UNTITLED

    Gangs were formed before the Revolutionary war and were used more as a means of protection or as social clubs.  Gangs are wrongdoing antisocial organizations, but have strong "family" ties between one another.  It is amazing in itself that such a harmful group can be the family that a person never had.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Sources:

Troubled Teen, http://troubledteen.com, 10/1/03

This website mainly deals with the tuff time of dealing with a child that is
trying to or is already in with the gang life. It gives a toll free number
for the parents or the kids that are dealing with this problem all over the
United States.

Brown, Stephen, (2001) Criminology- Explaining Crime and Its Content.
Cincinnati OH. Anderson Publishing Company.

This book deals with almost every aspect of all types of crimes dealing
with girls in gangs to the psychological problems. It goes through the word
gang, and clearly defines it and makes sure that when you get through going
over the word in the book that you know what you have read.

Gangs in Los Angeles, http://www.streetgangs.com/. 10/1/03 Gangs in Los
Angeles County

This website goes through the history to the ongoing problem with gang
activity in the Los Angeles area today. The website clearly brings of all
the differences with the various types of gangs in the area. They do a
perfect job on not making it to much of the negative aspect and really
explaining the situation as a whole.

National Alliance of Gang Investigators Association, http://www.nagia.org/.
10/1/03

The National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations (NAGIA) was formed
in 1998. It is a cooperative organization currently composed of
representatives from 16 regional gang investigators associations
representing over 15,000 gang investigators all over the country, as well as
a lot of other federal agencies and other organizations involved in
gang-related matters.

Gang and Security Awareness Group, http://www.dc.state.fl.us/index.html.
10/1/03 Pride Enterprises Publication.

This site deals with mainly with Florida Department of corrections taking
the time to let people know through there website, what they know about
gangs. They let the public know what they have learned at the department of
corrections and what to look for and what to teach children about gangs in
there area.

Gang-Busters, Inc. http://www.gang-busters.com/ 10/1/03 Website Complete 5.0

This site clearly goes through the inside aspects of gangs, dealing with
certain types of symbols and tattoos that gangs use to distinguish
themselves from the others. This site gets information from police,
investigators and parents of gang members to get the most exclusive
information about gangs.

Parker, J. (7/00), Street Gangs: The View from the Street, New York, Do It
Now Publication. Catalog 178

This book goes through a personal view on gangs as well as information given
in a scholarly way. It goes back and forth somewhat on how people look at
gangs and how they are dealt with as a whole.

Gang Research, http://www.gangresearch.net 10/1/03

Gangresearch.net looks at gang activity from a youth’s standpoint as well as
adults. They look at what progress has been made when it comes to females in
gangs and youths in gangs as well. They look at different areas and see how
much of a difference has been made since the heaviest gang times.

Gangs 101, http://www.lincolnnet.net 10/1/01 Urban Dynamics Publication.

This site mainly tries to break down gangs and get inside the core
understand them a little more. They use diagrams and let people see what
goes on gangs on outsiders view and what is being done to cut back on them.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Gangs

This graph shows different jurisdictions with active gangs.

This graph shows basically the same thing but in a different style, and different regions that they are active in.

This is a graph that shows some of the gang related charges against females. 

This Graph shows gangs migration in cities by population.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 When it comes to gangs and when they are looked at in a sociological aspect, they really can be understood as a form of family for some young people that are involved in them. This really might be disturbing to some people that really don’t know all that much about gangs, but to a young person that look up to the older ones; it is there only form of guidance in there lives. But when gangs are looked at on another aspect, they really put the lives of many people at danger on a daily basis, and this includes young children. Also when looked at, gangs create a trap on all its members which can effect a person for the rest of there life. This is one of the main things that criminologist and other people that study gangs look at.

Last updated: 11/25/03