a subculture of violence is a problem and is an explanation to urban violence and street gangs I will go into detail of the perspective of routine …show more content…
There is a need for socialization for all individuals but if young adolescents are socialized around the street they absorb and learn the street realities and adapt their lifestyles. Among Mexican-American gangs street state of minds are known as “locura”, which means crazy and are defined as, “a spectrum of behavior reflected in a type of quasi-controlled insanity” and among black gang members these individuals are known as “crazy niggah” (2003, pg. 230). The realities of the street and the subculture of it is demonstrated in the children that lack the proper education and the social controls of families and authorities. These social controls have failed to guide positive influence within the children who are still developing their minds. Street socialization is commonly found in children who have experienced a traumatic personal crisis that may have been with their family and has affected their way of handling stressful situations. This has caused the individuals to turn to gang members to seek or gain their approval or recognition which has stunted their overall state of mind. According to Vigil, “the members that have a psychosocial mindset has become a requisite for street survival and a behavioral standard for identification and emulation” (2003, pg.
According to the article, Urban Violence and Street Gangs, defines a subculture of violence as, “the values and norms of the street gang embrace aggressive and violent behavior” (Vigil, 2003, pg. 225). Some of the norms would consists of gang members learning how to handle situations when threats have been placed on themselves or other gang members, by being stared down, rival enemies being in the wrong territory or seeking out for retaliation. All gang members are taught and obligated to be violent or aggressive after being disrespected or otherwise known as being “dissed”. When members do not follow the values or norms their self-image is at loss, as well as their loyalty to the gang. According to Vigil, “the lower-class is encouraged to fight and confront trouble by exhibiting toughness and hostility at all time (2003, pg. 229). The violent subculture influences individuals to use strength and power to get respect from other members that they wish to earn. Some children that live in high stress conditions are more likely to find it difficult to work through the stages of humane development and look up to the older males as role models. Now that we have discussed how a subculture of violence is a problem and is an explanation to urban violence and street gangs I will go into detail of the perspective of routine …show more content…
There is a need for socialization for all individuals but if young adolescents are socialized around the street they absorb and learn the street realities and adapt their lifestyles. Among Mexican-American gangs street state of minds are known as “locura”, which means crazy and are defined as, “a spectrum of behavior reflected in a type of quasi-controlled insanity” and among black gang members these individuals are known as “crazy niggah” (2003, pg. 230). The realities of the street and the subculture of it is demonstrated in the children that lack the proper education and the social controls of families and authorities. These social controls have failed to guide positive influence within the children who are still developing their minds. Street socialization is commonly found in children who have experienced a traumatic personal crisis that may have been with their family and has affected their way of handling stressful situations. This has caused the individuals to turn to gang members to seek or gain their approval or recognition which has stunted their overall state of mind. According to Vigil, “the members that have a psychosocial mindset has become a requisite for street survival and a behavioral standard for identification and emulation” (2003, pg.