Gangs!

A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity, even if that identity consists of little more than their association with one another. In early English usage, it referred to a group of workmen, and later underwent pejoration. It could refer to harmless associations of youngsters (as depicted in the Our Gang film shorts), and could carry sentimental and postive associations (e.g., the 1917 drinking song "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"). In current usage, gang most commonly refers to small, sometimes informal and loosely organized "street gangs," usually controlling a territory or "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, larger organizations which are loose confederations 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. The word "gang" generally carries negative connotations, though within a gang which defines itself in opposition to mainstream norms, members may adopt the phrase in proud identity or defiance. Often, in environments with few social supports, gangs provide young members a sense of belonging and, above all, protection from other gangs; often, where prospects for gainful employment are poor, they also provide 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 (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; enduring a beating or beating up the opponent may be equally successful proofs of worthiness. 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 membership -- a vicious cycle, perpetuating the violence of a neighborhood. However, 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. Other attractions include money, drugs and power. 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.

Once in the gang, the recruit is now a member of the street family, and any offense against him or any of his brethren will be avenged by the gang. Members often have nicknames, both to conceal identity from the authorities, and to build identity within the community. Younger members may start out performing minor crimes, working their way up within the organization. Common gang activities include dealing drugs, extortion, robbery, and war with rival gangs. Both because of the often criminal orientation of the gang and because of the danger involved, the gang can create an internal value system strongly at odds with the values and morals of the wider community, represented by the forces of Law and Order. But the gang can gain legitimacy in their community, keeping non-gang criminals off their turf, creating a more peaceful environment by acting as enforcers in their neighbourhoods, and otherwise acting as a form of government in an area where the legitimate government is unable or unwilling to enter. The Yakuza in Japan is one very strong example of this phenomenon; they act as police in their neighbourhoods, and on one occasion mobilised emergency relief after an earthquake before the government.

Members of some gangs depart as they mature into adulthood; in other gangs, the member is affiliated for life, with two unfavorable options for exit: one may be killed, or may desert the gang, a choice which may bring punishment, including, in some cases, death.

Gangs exist, primarily as an urban phenomenon, in many areas the United States and around the world. Gangs have existed in the US since the early 19th century, as depicted for example in the film Gangs of New York. The top five cities containing gangs are Los Angeles, Houston, Detroit, St. Louis, and Atlanta - each with different dominating gang cultures. In Canada, there have been important gangs, such as the Crips and the Bloods, for about twenty years, based especially in Toronto, Ontario, and in Montreal, Quebec. In Bulgaria, shootouts between rival organized crime gangs are a major problem. The problem was so large that a 2005 article in The Economist, titled "Where killing is a habit", stated that the European Commission was considering whether to delay Bulgaria's EU accession to after January 1, 2007. (The Commission ultimately decided to allow Bulgaria to join on time, albeit under strict conditions, including tackling organized crime and corruption.