Ridding of Gangs

There is no easy fix for the problems gangs pose on our society. Gangs most likely started long ago when men grouped together to hunt and gather their food. The forming of a hunting party is an example of combined efforts of men to bring meat to their tables. But setting aside the social tasks which gangs contributed in the past, during our current era whenever many gangs congregate it is for the purpose of enacting civil disorder. Today’s gangs disrupt our way of life. They compel our society to extraordinary measures to maintain justice, they cause taxation upon citizens to compensate for the extra services rendered as a result of gangs’ tyranny, and they mount unexpected governmental and business costs to restore for damages inflicted upon people and properties by the anti-social antics by many of these gangs. So the question remains an issue, what can be done?

Unless a community can dismantle a gang during its early rise, gangs will have to be subdued by an assault by several entities attacking the very foundation of the gangs, i.e. their hierarchies. The social entities which must be involved and coordinate their work together are:

1. Community
2. Law Enforcement
3. Justice System
4. Social Support
5. Political Support
6. Economic Support
7. Community

A community is made up of families, friends, neighbors, churches, and businesses which typically live within a geographical region, a neighborhood. When a gang begins to form, most gangs could be dissolved if the community from which they belonged quickly noticed their formation and intervened. Regrettably many parents do not have time to instruct and manage their kids, neither can many of make themselves available to meet and associate with neighbors next door, and allocate time to participate in community activities with businesses or churches. Yet it is during the early stages of most gangs’ developments, if citizens from the communities from which gangs form were active in busting up gangs before they can become fully organized, many gangs would not persist very long.

Many gangs have started because their neighborhoods ignored them. The members of these gangs showed discontent with the neighborhoods and their inability for protection of their needs. The community allowed them to build their gang; they turned their backs to them. Though most gang members are youth, they are people too; with feelings, concerns, issues, and most importantly fears. As the growth of fear and anger perpetuate in the minds of many of these youth, their emotions drive them to form bonds with others who offer some type of security their neighborhood does not provide. If the community could dispel the fears and concerns of potential future gang members, there would be no need for the gang.