Comparing UK and US Gang Culture

Comparing UK and US gang up CulturePopular perceptions of gang activity are often establish on sensationalized images created in the media. They vary from dramatic reports of gangland shootings to images of young men terrorizing the topical anesthetic neighborhood. Indeed, there are elements of gang culture that are criminal and grievous for the local population however, gang culture is so complex that a single definition has yet to be agreed upon by social scientists. The primitive issue of controversy is whether criminality is a central and causal.Thrashers (1927) pioneering study was the first to look at assemblage processes and psychology of gang life. finished his study of 1,313 Chicago gangs, he concluded gangs are part of the psychological and class process of teenagers in economically deprived communities. He believed gangs aregroup(s) primitively formed spontaneously, and then integrated through conflict.characterized by the following types of behavior meeting face t o face, milling, movement through space as a unit, conflict, and planning. The result.is the development of tradition, unreflective internal structure, esprit de corps, solidarity, morale, group awareness, and attachment to a local territory. (pg 46)By the 50s and 60s, the popular view changed the perception of gangs became one of fear and threat.. moth miller (1975) and Klein (1971) published papers defining gangs as innately criminal. Millers pessimistic perspective is apparent in his classification of gangs asa group of recurrently associating individuals with identifiable leadership and internal organization, identifying with or claiming control over territory in the community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent or other forms of illegal behavior (pg 9).Miller was echoed by Klein (1971), who defined gangs asany denotable group of youngsters who..recognize themselves as a notable group. (and) have been involved in a sufficient number of delinquent incid ents to call forth a consistent negative response from..residents and/or rectitude enforcement agencies (pg 13)This theme was taken up by impartiality enforcement agencies, and the idea of the gang as a part of the moral order of the community was subsequently gone. The sociological definition of gang was replaced by terms mainly useful to law enforcement, which are still used to this day. Brantley and DiRosa of the FBI (1994) describe gangs as groups of individuals..who associate on a continual basis for the purpose of committing criminal acts.But other researchers maintain the Thrasher group process hypothesis. Moore argues against Miller and Kleins definitions, as she believes they are circular the definitions entangle the very behaviour i.e. crime that they are trying to understand. Thrasher and Moores definitions differ significantly from Klein and Millers. Moore (1998) believes criminality is not inherent to gangs and views them instead as unsupervised chum groupssocialize d by the streets rather than by conventional institutions. The debate continues, and the lack of agreement regarding the defining features of gangs has made consistent findings and generalizations problematic. Criminal activity remains a pivotal issue in the debate the criminality of gangs waxes and wanes, and to use criminality to distinguish a group from a gangs is a misleading and unhelpful process.The Phenomenon Gang in the UK and USA Discuss.Anywhere in the world were there are unsettled neighborhoods or a transient population, there are likely to be gangs of youths, coming together to seek the hostage, sense of belonging and structure they lack in their communities. Traditionally, UK interventions to curtail gang activity have been based largely on the US model, where gang conflict has a long and complex history. However research into why youths join gangs in the UK found important differences between British gangs and their US counterparts, which has lead to a change in the British governments approach.British gangs tend to be gentler than those in America, which are more than likely to generate obvious identities, rigid structures and be involved in criminal acts (Klein, 1995). UK gangs lack the American-style initiation ceremonies and specific styles of clothing. In the USA large portions of the population exist on the run into of communities, creating breading grounds for criminal street gangs. In certain urban ghettos men rejoice when they reach 25 years of age because gangland fighting kills more young people than illness or accidents (Community Cares, 1994). Often these areas will be economically deprived. The longstanding social security system in the UK has prevented the same accompaniment occurring. The USA takes a different approach and makes frequent cuts in its social program, investing instead in its penal system.In 2003 the British government proposed to vamp youth services, in an effort to reverse the 18% decrease in youth services s ince the 1980s. The new legislation places a requirement upon all local authorities to meet certain standards by 2005, and expects them to critically assessment the youth service provision within their area. Councils were asked to make a promise to youths to provide not only the usual meeting places for personal and social development, (i.e. youth clubs and activities), but also programmes related to peer education and ways of ensuring their views are heard. The government promise 83m to the programme.However, the British government are also taking a stronger stance against antisocial behavior, which frequently involves gangs of adolescents. Although the new anti-social behavior legislation is not aimed specifically at gangs, its purpose is to reduce feelings of intimidation within communities, which is often concurrent with gang formation. Once an Anti-Social Behavior Order (ASBO) is issued, the accused must abide by the stipulations in the ASBO or potentially face criminal procee dings. The US was similarly preoccupied with anti-social behavior in the 1990s, when task forces such as Operation muckle and Seed, and the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services anti-gang drive, had at its core the desire curb or contain street gangs. newfangled legislation was passed and many states enacted statutes to assist law enforcers. In both the US and UK, this was a response to a concerned electorate, made anxious by the tabloid media.There must be a move in the US towards interventions that do not criminalize young people. The question that should be asked is why are young people joining gangs. The solvent is well researched the need for structure, nurturing, a sense of belonging and perceived economic opportunity create breeding grounds for gangs. If goverments adopt adequate social security programs to meet these basic needs, gangs will not evolve they ultimatly reflect the society that has shaped them.ReferencesBrantley, A. C., DiRosa, A. (1994) Gangs A Nati onal Perspective. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. New YorkKlein, M. W. (1995) The American Street Gang. Oxford University Press. New York.Koutos, L., Brotherton, D., Barrios, L. (2003) Gangs and Society Alternative Perspectives. Columbia University Press.Miller, W. (1975) Violence by Youth Gangs and Youth Groups as a Crime problem in Major American Cities. chapiter Department of Justice. Washington.Moore, J. W. 1998. Understanding Youth Street Gangs Economic Restructuring and the Urban Underclass. In M. W. Watts (Ed.), Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Youth and Violence (pp. 65-78), Stamford, CT JAI.Thrasher, F. M. (1927) The Gang A hire of 1,313 Gangs in Chicago. Chicago III. University of Chicago Press. USA(1994) Community Cares (1994). Socialist review, 179. Retrieved February 10, 2006, from http//pubs.socialist reviewindex.org.uk/sr179/msmith.htm