Peanuts Gang

A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity. more...

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In current usage, gang most commonly refers to small, sometimes informal and loosely organized "street gangs", usually controlling a "turf" through readiness to use violence against other gangs, and typically engaged in other criminal activities. It can also refer to groups, such as the California-based Crips and Bloods, which are loose affiliations of street gangs; to outlaw motorcycle clubs; and sometimes (though less so since approximately the 1960s) to organized crime "syndicates", which are generally larger, more organized and more powerful organizations, such as the Italian-American Mafia, which may control entire legitimate businesses as "fronts" for their illegal operations, bringing in millions of dollars per year. Another example is the Taliban essentially a gang (however enormously well-funded and politically controlling).

The word "gang" generally appears in a negative context, though within "the gang" itself members may adopt the phrase in proud identity or defiance.

Above all, gangs provide their members comrades and protection from other gangs; often, they also provide them an illegal means of earning a living.

Gang members

Frequently, the members of a street gang are only in their teens, a result of early exposure to drugs and violence, and the short life expectancy associated in a gang. Entry into a gang often entails a physical test or being "jumped in" where other members beat up the recruit in order to test his dedication. Sometimes the recruit may be given a crime to commit (robbery, rape, or murder) as another route of entry. In other situations, new gang recruits are canonized, meaning he or she has to fight with a current member, joining by: one, proving his/herself by being beaten up; or two, beating up their opponents. Often, the decision to join a gang is purely practical, where the danger of being unaffiliated,and thus unprotected, seemingly outweighs the risks of gang. Unfortunately, this perpetuates a vicious cycle, only contributing to the violence, corruption, and poverty of a neighborhood. Other temptations such as obtaining money, drugs, power, and pride for the neighborhood are certainly also another sociological reason for such an affiliation. A sociobiological explanation is that gangs allow low-status males to show off their bravery, strength and ruthlessness, and allow them to gain status when they could not otherwise.

Becoming a gang-member may provide seemingly better job prospects, pay-wise, for a member of a low-income, low-qualifications area, and if the gang is large, or involved in the drugs trade and hence has a chain of connections to some very wealthy individuals, may open up the prospect (however faint) of joining the superrich, with an income comparable to executives of the top organizations. Although the gang's very existence harms some aspects of the community, members take great pride in "defending" their turf (street slang for home territory). In some cases (especially for Latinos and Clan/Posse who live in an area dominated by a Hispanic gang) citizens might appreciate the presence of the gang and tolerate the drug trade they know is occurring in their community. However, any support of gang activity is a questionable trade-off, even for decreased shooting and violence in general in the community, and not an acceptable substitute for general law and order.

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