Custom essays on Gang Violence in America

Information needed for the investigation is contained in the forensic characterization of a crime. It is able to answer the most important questions for investigation, namely the question of the relation between the traces left by the crime and the crime itself. After investigating, the crime can not come into contact with the crime itself, but only with its tracks, that is, the consequences of the crime. Given the fact that after all traces of the crime is still a lot need to be able to extract from them the necessary information. The crime traces – this is not information, but just a carrier, so the success of investigations depends on the ability to read information from the traces. It explained why the topic of gang violence should be discussed from different sides taking into account all possible information that have sense in our situation.
We see that government representatives worried about the “health of our society” and try to implement different educational programs that should change situation in schools and reduce the level of gang violence among young people. This program has not only educational character, they directed on awareness and prevention of violence in society. According to Schmalleger (1996) we see that “In January of 1992, the U.S. Attorney General announced the reassignment of 300 FBI agents to investigate street gangs. Increased law enforcement is helpful, but not the whole solution. Most experts agree that a multi-disciplinary, community-wide approach must be taken to stop the growth of gangs. However, there is no simple solution. Gang behavior cannot be changed through fear and intimidation. These will only compound the problem because fear and intimidation are the same techniques used by gang members. Some suggested approaches to reducing gang activity include the following:
Schools
 Forbid wearing of gang paraphernalia;
 Provide support for victims of gang violence and intimidation;
 Assimilate gang-oriented students into the mainstream — academically, extra-curricularly, and socially;
 Help parents get involved with their children through parent training and counseling;
 Remove graffiti immediately. This discourages graffiti and keeps its message, often a threat to another gang, from getting through;
 Provide sports, drama, and recreational activities as alternatives to gang activity; and
 Add gang and drug prevention into school curricula.”
These arrangements were successful only in some degree, because teenagers are participant of very sensitive age and in many cases it is rather hard to find right language with them and explain what is good and what is bad. Many young people think that it is cool to be in a gang and make people harm, because they try to find power in such way and such problem has psychological roots.
Statistical data about gang violence in the USA show us that our future is in danger, because numbers are rather big and it is necessary to change situation. In the acknowledgement of these words, we should look at the next information presented by The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (1996):
“Every two hours in America today a child dies of a gunshot wound.” (Kids Count Data Book, 14).
– “The Teen Violent Death rate was 69 per 100,000 teens in 1993 and increased 10 percent between 1985 and 1993.” (Kids Count Data Book, 14).
– “During 1994, about one-fifth (19.4 percent) of everyone arrested for a violent crime was under age 18.” (Kids Count Data Book, 15).
– “The Juvenile Violent Crime Arrest Rate increased [66 percent] from 305 per 100,000 in 1985 to 506 per 100,000 in 1993.” (Kids Count Data Book, 15).
This data are not new, but today more than in 10 years we have the same situation and it is necessary to say that situation is changed in the worse side. Parents can not be calm for their children when they at school or coming back home, because in every moment somebody could try to make harm to their child. Price (1996) stated that “unfortunately, a growing number of teens are becoming involved in it. Gang violence is quickly becoming a greater threat to the well-being of our society and is predicted to “spiral out of control” by the year 2012.” According to Sharp (1996) “some experts have predicted that the coming storm of gang violence “will be more brutal than anything Americans have ever confronted.”
There are many governmental programs are in progress now and among them, according to Stewart (2009) we can find the next:
“State and Community Agencies
 Set up confidential hotlines so that witnesses need not fear retaliation;
 Share information about gang activities among key agencies and institutions: law enforcement, educators, and other interested parties; and
 Arrange an agreement with the media not to publish the names of gangs involved in a criminal incident – gangs like to take credit for what they have done.
Law Enforcement
 Set up programs similar to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Jeopardy Program where officers phone or make domestic visits to parents whose kids are flirting with gang membership;
 Keep hard-core members off the streets with swift arrests;
 Share information and work with all agencies (probation, sheriff, paroling authorities, corrections, community groups, and schools);
 Conduct sweeps to remove violent gang members from the streets; and
 Train officers in areas newly affected by gangs to read graffiti and track gangs.”
Thus, based on all above said we could come to the conclusion that gang violence in America and Youth Organized crime – are phenomena harmful to society. It is in addition to the damage caused in the present, endangers the public tomorrow. This is due to the fact that it contributes to the spread of criminal subculture among the younger generation, romanticize the criminal lifestyle, the formation of criminal skills, the formation of young people stand criminal orientation. That is because state and society must understand that if they wish to secure tomorrow, secure their future, then today must be to organize an effective fight against this scourge. One of the ways this struggle is the identification, detection and investigation of crimes that make up the youth organized crime.
Youth organized crime is a part of organized crime. In this case the danger is, in particular, that it is a way of existence of the youth criminal milieu. Its existence – is a reflection of the particular economic and social situation that prevailed in America in recent decades. Cognition of youth organized crime – is not only a key to developing of the most effective ways to combat it, but also the knowledge of tomorrow’s organized crime. In this regard, success in combating organized crime, the youth will not only reduce criminal tensions in the country, but, in fact, is the prevention of organized crime tomorrow. Hence, the relevance of this study features the substance and methods of combating gang violence and youth organized crime.

 
References:
National School Safety Center (NSSC). (1988). Gangs in Schools: Breaking UP is Hard to Do. Malibu: Pepperdine University Press.
Price, J. (1996, January 6). “Surge Predicted in Juvenile Crime.” The Washington Post.
Schmalleger, F. (1996). Criminology Today. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Sharp, A. (1996, July). “A Sad Fact of Life.” Law and Order.
Stewart, S. (2009, December 7). “Drugs, Violence, Rituals, Slaves.” USA Today.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (1996). Kids Count Data Book. Baltimore: Annie E. Casey Foundation.