Behavior
Name:
Institution:
Behavior
Organized juvenile gangs are groups of youth who share a common interest and participate in illegal activities. Furthermore, such forums exhibit a leadership structure through which they associate with one another and everyone seems to know their roles. Thus, violence is a common antisocial behavior associated with such delinquents. They engage in street fights aimed at acquiring personal integrity, honor and defending what they claim to be their territories (Spergel, 2007). As such, this hostility becomes their way of disciplining errant members. Similarly, they participate in illegal activities such as drug peddling and theft. In most instances, peer pressure drives young people to join these associations. Consequently, they are faced with enormous pressure to dress and behave like the others in order to earn respect. Substance abuse and stealing to finance their addictions are some of the vices practiced by them. Likewise, they often use foul language when talking among themselves or addressing other members of the community. As such, their conversations are laden with insults.
Nevertheless, a
number of initiatives can be started to rid such individuals from the society. Local
and federal authorities should design social and political programs that offer
employment opportunities to young people. This would eliminate their tendency
to idle. An intense operation also needs to be launched to seize illicit drugs.
Community members should be encouraged not to purchase them since that helps to
sustain their delinquent behavior (Gebo & Bond, 2012). Whereas a reduction
in drug sales may trigger infighting among cartels, in the long term it leads
to a decline of gang violence. Moreover, stringent laws need to be passed to
limit the number of people accessing weapons. The age should be raised and more
background checks stipulated to make it difficult for the youth to buy guns.
References:
Gebo, E., & Bond, B. (2012). Looking Beyond Suppression: Community Strategies to Reduce Gang Violence. Lanham -Md.: Lexington Books.
Spergel, I. (2007). Reducing Youth Gang Violence: The Little Village Gang Project in Chicago. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press