The paper seeks to address the different issues that face the youngsters particularly drugs and substance abuse, criminal gangs, peer pressure as well as family upbringing which moulds their character. The paper will take an in-depth look at these issues by analysing and drawing lessons from the films Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008), Gran Torino (2008), A Better Life (2011). From the films, critical lessons, summaries and critical agendas regarding the experiences of the youths will be investigated using several criminology theories. These movies are excellent epitomes rendering teachings from which valuable lessons can be drawn. They all tell of stories which different youths and families underwent. The essay will be organised starting with the introduction, summary, similarities and differences, talk about theoretical implication and conclude with the summary of the paper.
Summary of the movies
Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008) is documentary written by Stacy Peralta which investigates the rise of the Crips and Bloods which happened to be one of the prominent gangs in America. The film examines the conditions that led to decades of devastating gang violence among young African Americans growing up in South Los Angeles. The movie sheds light on the external factors which led to the African-American youths to turn to gangs and questions the political and law enforcement response to the rise of the gang culture. After the civil war in the United States, the slaves obtained freedom, and as such, they shifted to the south. With time, African Americans experienced myriad hardships including discrimination, unemployment as well as inaccessibility to essential basic wants and services. In Los Angeles, youths were not allowed to access or participated in clubs such as Boys Scouts. They were segregated in public spheres. The method in which the law was enforced was unfair, and it broke the hearts of the African Americans. They were treated as aliens and enemies of the state. The parker’s department, for example, prohibited the youths from traversing through the Alameda Street which was popularly known as “White Curtain.” The street was as the path which went all the way to the white neighbourhoods. However, the road served as a barring and a social barricade separating the African Americans from the whites. Apart from creating a social rift among the blacks and whites, it also infuriated the African Americans by the fact that they were considered unfit to use it despite it being a public resource. Following widespread outcries and unfair treatment of the African Americans, riots emerged all over across south Los Angeles. The society was tied to the crime, poverty as well as discrimination that was so prevalent. The riots were led by the youths of African Americans. Fast forward, after many years since the happening of the riots, the children of the African American began copying their parent’s violence. Their youngsters did not have a sense of direction. The youths were at liberty of the doing things as they wanted. Ideally, this included forming criminal gangs such as Crips and Bloods. Given the fact that rifles were readily available, the mortality rate in the society increased, and this motivates many youths to turn to gang life for protection. Sooner than later, gang life became the way of life among many teens. Parents had a hard time raising their children primarily because they had to deal with the negative influence brought about by gangs. Many families were single-parented following the death or imprisonment of some parents who had to pay for the crimes of their children.
Gran Torino (2008)
The movie is about a particular soldier by the name Korean Walt Kawalski living in Detroit. Walt was quite advanced in age and resided alone and had a dog. His neighbourhood is notorious with the crime. He took upon himself to transform his neighbour named Hmong who had attempted to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino. The Gran Torino made Walt have a sense of life as it gave him much pride and joy. After all, it was all that was left of him. Walt was a widower who held onto his prejudices unlike the changes in his Michigan neighbourhood as well as the world around him. He is tough-minded and quite sad following the loss of his wife and this was portrayed by his inability to get along with his kids and neighbours. Everything to him seemed to make no sense. Things were pretty bad. The world around him had changed. His once all-white neighbourhood was mostly Southeast Asia and on his next day neighbour was equally dubious probably due to the youthfulness of the Thao. He maintains his prized possession in mint condition. When Thao his neighbour and a Hmong teenager who was under compulsion from his gang members as well as his cousin ‘Spider’ to steal the Gran Torino, Thao gives in and decides to steal the prized possession. Furious, Walt almost shoots him. Over time, he slowly realised the similarities between him and his neighbour. He then resolves to reform the youth, and at one point, he prevented gangbangers from compelling Thao into a vehicle. On a good mission, Kowalski sought to protect Thao from the negative influence of the gang that was so rampant in the surrounding area. Walt taught Thao about life issues and helped him get a job. The gang, on the other hand, reacted by shooting Thao’s house and laying siege on his sister Sue.
A better life (2011)
The movie is about Carlos who happened to be an undocumented Mexican immigrant who worked as a gardener attending to lawns of Los Angeles. According to Carlos, the neighbourhood was composed of wealthy individuals. On the other hand, Carlos lived a miserable life and worked only to get his daily bread. He lived hand to mouth life and resided in a tiny house. The garden from which he lived was used to raise starter plants for his clients. For 15 years, he nurtured his son since his wife had left some years back. Though Carlos worked hard, he kept a low profile. He was conventional in his way of life and perceptions too. Luis, on the other hand, was not a member of any gang in his neighbourhood though that would appear to be a trajectory. He did not attend school, and to him, his father was an irrelevant loser. Luis was a skimmer and whenever he asks his dad for money, and there is none at all, he crafts some ways of how to go about it. In the movie ‘A better life’, life in America seemed to separate Carlos and Luis. Carlos worked for Blasco who owned a landscaping truck as well as the associated business. At one point in time, Blasco amassed enough funds to permit him to return to Mexico and his little farm, and as such, he offered to sell Carlos everything including his truck, tools and list of clients. However, Carlos had not driven licence, and he would not risk being stopped by a police officer since this would automatically result in his deportation. However, his sister unwillingly lends him some funds and the worst case happened when the truck was stolen the following day. He immediately began a search for his vehicle and asked his son to him unearth the thief. In the movie, Carlos happens to be a victim of circumstances. After a long search, it is discovered that the truck had been stolen by some shift employee who was new. The union between Carlos and Luis represents one of father and son who bonds again to reclaim the vehicle. Though the news was good enough, it attracted police attention, and this meant that the stay of Carlos in America was under threat especially because he was discovered to be an illegal immigrant.
In the movie, the gardener in East L.A. attempts to avail opportunities to his son but faces significant challenges trying to keep his son from gangs and immigration agents. Carlos worked as a gardener in California and raised Luis, his son who was 14 years of age. However, Carlos had the fear that his son would drift away and be carried away by the influential gang culture that was looming in the neighbourhood.
Similarities and differences
In the three movies, the central theme is about gang culture. The surrounding neighbourhood with which Carlos lived was composed of youths most of whom were gang members. Apart from the fact that Carlos was an illegal immigrant Gardner, the neigh hood where he lived was full of criminals and gangs. In the Gran Torino, the neigh hood where Walt and Thao lived was full of criminal gangs. In Crips and bloods, the movie sheds light on the external factors which led to the African-American youths to turn to groups and questions the political and law enforcement response to the rise of the gang culture.
In both ‘A better life’ and Gran Torino (2008) involve single parents. Carlos Galindo was a Mexican single parent while in Gran Torino (2008), Walt was a widower who lived a lonely life. Right from the start of the movie, the storyline is set to clear, and it is the fact that the discussion revolves around the consequential circumstances which contributed to the rise of violent gangs such as the lack of youth outlets, the need for in-group protection as well as the emergence of the modern drug trade. In the Crips and bloods movie, the African-American experiences showcase the Watt riots in which the African Americans were murdered for little crimes. At once instance, a confrontation with a sheriff resulted to the apprehension of an intoxicated man together with his family as well as other African Americans who held go-slows protesting against the Los Angeles Police Department on claims of racial injustices. Worst case ever, CO William Parker aggravated the fuzz that was making rounds and referred to the African Americans as the monkeys in a zoo. The media stations including the newspapers held extensive coverages of the means by which the African Americans were demeaned and racialised. What followed next was the pressing of institutional charges. Instead of leading to negative consequences such as hatred and crime, the stealing of the prize possession united Walt and Thao and made them great friends. The relationship of Walt and Thao extends to Thao’s family, and often, Walt defended him from his cousin Spider and from other gang members who laid siege on his family.
Theoretical implication
One of the applicable theories that can be deduced from the movies is the labelling theory in which children tend to violate the law for many reasons including low-income family relationships, peer pressure and psychological abnormality. Another theory applicable in explaining the prevalence of criminal gangs among the youth is the critical theory which posits that the society is in a constant state of internal conflict and different groups strive to impose their will on others. Ideally, those with money and power succeed in shaping the law to meet their needs and maintain their interests. In Crips and bloods: Made in America (2008) movie, it is the whites who seemed to be privileged more than the blacks were allowed to access services, attend functions, own property and do as they please. From the Crips and bloods: Made in America (2008) It can be argued that antisocial behaviour of children is on the rise especially for those who are raised by single parents who are enrolled in full-time jobs. These children are lonely and are left to discover most things by themselves. They lack the personal touch and attention from parents. As a result, many end up being influenced by gangs especially if they interact with peers who are affiliated with criminal groups. In this case, the differential association theory explains that youngsters are socialised and that they are exposed to and that they learn prosocial and antisocial attitudes from their fellow peers, relatives and parents. Children are heavily influenced by their friends especially if a specific behaviour seems fashionable and practised by many. Irrespective of the results, the children adopt the behaviour and try to copy their peers. From Gran Torino (2008) movie, Thao was compelled by his cousin Spider as well as the peers to steal the prized possession of Walt. Though he was unwilling to do so, he was forced to steal the watch and was chosen by the group because of his inferiority. Later on, Walt had to protect him from the gang which was upon him even to the point of shooting Thao’s house and laying siege on his sister Sue. Children from the less privileged families are the most affected especially because they do not have money and power. The cognitive theory explains that social status affects juveniles and they have to do what they can to make it.