Criminal groups
The current popular image of gangs is that they are becoming more formally organized than before. Criminal groups comprising of both youth and adults have existed since the 1960, s to the current times. Gangs of the late 1960s were seen to be less malignant compared to present groups. Although both bands are trouble with citizen security, contemporary gangs are seen as more lethal due to the emergence of sophisticated weapons and a wide range in the drug trade. Violent related to drug trafficking and booming drug business is a significant catalyst towards the sophistication of current youth and adult gangs.
In
the past, gangs’ activities revolved around ethnic identity to
find identity from were came from contrary to current groups which are more
destructive and with the willingness to cause harm with impunity and more
collateral damage compared to the years back.
Youth or adult gangs are self-formed organizations or associations of peers with common goals and names. Groups are formed with different purposes, but the most common trait is that they are involved in illegal activities like drugs and weapons. Due to changes in technology, the structural compensation and mode of operations of current gangs keep changing. There are two prevalent gangs, namely street gang and a drug gang. Although they are both illegal, the street gang mostly engages in versatile crime, operates in residential territories, and is primarily young. Drug gangs are more focused on the drug trade, made of smaller structures, and the majority are older youth than their counterparts in street gangs.
Racial and ethnic compositions of current gangs are different from those of previous gangs, whereby African-American and Hispanic groups are most common. Lastly, prison gangs are developing, which was not there before and is taking roots by terrorizing fellow inmates. Law enforcement agencies and social worker groups have to ensure juveniles are well guided to reduce youth gangs.