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Urban youth gangs

Urban youth gangs have been in existence since Colonial times. Classic works demonstrate a historical perspective of the nature of early gangs, however, gang literature since the 1960s is scarce (Fox, 1985). Berland, Homlish, and Blotcky (1989) report that gangs commonly form during adolescence. Group membership beyond adolescent years is considered organized crime or being gangsters. It is estimated that one-fifth of adolescent boys in a community of 10,000 or more, belong to groups with activities such as drinking, drug use, disorder, theft, and felonies. Gangs are made up of approximately 1.5 million members in the 2.100 American cities with populations of 10,000 or more. The Los Angeles Police Department states that Los Angeles has more violent gangs than any other city in the United States; 400 different gangs are reported with approximately 60,000 gang members. These gangs are made up of Hispanics (58 percent), African Americans (37 percent), Asians (3 percent), and whites (2 percent. Ages 15 to 21 are considered the peak years for involvement in violent gangs. Studies show the average gang age to be 16.8 years; ages 12 to 14 are considered to be the best target for recruitment into gangs. Gang members usually range from ages 10 to 30, with most being between 14 years and 24 years of age (Hutson, Anglin, & Pratts, 1994; Palmer & Tilley, 1995).

Scheidlinger (1994) reports the definition of gangs, from Campbell's Psychiatric Dictionary, as "an intimate social group characterized by a high degree of close personal contact among its members, who share common values or standards of behavior....attitudes are typically different from...larger society...male youths...delinquents are more often members of gangs...not all youth gangs are overly antisocial..." (pp. 3-4). Three kinds of gangs are distinguished and include the following: Scavenger Gangs, composed of troubled unorganized youth packs; Territorial Gangs; and Cor...

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Urban youth gangs. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 20:05, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1692004.html