Gangs in America

2717 Words6 Pages

This paper will cover issues that young minorities encounter in the movies; Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008), Gran Torino (2008), A Better Life (2011). Movies will be summarize, and compare and contrast youths experienced. Criminological theories shall be utilized to further elaborate issues. Finally steps and theories will be utilized towards solving issues, also possible methods to correct the issues will be addressed in the end. Movie Summaries Crips and Bloods: Made in America took place in south of Los Angeles focusing on gang violence among two fearsome African American gangs, Crips and Bloods. The documentary sends the viewer to the roots of the social strains of African American people that created Crips and Bloods. After the Civil War in the United States, slaves were granted freedom, they moved far from the south. As time passed African Americans were faced with many hardships from loss of jobs to racial profiling from law enforcement. In Los Angeles African American teens were denied access to organized activities of white Americans, such as Boys Scouts. This type of racial barrier caused many African Americans to question if they truly were free. Barriers set up by the white community and law enforcement caused African American youths to create their own sense of identity and self worth through the creation of clubs. The clubs had their various names based on the streets and blocks of south Los Angeles. The clubs provided members with status and a sense of belonging, acceptance, and family among young African Americans, that were otherwise denied entry into white run organizations. Clubs were effective in African Community's, it provided power in numbers. Law enforcement viewed clubs of African Amer... ... middle of paper ... ... Reestablishing community goals and encouraging youths to engage in extracurricular activities will greatly improve outlooks on life and help them make the right choices for a better tomorrow. Works Cited Bernburg, J., Krohn, M. D., & Rivera, C. J. (2006). Official Labeling, Criminal Embeddedness, and Subsequent Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test of Labeling Theory. Journal Of Research In Crime & Delinquency, 43(1), 67-88. doi:10.1177/0022427805280068 McCarthy, B. (2002). NEW ECONOMICS OF SOCIOLOGICAL CRIMINOLOGY. Annual Review Of Sociology, 28(1), 417-442. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.28.110601.140752 Shaw, C. R., & McKay, H. D. (1932). ARE BROKEN HOMES A CAUSATIVE FACTOR IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY?. Social Forces, 10(4), 514-524. Tremblay, P., & Morselli, C. (2000). PATTERNS IN CRIMINAL ACHIEVEMENT: WILSON AND ABRAHAMSE REVISITED. Criminology, 38(2), 633-659.

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