GANG VIOLENCE AND HARSH PENALTIES
Chen
March 20 2014
Gang Violence and Harsh Penalties
The presence of gang violence has plagued the United States for many years. Although it is more active in some parts of the country than others, gang violence affects every American: either monetarily as a taxpayer or directly as a victim. Regardless, it is a concern of every individual; therefore, the criminal justice system has been addressing it for years in different ways. The approach of emphasizing harsh punishments has been implemented for quite some time now and it remains to be an accepted tactic. Despite its popularity, the implementation of harsh punishments has been shown to be counterproductive. It continues to spread ignorance, which is eluded by politicians and the media. Harsher punishments include (but are not limited to): sentencing enhancements and juvenile waiver policies, which both have been reported to be detrimental in the long run. Overall, the criminal justice system should consider seeking other approaches that may be proactive.
Gang-related crimes are one of the most discussed issues in criminal justice system. The root of gang violence could to be traced to as early as the 1900s. In the film, Crips and Bloods: Made in America, African Americans were being oppressed under the Jim Crow Law, which allowed for the legal segregation of Blacks and Whites. By forcing Blacks into their neighborhoods, the LAPD’s actions resulted in segregation, alienation and development of self-hatred (Peralta, 2008). At first, many activist groups were formed such as the Black Panther, though they never considered themselves as a gang but as a club (Peralta, 2008). Eventually, the groups were terminated and then African Americans found themselves helpless which lead to the formation of street gangs. Crips and Bloods are the biggest well-known gangs: it was formed due to racism (Peralta, 2008). “The Punitive propensity in the U.S. gang policies all too often ignores the context of offending and
March 20 2014
Gang Violence and Harsh Penalties
The presence of gang violence has plagued the United States for many years. Although it is more active in some parts of the country than others, gang violence affects every American: either monetarily as a taxpayer or directly as a victim. Regardless, it is a concern of every individual; therefore, the criminal justice system has been addressing it for years in different ways. The approach of emphasizing harsh punishments has been implemented for quite some time now and it remains to be an accepted tactic. Despite its popularity, the implementation of harsh punishments has been shown to be counterproductive. It continues to spread ignorance, which is eluded by politicians and the media. Harsher punishments include (but are not limited to): sentencing enhancements and juvenile waiver policies, which both have been reported to be detrimental in the long run. Overall, the criminal justice system should consider seeking other approaches that may be proactive.
Gang-related crimes are one of the most discussed issues in criminal justice system. The root of gang violence could to be traced to as early as the 1900s. In the film, Crips and Bloods: Made in America, African Americans were being oppressed under the Jim Crow Law, which allowed for the legal segregation of Blacks and Whites. By forcing Blacks into their neighborhoods, the LAPD’s actions resulted in segregation, alienation and development of self-hatred (Peralta, 2008). At first, many activist groups were formed such as the Black Panther, though they never considered themselves as a gang but as a club (Peralta, 2008). Eventually, the groups were terminated and then African Americans found themselves helpless which lead to the formation of street gangs. Crips and Bloods are the biggest well-known gangs: it was formed due to racism (Peralta, 2008). “The Punitive propensity in the U.S. gang policies all too often ignores the context of offending and
References: Elias, R. (1994) Official Stories: Media Coverage of American Crime Policy. The Humanist, 54, 3-8. Mallicoat, S. and Gardiner, C. (Eds.). (2013). America’s “War on Gangs”: Response to a Real Threat or a Moral Panic?. Washington, DC: Sage Publication Ltd. Mallicoat, S. and Gardiner, C. (Eds.). (2013). Juvenile Waiver Policies. Washington, DC: Sage Publication Ltd. Peralta, S. (Director). (2008). Crips and Bloods: Made in America [Documentary]. United States: PBS. Tierney, J. (2013, January 25). Prison Population Can Shrink When Police Crown Streets. The New York Times.