Gangs and Differential Association Theory

 Abstract 

Gangs are feared around the United States and are something that attracts youth. People in gangs are not merely born violent individuals but learn the behavior to become violent gang members due to the structural environment that these individuals live in. This article discusses gangs, the location of gangs, and the structural environment. It also discusses how differential association theory relates to gangs and their activity. Furthermore, it discusses policies that are in place to prevent gang activity and how differential theory affects these policies.

 

Gangs and Differential Theory 

In the United States, one cannot go a day without seeing something about gangs on TV. Sometimes it is something that one sees on the news. Other times it is a favorite show that glamorizes criminal activity. Either way, gangs have become part of the American culture today. Gangs are a brutal force that should not be reckoned with, and they are rightfully feared by many due to the violence they enforce within their communities. To fully understand gang culture and activity, one must ask themselves what possesses one to want to join a gang, knowing that gang membership is often "blood in and blood out" (Beat as an initiation to join the gang and killed or beaten to leave the gang)? It is also worth mentioning that gang members know that they will likely end up in jail or the morgue. Why then join the gang, are they enticed by violence, where they born with a delinquency gene causing the attraction to criminal behavior? Gang behavior is not part of some gene that one inherits. Instead, it is the misfortune of being born and raised in an Impoverished neighborhood and learning the behaviors from their structural environment (Adams, 1996).

Gangs are a group of people who share the same identity. People who are involved in gangs are usually known for their criminal activity that they commit. Some gangs are very organized and have a hierarchy similar to law enforcement, starting with the street soldier (sells drugs and revenge killings) and the higher ranks the president or king (gives orders on the street) (Valdemar, 2007). Some gangs have strict organization and codes, and some gangs have no organization whatsoever. Gangs are nothing new in the United States and around the world. They have been seen as far back as the 17th and 18th centuries. For example, in England, the Mohocks were feared as much as one fear the MS-13 or the Bloods and the Crips in the United States today (Curry & Decker, n.d.).

Gangs in the United States were first recognized during the American Revolution after an influx of immigration in the 1920s (Curry & Decker, n.d.). Boston's violent streets created gangs that allied with the patriot leadership (Curry & Decker, n.d.). In the 19th century, gangs united with their ethnicity and would fight for their ethnic interest (Curry & Decker n.d.). Today there are estimated to be 750,000 active gang members in the United States, with 25,000 gangs throughout the United States (Curry & Decker, n.d.).

Gangs are undoubtedly active in all fifty states in the United States (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.). Most gang problems are seen in larger cities with a population of 100,000 people or more (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.). However, this does not exclude smaller cities from having gang activities. Cities with at least a population of 250,000 have reported some gang activity in their area (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.). Fortunately, it is relatively easy to know when one is in a gang-stricken area. There are often graffiti on walls showing whose territory the area belongs to. Also, people on the street often show their gang affiliation colors by flashing clothing brands combined with their gang colors.  

People who join gangs usually participate in deviant behavior as it is appealing to them. Some of the crimes that gang members commit are drive-by shootings, robberies, and revenge killings (killing a rival gang member to avenge their gang member). Some other less known activities are weapon trafficking, prostitution, and extortion (U.S. Department of Justice, n.d.). Street soldiers usually participate in drug trafficking and revenge killings. The kings and lords usually are more involved with the financial piece of the organization, such as extortion and prostitution (Valdemar, 2007). For the average person in the United States, these practices certainly make a person cringe. For others, these practices are appealing and a way of life.

It is not uncommon knowledge that gang members will likely end up in jail or a casket. Anyone who has watched anything regarding gangs would explain this without directly contacting a gang or gang member. However, why is it that someone would want to live this type of lifestyle? What causes a person to want to live in fear of death or prison? There are many reasons why people (mostly young people) join gangs. Sometimes teenagers come from a broken home and want to feel like they are part of a family. The gang gives them the familial feeling which satisfies the basic human need for being loved and accepted. Other kids sit back and watch their family struggle financially, so they join the gang to bring in money for their family. Others want the fancy lifestyle of having an expensive car and clothing. Other teenagers join after coming from a violent home life where they have watched their family's involvement with domestic violence and drugs (Annapolis Maryland, n.d.). Other times it is merely for protection, status, intimidation, or the thrill of being able to commit crimes (LAPD, n.d.). Either way, the glamorization of gang membership has plagued the United States.

There have been several debates on what causes one to be predisposed to being part of a gang. Sutherland's differential theory suggests that deviant behavior is a learned behavior mixed from environmental and social factors (Adams, 1996). In other words, deviant behavior is a learned behavior that comes from both the environment and social norms. It is also believed that social learning also is part of the social bonding of people with like beliefs or socio-economic status (Adams, 1996). For example, the odds are one would not find a rich kid from rodeo-drive running around in a run-down area such as Eastmont, Oakland (Areavibes n.d.). Generally speaking, wealthy people are likely to be around the rich. People who are struggling financially are likely to be around others who are also stricken by poverty.

Moreover, the differential theory suggests that isolation has resulted in delinquency (see Tannenbaum, 1938). When one combines isolation, low socio-economic class, and discrimination, young people will likely be attracted to a delinquent lifestyle, such as joining a gang (Adam, 1996). Additionally, the glamorization of the "thug-life" creates a different definition of social norms, causing an accidental attraction to the inherent lifestyle giving the misconception that the individual will be joining people of the same people. When delinquents learn this lifestyle through the popularization of television or their friends, the social norm turns into causing mischief throughout the neighborhood. It is believed that if individuals are with similar people long enough to promote illegal activity or criminal behavior, they will eventually adopt the criminal behavior and act on it themselves (Tittle, Burke & Jackson, 1996).

How is it that differential association theory is related to gang activity? First off, it is not uncommon that families that are in gangs will enforce their beliefs. In turn, the child grows up with their social norms being the way of the streets. Also, it has been noted that people will join gangs because a close friend is in the gang (Kissner & Pyrooz, 2009). 

In both cases, the delinquent has learned either from a friend or their family the expected behavior is. By learning this social norm, they convert to criminality and commit crimes within the gang, often moving up in rank throughout time, or ending up in a casket or prison. Differential association theory also applies to those who do not join the gang because of a family or close friend. For some, the gang life is enticing, so they become friends with associated gang members and build trust and bond with them causing them to join the gang themselves (Kissner & Pyrooz, 2009).

Fortunately, there are many gang prevention policies available to neighborhoods that are struggling with gang activity. Some ways that cities are helping prevent gangs are by providing life skills classes for individuals in urban areas and providing gang awareness in schools along with stringent sanctions against gang paraphernalia such as wearing gang colors or clothing to school (Youth.gov, n.d.). Another way that urban areas are helping prevent gangs is by schools not suspending or expelling students (Youth.gov, n.d.) as low education puts individuals more at risk for joining gangs. Furthermore, organizations such as ARISE focus on anger management and conflicts and teach youth interpersonal skills to help them throughout their whole lives. It also teaches them solid skills that they will use in the workforce (ARISE, n.d.). Gang prevention does not stop with individual companies that are fighting against neighborhood crime. The government also has an incremental role in the fight against street gangs. The National Gang Center has identified risk factors associated with gang activity and has come up with pro-active ways to decrease the likelihood of delinquents joining a gang. Some of the preventive measures are getting former gang members involved in education regarding gang membership, social intervention, and job training (National Gang Center, n.d.). Also, the government implements intervention helping those who want out of the gang get out and suppression by police departments sharing valuable information and apprehending hardened long term gang members, and enforcing longer sentencing (National Institute of Justice, 2011). By getting former gang members to talk about their experience in the gang, it is more likely that individuals will see the consequences of joining a gang and decide to go the other direction. Furthermore, by providing individuals with education and job training, the individual learns acceptable social norms and can live a productive life within their community. The government has created policies such as job training, education, and interpersonal skills to re-teach gang members what is acceptable in society (National Institute of Justice, 2011). Theoretically, by teaching these individuals these new behaviors, they will turn away from crime, conforming to social norms within society.

Conclusion

Though gang members are feared throughout the United States, gang membership and criminality are not genes that an individual was born with. It is a trait that has been learned through the environmental and family structure. The individual has been immersed in throughout their lives. An individual that does not have family members involved in gang memberships but has close friends in a gang may become a gang member and learn how to become a criminal through friendship. People are often attracted to the gang lifestyle because of money or companionship and conform to crime to accomplish their basic human needs (Annapolis Maryland, n.d.). Others join crimes because they like the power of intimidation and the thrills of committing crimes (LAPD, n.d.). Nevertheless, the behavior is learned and acted out upon (Adams, 1996). To combat gang activity, people must be proactive in retraining the brain to conform to social norms by using education, teaching valuable job skills, and interpersonal skills to keep the youth on track (National Institute of Justice, 2011).

References 

Adams, M. S. (1996). Labeling and differential association: towards a general social learning theory of crime and deviance. American Journal of Criminal Justice : The Journal of the Southern Criminal Justice Association, 20(2), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02886923

Annapolis Maryland. (n.d.). Reasons kids join gangs. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.annapolis.gov/639/Reasons-Kids-Join-Gangs

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Curry, G. D., & Decker, S. H. (n.d.). Gang. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/gang-crime

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LAPD. (n.d.). Why young people join gangs. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.lapdonline.org/la_gangs/content_basic_view/23473

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Tannenbaum, F. (1938). Crime and the community. New York: Columbia University Press.

Tittle, C. R., Burke, M. J., & Jackson, E. F. (1986). Modeling Sutherland's theory of differential association: toward an empirical clarification. Social Forces, 65(2), 405–432.

U.S. Department of Justice. (n.d). Gangs. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.ojp.gov/program/programs/gangs

Valdemar, R. (2007, June 27). The structure of gangs. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from https://www.policemag.com/372971/the-structure-of-gangs

Youth.gov. (n.d.). Gang prevention: An overview of research and programs. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://youth.gov/feature-article/gang-prevention-overview-research-and-programs