Maslow's hierarchy of needs represents the fundamental needs of person throughout their life. The hierarchy of needs relates to why people decide to join the gang. The bottom of the hierarchy shows psychological needs a person will need such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. When, a person is available to attain these needs they go to great lengths to survive. Many gangs offer food, shelter to coax people who have become desperate. The next tier on Maslow's hierarchy of needs is safety and security, which is also important to a person who live in a violent neighborhood or is being harassed. There are other gangs like Barrio Azteca that have been formed to protect themselves from other gangs. Joining a gang gives a person a blanket of security because …show more content…
The love and belonging tier mainly affects teens who want to join gangs because they are in stage in their life where they are more likely to rebel and feel as if no one understands them. Many teenagers may not have many friends or their relationship with their family may be estranged. A gang may seem as an opportunity to have a sense of belonging or to make strong connections with members of the gang. As, humans we tend to be social and crave social interactions and to some people a gang may seem like the best opportunity to make friends and be part of a family. The next tier is self-esteem, which also relates to why people join gang because many people can be obsessed with the power and authority they will have. In the Stanford Prison Experiment we were able to see the true nature of people when they are given power and how it affected them mentally. With gangs you are often deal with large sums of money, people who follow all your commands, and possessions that are valuable such as heroin, cocaine and etc. Therefore, joining a gang can be an ego boost and can change your morals and
A pyramid was proposed by an American psychologist, which came to be know as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” This concept that he brings through this theory is that to move up in human existence, in consciousness, we must first fulfill our needs based in order of their importance for our survival. If we are lacking security and safety we will not seek out, maybe even be unable to recognize, possess, or reciprocate, love.
The kids became gang members for many reasons. Some needed to find what their place was in the world, and they needed to know who they were as human beings. Joining the gang gave them a feeling of being involved in something and made them feel better about themselves. They felt that as a gang member they received the attention, emotional support, and understanding that they couldn’t get from their actual family members at home.
What other theoretical elements--from theories we have already covered or other social considerations could explain the attraction to or resistance to gangs? Are there patterns and trends that might have theoretical significance?
Here, the tenets of the strain theory with regards to youths in criminal gangs can be used by lowering the factors that will likely cause the strain in the life of the youths. Improving the economic opportunities available to the lower economic classes, offering equipping programs for youths who are at the greatest risk of joining gangs, and working to integrate the goals and objectives of these gangs into social uplift and development policies can work to help reduce the instances of youths joining gangs (Pennington, 2013, p. 8).
Knowledge comes from experience. Since birth, Mary Shelley’s Monster from her acclaimed epistolary novel, Frankenstein, has been assaulted by all of the difficulties of life, yet he has faced them completely alone. The Tabula Rasa concept is completely applicable to him. The Monster begins as a child, learning from mimicking and watching others. He then educates himself by reading a few books which help shape his personality and give him an identity. Following Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the Monster searches for and accomplishes the basic human necessities but feels alone, and needs human interaction and companionship. “My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy, and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred, it did not endure the violence of the change without torture such as you cannot even imagine,” (Shelley 115). As the book progresses, the Monster ceases to be a one-dimensional and flat watcher of humanity. Through his numerous experiences and education, the monster instead morphs into a participator of humanity with the ability to achieve goals, broaden his personality and create himself an identity.
Historically, gangs began to develop around the time frame of the 1970’s. Irish gangs have been known to be the first initial gang, followed by the Germans, Jewish, and Italians (Pacheco, 2010, p. 10). Gangs are larger in population and tend to be more prevalent in the United States, compared to other countries. In 2008, statistics showed that there were 20,000 active gangs and more than 1 million gang members in the United States (Pacheco, 2010, p. 12). According to Pacheco (2010) there are different types of gangs. Although these gangs are formed for individual purposes, broken up, they can form a multitude of different types of gangs. There are your traditional gangs (Crips, Bloods). Business, profit gangs, which are generated around financial gains. Hate group gangs, which their purpose is to target different ethnic groups, races or homosexuals. Copycat and delinquent social gangs, which seem to be the least relevant. Street gangs, which are prone to target younger individuals, but the actual ages of the gang members vary. Third generation gangs which are known as “terrorist”. Hybrid gangs are new to this generation, they could be considered the “hipster” of gangs. Then there are prison gangs. They are usually small in population and are structured along an individuals ethnicity (Pacheco, 2010, pp. 12-15). Gangs serve a multitude of purposes for their members. The gang becomes their family. They are able to trust them, rely on them, and the gang gives them a sense of self and importance. Gangs have the ability to offer status, refuge, protection, and opportunity of stigma free life within this population (Tower, 2013, p. 82). In the PBS show Interrupter ex-gang members and ex-gang enforcers joined together ...
Although a standard definition does not exist, gang delinquency can be defined as law-violating behavior committed by groups of youth and adults, that are complexly organized and that have established leadership and membership rules (Curry & Spergel, 1988). Gangs engage in a range of different crimes, but most significantly in violent crimes, as a means of upholding norms and values in regards to: mutual support, conflict relations with other gangs, and tradition (Curry & Spergel, 1988). They are organizations concerned with territory, status, and the ability to control behavior. For disadvantaged youth, who lack the opportunities to succeed in a socially acceptable manner, gangs effectively provide meaningful social and even economic structures. In gang membership, there is the opportunity to create personal identity, but there are minimal standards of acceptable status (Curry & Spergel,
Gangs use their communities as a source of information and for psychological reasons. Gangs can use local inhabitants to receive information about crime, and cops while also psychologically striking fear into these inhabitants to make sure that they are hesitant about going to the
Additionally, the need for the young people to have a sense of protection mainly drives them to join gangs. Many societies with high reported cases of mob activities frequently see youths linked with a bunch of criminals just for endurance. For many, it is better to connect with the mob than to stay vulnerable and defenseless in their localities (Klein & Maxson, 2006). For many, being connected to a mob guarantees sustenance in case of assault and retaliation for wrongdoings.
He believes that low self-esteem and poor relationships with family members, especially with parents, are some of the attributes of gang recruits. Teens involved in violence are also at risk of becoming gang members. Teens that do not have adult figures in their lives are also at risk. Teens that associate with gang members and other delinquents have a tendency to join gangs. Teens that perform poorly in school, and are lacking in skills, or interests that keep them occupied could also go down that road.
Common motives include profiting from organized crime, a means to obtain food and shelter, or access to luxury goods and services. Joining a gang can also give protection from rival gangs or violent crime in general, especially when the police are distrusted or ineffective. It can also be for personal status and “coolness” because it can give members a sense of family, identity, or belonging. Sometimes joining a gang is just a family tradition or because of the excitement of risk-taking. Risk factors include lack of adult or parental supervision, family instability, family members with violent attitudes, being part of a socially marginalized group (ethnic minority), poverty, low academic performance, drug use, low self-esteem and lack of role
There are various reasons behind young people joining street gangs. One of the reasons young people join street gangs is because of neighborhood disadvantages. A theory that can contribute to why young people might join street gangs is Social Disorganization Theory. Social Disorganization theory assumes that “delinquency emerges in neighborhoods where neighborhood relation and social institutions have broken down and can no longer maintain effective social controls (Bell, 2007).” Social Disorganization contributes to residential instability and poverty, which affects interpersonal relationships within the community and opens opportunities for crimes to be committed.
When one thinks of what families do for each other, they will most likely think of care. More specifically they think of the care that a parent has for their child. Parents have to meet certain “needs” for the child in order for the its healthy survival. Children must be fed and clothed. Parents must also watch over the safety of and be the friends of the children. Cheering on in good times and making their child the best it can be are also responsibilities of parents. The family metaphor is used when describing the Human Relations method of management. In this the management of a company is seen as the parents and the employees are seen as the children. Employees, as seen as the children also have certain needs as well. These needs are very similar.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory can explain the manager’s actions. Specifically, the lower-order need Safety. The manager acted out in order to protect the stability of the company and prevent employees from eating food for free. Under Alderfer’s ERG Theory the manager was acting out of protecting his growth needs. As he was attempting to stop a behavior that tarnishes his work record and prevents him from receiving a bonus. Subject to McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory the manager catered to the Need for Achievement. The manager was attempting to solve a problem with his workers by enacting a new rule. Motivator Factors under Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory explains the manager’s decision as well. He took action in order to receive recognition
A gang can be defined as a group of people who unite to serve a common purpose and engage in violent or otherwise criminal behavior. (http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us) The types of crimes committed by gang members differ between gangs, but the crimes generally associated with gangs include vandalism, robbery, drug-trafficking, assault, arson, and murder. There are many reasons why teenagers may join gangs. The root causes of violent gang formation are poverty, stressed families, unemployment, under-employment, under-education, racism, and the breakdown of sociocultural institutions. (http://www.instanet.com) Many people join gangs for protection from violent people in other gangs. (http://www.public.iastate.edu) Other people join gangs for the sense of family that comes along with it. The youth gang satisfies a void - the child's desire to feel secure. It provides the child with a sense of identity, belonging, power, and protection. The gang provides a protective barrier against the outside world. (http://www.highways.com)