Assignment 1: What Is a Gang? How Does a Gang Differ from a Fraternity?

Definition of a Gang

A gang refers to a group of persons who utilize most of their time together, in most cases for immoral or illegal goals like stealing. The members of the gangs are identifiable given that they share identity, name, and motives (Howell, 2012). A level of organization and uniformity guides the gang as a group. The group is mainly involved in a prominent magnitude of criminal operations. The operations in the gangs are performed collaboratively to achieve a set of goals.

Public Perception of Gangs

Gangs have existed for the longest time. Gangs are a common occurrence in the modern communities, and they are developed to carry out specific objectives. In this context, the public perceives typically this groups somewhat differently based on their encounters, experience, and knowledge and so on. The first perception of gangs is that they are involved in delinquency. In that wherever one refers to a gang the perception is that they are mainly involved in criminal based operations that seek to create harm to the society. On the contrary, it is true that most gangs usually play a part in significant offenses, but there are others that are formed as a means of gaining superiority. The other perception is that gangs are male based while there are those that are dominated by females. Also, most individuals believe that gangs are for the youths (Decker & Pyrooz, 2015). However, there are those gangs that are ruled by adults even though there is no age limit for joining such groups.

Fraternities as gangs

It is evident that the public mainly defines fraternities as gangs based on their perception for several reasons. For instance, when it is assumed that a gang is a group of persons with common objectives or members that are involved in carrying out specific roles. This is a description of a fraternity. Gangs are mostly involved in committing offenses for financial benefits that keep the members running. Most of the gangs are involved in looting activities, but the main activities range from trafficking to gun violence since such operations can generate adequate funds that support their objectives (Decker & Pyrooz, 2015). Fraternities on the other hand rather than carrying out crime for financial benefits the members make payment to the respective organizations to create money for the operations to run smoothly. Fraternities play a role in assisting their communities to develop, and they differ from the gangs that take away from others.

Compare and Contrast Male and Female Gangs

There are notable similarities and differences among both male and female dominated gangs. In both gangs, there are those that are entitled to the leadership roles. All the gangs are led by leaders who are involved in organizing, planning and allocating roles as a whole. Leadership helps in creating a smooth flow in the groups while carrying out operations. However, female within the male-dominated gangs usually serve secondary roles that might involve spying and be luring their targets while also acting like sex objects. Female gangs are involved in less violent crimes, unlike the male ones. In that males will mainly use guns and significant objects in conducting criminal activities but most of the female gangs rely on the use of tricks such as sexual luring to being able to achieve the set goals. Also, most female gangs are formed with the aim of demonstrating superiority over males while male mainly seeks to dominate and gain money.

Fraternities and gangs

Both groups have their unique leadership structure that seeks to ensure that the set activities run in a smooth manner. Both of them also tends to create family-like relationships where they care for each other and do things collaboratively. However, while fraternities might be involved in development where they hold events that seek to benefit individuals, gangs only take away from others as a whole. Both groups have a set of initiation rituals that involves meeting a set of targets that were set by the founders (Kontos, Brotherton, & Barrios, 2003). They both recruit vulnerable groups to become part of them without even suspecting.

Recruiting and initiation Rituals

For the fraternities, the initiation involves making contributions and meeting targets as set by founders as part of their mission. On the other hand, gangs usually subject the new members to trails that seek to determine their abilities (Decker & Pyrooz, 2015). The trials are criminal based while that of fraternities might include positive contribution mainly monetary.

Significance of Rituals

The rituals usually serve as a way of embracing the set culture and allowing the members to bond and welcome the new members. Also, the rituals help in ensuring that individuals are committed to ensuring that the set objectives are met. Also, the rituals serve as a welcoming aspect where one gets to understand the functions of the gangs and fraternities.

Conclusion

In summing up, it is evident that people frequently confuse the existence of fraternities and gangs. In that even though fraternities are involved in beneficial activities gangs are criminal based, and they seek to take away from their communities rather than build. Both female and male-dominated gangs are similar and yet different based on the activities that are carried out.

 

 

References

 

Decker, S. H., & In Pyrooz, D. (2015). The handbook of gangs. Chichester, West Sussex : Wiley Blackwell.

Howell, J. C. (2012). Gangs in America's communities. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications.

Kontos, L., Brotherton, D., & Barrios, L. (2003). Gangs and society: Alternative perspectives. New York: Columbia University Press.