Discussion Topic

Violence among Gang Members
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Violence among Gang Members
A gang is a group comprising of members whose agenda is to accomplish criminal activities. Ayling (2011) notes that youths are the dominant members of gangs. A gang is also defined as a highly competitive group with hierarchical structures which provides a certain level of exclusivity (Harris, Turner, Garrett & Atkinson, 2011). Violence is a common occurrence among these illegal groups. Gang membership is closely linked with criminality despite the fact that the members do not specialize in violence. According to Harris et al. (2011), the issue of violence among gang members arises as a result of interpersonal disputes. These individuals can conflict over friends, romantic relationships, debts, rivalry for leadership and debt.
Research indicates that members of a gang are likely to engage in violence since most gang members possess weapons such as guns and knives. These individuals use vehemence for various reasons. First, some members may use violence for protection because they indulge in risky activities (Harris et al., 2011). For instance, some street gangs encourage criminal behaviors as a way of keeping their group secretive and promoting cohesion. Such a group may advocate for violence to protect themselves. Second, some gang members participate in violence for status and respect. A leader in a gang is likely to resort to violence as a way of settling a dispute that threatens his position and status.

It is through this form of resolving a conflict that members avoid victimization and gain respect from the group. Third, some members participate in gang violence for excitement. According to Harris et al. (2011), gang members may participate in violence because they are bored. Some of the group members enjoy intimidating others and creating fear. Lastly, violence is a common occurrence among individuals who want to gain approval for inclusion in a gang. Some group members opt for violence to demonstrate to the rest of the members that they are fit to join the group while others fight to avoid being excluded from the gang.
Thus, gang violence is a common occurrence among some members. Most of the individuals participate in violence due to interpersonal problems such as rivalry and debt. While violence is not a specialty for most gangs, members eventually end up taking part in it due to high crime rates and interpersonal disputes.

References
Ayling, J. (2011). Gang change and evolutionary theory. Crime, Law and Social Change, 56(1), 1-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10611-011-9301-xHarris, D., Turner, R., Garrett, I., & Atkinson, S. (2011). Understanding the psychology of gang violence: Implications for designing effective violence interventions. Ministry of Justice.