Theme 4: Gangs and prison violence
Introduction:
- Gang members group together for various reason.
- It serves as a means to be accepted by others and to have a family structure
that is often lacking in their lives.
- For others it is an easy way to make a living out of crime. (e.g. Trading in drugs)
Definition:
- A range of gangs exists, from street gangs to prison gangs, and gang members
have various different socio-economic backgrounds.
- Historical context plays a major role: a gang that existed decades ago may not
be viewed as a gang today.
- One way of analysing the differences and similarities between gangs is to
assess how and to what degree gangs are formally organised (that is, by taking
into account the elements of their command structure, territorial power, power
over the population, power over resources and their tendency toward armed
violence).
- Gangs are self-formed associations of peers who have adopted a common name
and other discernible conventional or symbolic signals of membership.
- They comprise of individuals who recognise themselves (and are recognised by
others) as "members" of a "gang" who individually or collectively engage in a
pattern of criminal activity.
- Others view a gang as a subcultural group with its own norms, beliefs and
values.
Characteristics that distinguish a gang from other groups
- Gang members' self-recognition of their gang status.
- The gang's use of special vocabulary, clothing, signs, colours, graffiti and
names.
- Gangs set themselves apart from the community and others view them as a
separate entity.
- They commit themselves to criminal activity.
INCIDENCE OF GANGS
- Gangs have existed for centuries, with some groups dating back as far as the
Middle Ages.
- Most literature cites gangs as an American product.
- Gangs prominently featured in early Roman times, where references have been
made to gangs committing various forms of crime such as theft, rape and
robbery.
- In England, France and Germany, they were associated with extortion.
- Gangs in South Africa also have a long and varied history.
- Gangs formed among the migrant labourers at the mines in Johannesburg in the
late 1800s, while the prison gangs in Cape Town dates back to the early 1900s
- Nowadays, gangs feature in countries such as El Salvador, Jamaica, New
Zealand and Russia (to name a few).
- While gangs have always existed, today's urbanising world is producing gangs
faster than ever in various forms and shapes.
, - In the United States, for example, gangs are found in almost every major urban
high school.
- A study that was conducted in Cape Town revealed that males who start high
school are primary targets for gang recruiting
CHARACTERISTICS OF GANGS
Gangs exist globally and although they might be similar in numerous ways, they
cannot be viewed as a uniform or homogeneous social concept. According to Siegel
and Walsh (2014:217), gangs can differ in terms of
- their age (for example youth gangs)
- their degree of organisation (from loosely structured [such as social or
recreational gangs] to highly organised [heavily involved in criminality])
- their race or nationality (such as African American gangs like the as Crips or the
Japanese gang Yakuza)
- their location (for example street gangs and prison gangs)
- the type of criminal activity that they are involved in and/or their purpose
(illegal drug trade or protection of territory)
- the symbolism they use as a method for members to distinguish themselves
from other gangs (tattoos, use of language, hairstyles)
- their gender (male or female gangs)
TYPES OF GANGS
School gangs
- Schools are vulnerable sites, with gang activity often beginning as early as
primary school level
- Some friendship groups among the youth develop into informal gangs in
schools.
- Gangs, whether formal or informal, usually conduct their business (such as
bullying/intimidation, drug pedalling, and obtaining or selling stolen property) on
school premises.
- They may also demand payment from non-existing members in exchange for
momentary safety from gang violence, or may force school closure with threats
or acts of vandalism and other violence against staff and learners
- An example of this took place in 2013 when gang violence in Manenberg forced
schools to close for a week because of safety concerns (eNCA 2013:1).
- Another example is a boy who was assaulted during a fight with an alleged
gang leader from his school who apparently had bullied his cousin for months
Street gangs
- A street gang is seen as a group or collection of individuals participating in
significant illegal or criminal activities that are of a threatening and violent
nature.
- The emphasis is on the neighbourhood in which the gang is active.
- Contemporary South African street gangs are involved in criminal activities such
as car theft, vehicle hijacking, murders, burglaries and robberies.
- Street gangs may fight rival gangs over control of territory and innocent people
in the neighbourhood may fall victim to the violence ,for example the fighting
Introduction:
- Gang members group together for various reason.
- It serves as a means to be accepted by others and to have a family structure
that is often lacking in their lives.
- For others it is an easy way to make a living out of crime. (e.g. Trading in drugs)
Definition:
- A range of gangs exists, from street gangs to prison gangs, and gang members
have various different socio-economic backgrounds.
- Historical context plays a major role: a gang that existed decades ago may not
be viewed as a gang today.
- One way of analysing the differences and similarities between gangs is to
assess how and to what degree gangs are formally organised (that is, by taking
into account the elements of their command structure, territorial power, power
over the population, power over resources and their tendency toward armed
violence).
- Gangs are self-formed associations of peers who have adopted a common name
and other discernible conventional or symbolic signals of membership.
- They comprise of individuals who recognise themselves (and are recognised by
others) as "members" of a "gang" who individually or collectively engage in a
pattern of criminal activity.
- Others view a gang as a subcultural group with its own norms, beliefs and
values.
Characteristics that distinguish a gang from other groups
- Gang members' self-recognition of their gang status.
- The gang's use of special vocabulary, clothing, signs, colours, graffiti and
names.
- Gangs set themselves apart from the community and others view them as a
separate entity.
- They commit themselves to criminal activity.
INCIDENCE OF GANGS
- Gangs have existed for centuries, with some groups dating back as far as the
Middle Ages.
- Most literature cites gangs as an American product.
- Gangs prominently featured in early Roman times, where references have been
made to gangs committing various forms of crime such as theft, rape and
robbery.
- In England, France and Germany, they were associated with extortion.
- Gangs in South Africa also have a long and varied history.
- Gangs formed among the migrant labourers at the mines in Johannesburg in the
late 1800s, while the prison gangs in Cape Town dates back to the early 1900s
- Nowadays, gangs feature in countries such as El Salvador, Jamaica, New
Zealand and Russia (to name a few).
- While gangs have always existed, today's urbanising world is producing gangs
faster than ever in various forms and shapes.
, - In the United States, for example, gangs are found in almost every major urban
high school.
- A study that was conducted in Cape Town revealed that males who start high
school are primary targets for gang recruiting
CHARACTERISTICS OF GANGS
Gangs exist globally and although they might be similar in numerous ways, they
cannot be viewed as a uniform or homogeneous social concept. According to Siegel
and Walsh (2014:217), gangs can differ in terms of
- their age (for example youth gangs)
- their degree of organisation (from loosely structured [such as social or
recreational gangs] to highly organised [heavily involved in criminality])
- their race or nationality (such as African American gangs like the as Crips or the
Japanese gang Yakuza)
- their location (for example street gangs and prison gangs)
- the type of criminal activity that they are involved in and/or their purpose
(illegal drug trade or protection of territory)
- the symbolism they use as a method for members to distinguish themselves
from other gangs (tattoos, use of language, hairstyles)
- their gender (male or female gangs)
TYPES OF GANGS
School gangs
- Schools are vulnerable sites, with gang activity often beginning as early as
primary school level
- Some friendship groups among the youth develop into informal gangs in
schools.
- Gangs, whether formal or informal, usually conduct their business (such as
bullying/intimidation, drug pedalling, and obtaining or selling stolen property) on
school premises.
- They may also demand payment from non-existing members in exchange for
momentary safety from gang violence, or may force school closure with threats
or acts of vandalism and other violence against staff and learners
- An example of this took place in 2013 when gang violence in Manenberg forced
schools to close for a week because of safety concerns (eNCA 2013:1).
- Another example is a boy who was assaulted during a fight with an alleged
gang leader from his school who apparently had bullied his cousin for months
Street gangs
- A street gang is seen as a group or collection of individuals participating in
significant illegal or criminal activities that are of a threatening and violent
nature.
- The emphasis is on the neighbourhood in which the gang is active.
- Contemporary South African street gangs are involved in criminal activities such
as car theft, vehicle hijacking, murders, burglaries and robberies.
- Street gangs may fight rival gangs over control of territory and innocent people
in the neighbourhood may fall victim to the violence ,for example the fighting
