Gangs and Motive
Elaine Cassel claims that a youth's likelihood to be involved in a gang can be told based on their behavior from an extremely early age. She suggests that from ages 5 to 10 children begin to show warning signs through disrespect, blaming others, and being easily angered. From ages 10 to 15 this develops into cruelty, crime, running away from home, and a refusal to attend school (Cassel).
Sociologists have actually come to some rather surprising conclusions as to why people join gangs. Gang members often focus on the missing father or the lack of opportunity. This is a view that has caught on in many circles, including the police department. However, sociologists believe that it is not merely due to broken homes or a search for a new family, but rather members are motivated by money, drugs, girls, anonymity in committing crimes, protection, and a desire to protect the community (Henslin, 231). In light of this slight contradiction, it is important to remember the significance sociologists have placed on modeling and primary groups. Sociologists are therefore not in disagreement with other research, but are rather suggesting that there are multiple factors in addition to the broken home theory.
It should be disturbing that citizens feel a need to create gangs to protect their community. If this isn’t troubling enough, who they are protecting themselves from should raise some concern. The Mafia was created to protect all Italian immigrants, because businesses were taking advantage of them. “Functionalists conclude that much street crime is the consequence of socializing everyone into equating success with owning material possessions, while denying many in the lower social class the legitimate means to attain that success (Henslin, 233).” Now gangs have been created, because society is taking advantage of and abusing the dreams of those in the lower classes’.
Sociologists have actually come to some rather surprising conclusions as to why people join gangs. Gang members often focus on the missing father or the lack of opportunity. This is a view that has caught on in many circles, including the police department. However, sociologists believe that it is not merely due to broken homes or a search for a new family, but rather members are motivated by money, drugs, girls, anonymity in committing crimes, protection, and a desire to protect the community (Henslin, 231). In light of this slight contradiction, it is important to remember the significance sociologists have placed on modeling and primary groups. Sociologists are therefore not in disagreement with other research, but are rather suggesting that there are multiple factors in addition to the broken home theory.
It should be disturbing that citizens feel a need to create gangs to protect their community. If this isn’t troubling enough, who they are protecting themselves from should raise some concern. The Mafia was created to protect all Italian immigrants, because businesses were taking advantage of them. “Functionalists conclude that much street crime is the consequence of socializing everyone into equating success with owning material possessions, while denying many in the lower social class the legitimate means to attain that success (Henslin, 233).” Now gangs have been created, because society is taking advantage of and abusing the dreams of those in the lower classes’.