Chapter 13

Gangs and Delinquency

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Outline

I. Gangs in SocietyII. Defining Gangs

A. What is a Gang?B. Gangs? Who is a Gang Member?C. Crime? Why do Youths Join

III. The Extent of the Gang Problem

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Outline Continued

IV. Types of GangsA. Other Categories of Gangs

V. Characteristics of GangsA. AgeB. Race and EthnicityC. Gender-Females and GangsD. Gang MigrationE. CommunicationF. Delinquent Activity

VI. Responses to Gangs

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Outline Continued

VII. Controlling Gang ActivityA. Law Enforcement EffortsB. Prosecution Efforts

1. RICO2. STEP Acts

C. Nuisance AbatementD. Legislative Efforts

1. Enhanced Penalties for Gang-Related Crime2. Gang Membership and Participation Defined as

Illegal3. Drive-By Shootings Defined as a Separate

Offense

VIII.The Future of Gangs

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Gangs and SocietyHeightened concerns for gangs grew for several reasons:1. Emergence of youth gangs in small and

rural communities2. Increased diversity of gang

composition3. Increased use of highly dangerous

weapons and the higher level of violence

4. The role of gang in drug trafficking

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Definition of Gangs Michael W. Klein: An adolescent group who are generally perceived as a distinct aggregation by others in their neighborhood, recognize themselves as a group, and have been involved in a number of delinquent incidents.

Walter B. Miller: A self-formed association of peers, bound together by mutual interests, with identifiable leadership, well-defined lines of authority, and other organizational features, who commit illegal activity and control a particular territory.

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Types of GangsC. Ronald Huff

Hedonistic gangs are primarily involved in using drugs and getting high with little involvement in delinquency.

Instrumental gangs are primarily involved in committing property offenses such as burglary, auto theft, and theft.

Predatory gangs are the more serious type of gang and are actively involved in serious offenses including violent crimes such as robbery.

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Other Categories of GangsCheryl Maxson and Malcolm Klein

Traditional gang: very large with as many as several hundred members.

Neo-traditional gang: smaller and newer than the traditional gang.

Compressed gang: new gang with less than 50 members of the same age.

Collective gang: short history, limited size, and little defined territory.

Specialty gang: well-defined territory, narrow age range, small in size, drug trafficking.

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Responses To Gangs Community organization: mobilize the community to deal with gangs.

Opportunities provision: employment, job training and education.

Organizational change and development Gang units in police departments

Social intervention: counseling, role models, inter-gang mediation, and drug treatment.

Suppression: juvenile justice system, arrest, and incarceration.

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Gang Intelligence Officer

Work for police departments and are the gang specialists in the department.

Document gang members and gather intelligence on gang related crime.

Functions: Gang information available to other officers

Assist in identifying gang suspects Provide training to officers Monitor areas of gang activity Testify in court as gang experts

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.)

Goal: to reduce adolescent involvement in gangs.

National school-based gang prevention program in which uniform law enforcement officers teach a 13-week curriculum to middle-school students.

Designed to help children set goals for themselves, resist pressures, learn how to resolve conflicts without violence, and understand how gangs and youth violence impact the quality of their lives.

Copyright © 2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Racketeer Influence Corrupt Organization Act (RICO)

Requirements for RICO to be applicable:

Operates with a criminal purpose over time

Established managerial order Restricts membership Criminal activity generates income Achieves goals through violence Has a power/profit motive