A new report by the National Gang Intelligence Center indicates that gang membership is growing. The increasing numbers brings up an important question: Why?
What motivates someone to be willing to hurt children or anyone else in their way? Why would somebody want to drive by and shoot into someone’s house without even knowing who he or she may hit?
According to past studies by criminologist and academic John Dilulio, America has been raising a new breed of “super-predator” — kids who have absolutely no respect for human life or a sense of the future.
While some of Dilulio’s conclusions are less relevant now, his premise holds true that many youth values are out of harmony with the good of society. Researchers analyzed statistics on over 33,000 gangs, reaching conclusions about the roles of street gangs, drugs and the many variables involved in the gang dilemma.
The FBI does not recommend using estimated gang membership totals as exact counts, but the report reveals trends that help communities and law enforcement assess the gangs threat. There can be no mistaking that gangs are expanding, evolving, and posing an increasing threat to communities nationwide.
According to the report, gangs are becoming more violent. With over 1.4 million active gang members, it is important to realize what kind of environment creates the desire to join this type of social group.
Strict discipline is one of the attractions of gang membership, according to Linda Schmidt, an FBI community outreach specialist, She said with discipline comes structure and limits, along with a sense of security and belonging.
“That’s what we need to offer to our young people,” she said. “We can’t be afraid as parents and teachers to provide structure and discipline to our children and students.”
NGIC reports that some jurisdictions indicate at least 90 percent of violent crimes are committed by gangs. Yet there are many organizations actively involved in the reduction of gang influence. One of the most successful is the SQUIRES Program at San Quentin.
SQUIRES is an inmate organization that allows young men to come into the prison and experience prison life for a day. SQUIRES inmate mentors work with “at-risk” kids to show them the likely end of the road they are traveling, as well as alternatives to their present path.
Programs such as SQUIRES demonstrate that communities should not be afraid to look at options such as offering qualified ex-inmates to work with local mentors and police organizations. Under the supervision of proper authorities, such programs expose youth to the real world experiences of inmates with which they can identify.
Such counseling is crucial to give young at-risk kids the guidance needed to avoid becoming an offender, and the resources necessary to live free of drugs and violence. The National Gang Intelligence Center indicates that gangs have increased their sophistication in recruiting youths. Young people are increasingly targeted because of their vulnerability and susceptibility to recruitment tactics.
The advent of hybrid gangs to avoid detection is a movement underway in some communities. These gangs no longer display gang colors or give signs to each other and are more likely to be involved in cyber crime and white-collar crimes. With these organizational enhancements, gangs are able to move more freely in the community.
More jurisdictions are beginning to use community support officers to interface with the local officials, according to The Economist magazine. With the active involvement of neighborhood immersion techniques, prior gang members are becoming an increasingly valuable resource. As with the SQUIRES counselors, young people are more likely to listen to the voice of experience.