Essay Gang Violence in Society

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Pages: 10

What Should Be Done About Gang Violence In Society?

Many people in our society do not think that anything bad will ever happen to them. These people always hear about the issues and problems that are in the world today, but never think they will take place close to home. Gang violence is a major problem in our society today that takes place in many different areas of the world. If nothing is done soon, gang violence could take place in our neighborhoods. Gang violence is a big problem in our society today. MW Klein, a gang researcher, says that gangs are an aggregation of youths who perceive themselves as distinct, and that are viewed as distinct by the community. Klein also states that the gangs call forth a consistently
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Robert K. Ressler, a criminologist and worked for the FBI, believes that crack started kids with the use of guns. The gang members felt they had to carry guns to protect themselves. These members with crack and cash thought that they could prevent robberies if they started carrying weapons. The behavior however, went beyond drug trade. Many saw the guns as a measure and status of power. The problem is that now a typical teenage dispute that used to be a fist fight, ends in a shooting (Witt). John E. Douglas, criminologist, said in 1989 that gang related violent crimes are so horrible that there is a possibility it is inevitable. Douglas found that from 1984 to 1993 the number of murders nationwide climbed 31 percent. In the United States alone 216,986 people were killed (Douglas). The overall murder rate went from 7.9 per 100,000 in 1985 to 9.8 per 100,000 in 1991. Robert K. Ressler, a criminologist, targeted the young people as those who commit most of the crime. A relationship exists between crime and the economy. Phillip Cook of Duke University Public Policy, states that many social scientists have long believed in a connection between poverty and crime. Thus, a booming economy (4.3 percent unemployment rate) could be driving crime lower. With more hope of finding legal jobs, young people will less likely turn to crime. Controversially, robbery and burglary fluctuate with the economy, murders usually do