In order to meet the ideal measure of standards and morals to be a part of the usual social standard, one must be able to meet specific goals to achieve economic success. When these standards are not met, it is called anomie according to Robert Merton. In the documentary Bloods & Crips: Made in America, we see the underlying and outside factors which have provoked African American youth to become involved in gangs and gang related violence. According to Merton, “some social structures exert a definite pressure upon certain persons... to engage in nonconformist conduct,” (672). There are two social structures that are important in order for youth to succeed the normal standard of living which can cause pressure on the individual and cause
Wilson, William Julius. (1998) "Ghetto-Related Behavior and the Structure of Opportunity" in Reading Between the Lines: Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems. Ed Amanda Konradi and Martha Schmidt. London: Mayfield Publishing Company.
Gang violence is a very serious downfall living in Chicago. In two articles written by Mark Guarino, “Behind Chicago’s High-Crime Summer: Persistent Street Gang Violence” and “In Chicago, Can Community Involvement Combat Gang Violence” he adds how Chicagoans are severely alarmed by the series of murders there are due to gang violence, including the death of an innocent eight year old girl who was caught between a heated gang war while playing outside (Behind Chicago 1), while adding how a gunmen approached a car and started shooting and killed a 20 ...
The inclination to violence stems from several circumstances of life among the poor; the stigma of race, drug use and drug trafficking, and lack of employment, as well as the media and, family/peer association. The Code of the Streets by Elijah Anderson, is a groundbreaking essay the social scientist wrote, taking us inside of a world that most of us only read about. Anderson shows us how a frantic search for acceptance and respect governs social relations among the African American race; primarily the young men.
In the report A New Form of Social Dislocation in the Inner-City Ghetto, William Julius Wilson analyzes three research studies conducted in Chicago between 1986 and 1993. In these studies, Wilson identifies a new type of poverty, which he coins jobless poverty. Jobless poverty represents the growing number communities that are compromised of a high percentage of unemployed individuals. These communities have the same recurrent themes of isolation in inner-city ghettos where the surrounding area is abandon, desolate or deserted of economic opportunities and community benefits. In contrast to living in employed poverty or unemployed poverty in neighborhoods of high employment, jobless poverty causes negative effects that lead to individuals and their families becoming stuck in a continuous cycle of jobless poverty. As a result of these negative effects, it is important to consider policy solutions that would address this growing problem and provide opportunities for individuals to escape the cycle of jobless poverty. The most affective solutions to jobless poverty are more mixed-use developments and a larger public transportation networks.
“For thugs from the ghetto, violence is a way of life - it's what helps you survive.” That quote was said by Suge Knight a hip-hop mogul who grew up in the streets of Compton, California. Compton is another known area for its high violence and high number of gangs on its streets. Social inequality has worsen over the years, the gap between the rich and poor only has increased. Living conditions have deteriorated over the years. The window of success has shrunk in areas of inner city communities. If you can walk into an inner city hospital and go up to the window in the maternity ward and predict the future of the babies lying there, you know we have a major issue.
In the book, Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform, Shelby discusses self-segregation and integration of different neighborhoods. He proposes that blacks prefer to live amongst themselves and segregate themselves due to their cultural ties. Shelby urges the government to not force racial integration on society as whites would not instantly help the less financially advantaged blacks and that “this practice [self segregation] is not incompatible with justice” (67). However, this claim can be questioned because during the New Deal era of the 30’s and 40’s, the government pursued an active role in segregating neighborhoods and demolishing integrated neighborhoods. This revelation brings about an important question: Is self-segregation still “just” even with evidence that the government has actively segregated
Anderson’s theory examined African Americans living in America’s inner cities that are driven to follow the “street code” and work to maintain respect, loyalty, and their own self-image. The “street code” Anderson is referring to is “a cultural adaptation” which is the cause of violent crime in America’s inner cities (Anderson Article PDF, 3). Since these people are living in mainly impoverished neighborhoods with easy access to drugs and guns, as well as high rates of crime and violence, “everyone feels isolated and alienated from the rest of America” (Vold, 187). Anderson continues to distinguish between “decent” people and “street people.” Those who are “decent” families live in accordance with a “civil code” that upholds values in comparison with the rest of society such as maintaining a job, obtaining an education, protecting their children and following the law. Additionally, “street” families tend to fend for themselves, and when young, grow up without adult supervision and are often abused. This alone causes a dangerous environment because children then, “learn that to solve any kind of interpersonal problem one must quickly resort to hitting or other violent behavior” (Anderson Article PDF, 5). When brought up in an inner city “street” family, racism is a leading factor that causes the youth to construct a negative outlook on the rest of society. When these inner city, lo...
The author questions the fact, whether African American men are actually a criminal threat or a victims of society. “Black men are typically constructed as criminals when in truth they much more likely to be victimized by American Society” (BMCV, pg. 1). Most fail to realize that African American men can commit crime but they also can be victims of crime and a majority of the time they are the victims. Another idea he questioned is, why are more African American men considered to be perpetrators of crime rather than victims. “There is profuse media coverage of violent crime by African American men, however, the media pay disproportionately more attention to whites and women” (BMCV, pg. 2). The more the media reports on crimes committed by
In society we live in today many African American urban neighborhoods are being revitalized. Neighborhoods such as Harlem NY and Bronzeville Chicago have been known for their crimes, drugs and poverty. Over the years, both of these neighborhoods have had a tremendous transformation. These two ghettos have taking on expensive restaurants, health spas and chic boutiques. This made it hard for low income families to maintain a living space. Usually, given a urban renewal meant displacing the people who already lived in the neighborhood. We will began to see how the redevelopment of Harlem and Bronzeville forced low income residents to be removed.
These crime-ridden communities (or ghettos) are springing up all through the country, mainly in and around major metropolitan areas. These areas are the most populated, so that means that within these areas are the most people there to be influenced by the crimes committed by fellow people. In Male's reading he shows statistics that prove the fact that once the poverty factor is taken away then teen violence disappears. He later adds, “That if America wants to rid of juvenile violence than serious consideration needs to be given to the societally inflicted violence of raising three to 10 times more youth in poverty than other Western nations.” (Males p386)
A young 12 year old african male lives in South Jamaica, New York City, New York with his hard-working single mother. He lives in a “not so good” neighborhood, where there is violence that happens everyday around him. He goes to school everyday, but is tempted by his peers to skip class, do drugs, and join the neighborhood gang. He declines their offers and continues to study hard everyday, so he can make something of himself. By the time he graduates, he is accepted to NYU to study business. He is now CEO of a big corporation and makes more money than he can even handle. This is what so many lower-class and middle-class Americans dream of happening to them. They are considered the “underdogs” and dream to one day work hard in order to succeed
Both black males and females are accounted for violent crime. For instance, black females are more likely than white males to engage in homicide, aggravated assault, and robbery (Simpson, 1991; Sommers and Baskin, 1992). Highlighting how race places an important mitigating factor in violent crime, both across racial and gender barriers. Violent crime rates are not the only difference among race and crime. How an individual carries out a violent crime also differs by race. For instance, blacks are more likely than whites to use a weapon or be affiliated with a gang at the time of a violent crime (cite). With whites being 10% less likely to use a gun or be affiliated with a gang and blacks 121% more likely. This could be partly accounted for by the violence than represents the African-American communities of underclass (Miller, 1998). The more violence that surrounds someone, the more likely they are going to be to engage
This principle causes gangs to respond, often violently, to minor incidents, like those mentioned above. If a gang member senses disrespect, he or she will do anything in their power to prevent that from happening even if it involves murdering somebody because they care about the gang’s reputation instead of theirs. For this reason gangs will use violence almost anywhere. This violence can take place in schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, parks, freeways, fast food locations, theme parks and restaurants” (Gang Mentality and Behavior). In the gang world respect is a code to live by; plenty of teens tend to get amaze by that causing them to follow into the steps of older gang members into joining the gang. They see how the older members carry themselves and noticed gangs are the result of that, so they end up joining. Eventually, the way gangs earn their respect is by protecting their territory. Each gang protects by killing anybody who intrudes the territory or shows any type of disrespect. Just as television series “Gangland” states the gang Florencia 13 does anything in their power to defend their territory against their rivals The
The hood, short for neighborhood, of a predominantly poor, minority area is vastly different from the neighborhood of middle or upper class suburban area. Whereas one is overridden by violence, hopelessness, and a sense of confinement, the other is an exemplification of the American dream, prosperity, and opportunity. The polar differences between the two areas are not coincidental, but, rather, consequential.