The Involvement of Chicago Street Gangs in Drug Trade Essay Example

gangs and their involvement in drug trade is not a hopeless case. Since street gangs are real and thriving menace of American society, what they need are actual solutions to be spearheaded with effective laws, tough enforcement by law enforcers and correct presentation of their misdeeds for the people to realize their escalating negative implications in the society and the lives of the young generation in particular.With the youth as the foundation or basic component of street gangs, it is therefore worthy to focus all efforts on preventing them, if not saving, from involvement in such assembly.

Ultimately, this would bring us and boils down to the role of the family as the primary and influential grouping of a person. Foremost one's participation in any grouping such as street gang and eventual involvement in illegal activities like drug trade, the family and society have the initial influence and impact on the kind of life that a person decides to take thus a correct and ideal foundation is essential.American Street Gangs, An Overview To have an effective understanding of the culture of street gang, it is significantly necessary to have an overview of its nature and to where it leads to. Street gangs have traced their origin of existence from big metropolitan American societies. Such groupings were initially formed by a number of individuals as a way of protecting their respective families and circle of friends with the neighborhood as the typical area of assembly thus the term street gang.

However, as a group evolves, so does its activities and interests which oftentimes lead to crimes or illegal activities such drug trade. A street gang's involvement in

drug business is attributed to many factors but mainly it is a source of income and means of survival. Since it is innate among members of a street gang to have their gang association wherever they go, it is typical of them to group together or form a larger and more powerful assembly against another gang, even if they are imprisoned.This existing and kind of uncontrolled affiliation normally leads to the conventional and violent prison gang fights (Walker, n. d. ).

Street gangs are distinct among any other groupings because of the youth as their ideal members whom their communities view as different due to their apparent negative image resulting from their illegal activities. Previous street gangs in the United States were ethnically-based such as the Italian or Polish and Irish.They were followed by the Puerto Rican, Mexican and African-American gangs which gained prominence between 1950s to 1960s. Street gangs have acquired notoriety in large urban states such as Chicago where a research has disclosed that at least five percent of primary school students and around 35 percent of high school dropouts were already associated with several street gangs.

This situation has disturbed the school, police and media systems in the country as manifested by the regular use and accepted implementation of stricter security measures nowadays (Hixon, 1999).Howell (1997) cited the researches made by Taylor (1990) and Sanchez-Jankowski (1991) who depicted gangs as traditional and logical groups with accepted leadership construction, functions, regulations and distinct power over members. Such kind of influence enable street gangs to form and deal with illegal operations such as drug trade (cited in Howell, 1997). Howell added that majority of

studied about youth street gangs disputed that their structures are insufficient to form and manage even a drug trade.

In fact, Klein et al. (1991), Klein and Maxson (1994), and Decker and Van Winkle (1996) said that although street gangs as generally united in nature, they lack in maturity (cited in Howell, 1997). However, other researchers claimed that the leading street gangs such as the Chicago street gangs eventually became business-minded and expanded their illegal activities including drug trafficking to other states. They further debated that as drug trade expanded, gang hostility also escalated.Specific Chicago street gangs, which predominantly employ and traffic drugs, are the Vice Lords (Dawley, 1992; Keiser, 1969) and Black Gangster Disciples Nation (Block and Block, 1993). With this, it is not questioned that in particular states such as Chicago, street gangs are indeed actively connected with in drug trade (cited in Howell, 1997).

Klein (1995), on the other hand, said that there is a need to recognize the nature of street gangs in an intellectual aspect.This is in order to desire to prevent its formation and continued existence which, in turn, will allow for a better understanding of the kind of society where the groups belong. Klein explained that street gangs are not misadventures because our society unwittingly creates them. He added that such assembly will not refuse to be as an existing ill of the society until people meet and accept their connection with them. Hence, in order to influence human's link with street gangs is to arrive face-to-face with some well-secured and understanding human nature is also important.

As Klein said, “gangs have a societal context and the context is us”

(Klein, 1995, p. 3). Klein further said that a gang may be comprised of a central group but generally are composed of fringe members and this explains the reason behind the overlapping of street gangs among themselves. Klein added that many street gangs are criminally-oriented with their atrocities usually committed against property.

However, since their inactivity is basically their main activity, they are inclined to engage in illegal businesses such as drug trade for them survive or continue to rule their respective turfs.Additionally, Klein wrote that while street gangs are rather distinguishable from drug gangs, there are times that they have common individual members and thus have similar traits. Stringent discipline is needed by drug gangs where the members act like workers while street gang members , who are binded by association and ordinary disputes, exemplify less discipline (Klein, 1995). In dealing with such groupings, various state authorities have chosen the term street gangs due to the involvement of members ranging from adolescents to adults.

Additionally, in identifying the activities of different street gangs, law enforcers have designated the groups according to their locations and nature of their crimes. Wiley (1997) cited the claim of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI that a street gang is group of individuals that commit themselves based on their different social necessities and in turn, become part of activities that are detrimental to the welfare or safety of the society where they belong.Through the years, street gang members have been involved in either gang-centered criminal transactions such as drug trade or an individual member just plainly impose a condition of fear and aggression in the society. Majority of FBI

cases disclosed that although drug trafficking was the main criminal business that support a street gang, it not necessarily the lone function for the existence of a gang. FBI records also show that street gangs have been connected with drug-related crimes for the past years, but their involvement was intensified with the advent of "crack" cocaine.

The birth of the cocaine trade was evident almost overnight with sales outlets in almost every community as well as many possible customers and employment. In approximately over ten years, street gangs had a momentum drug trade particularly in notably income-generating states like Chicago (Wiley, 1997). Involvement in Drug Trade The initial up to middle parts of 1980s witnessed the fast development in the employment of cocaine in what gangs in the inner communities prefer as their drug. Various researches have recorded that adolescent and adult gangs were substantially connected in the drug trade since the cocaine epidemic started in 1985.

It is during this period that the United States saw the emergence of the Chicago Vice Lords as a big and hostile criminal street gang. In fact, the group was a proof that street gangs and the drug (cocaine) trade go hand in hand. Street gangs' involvement in drug business is attributed with the spectacular expansion of cocaine trade during the 1980s which was coupled with sudden decrease in price and socioeconomic modifications in a number of American societies that stopped conventional influences of the other sectors in the communities (Howell & Decker, 1999).Additionally, the decrease in the available manufacturing jobs as well as the growth of service and technological enterprises resulted into economic restructuring across the country. There were

creation of new jobs but they are located only in the residential areas making unqualified members of the society such as minorities in the inner communities. This has also resulted into an escalation of unemployment rates.

With this, the drug markets rendered employment for displaced members of the society and the increasing fame of crack cocaine led to fresh opportunities for the young generation as well as adults to earn money or make a living.The traditional life paths such as descent employment, a happy marriage and secured family were narrowed because of the altered economic condition of the country and the sustained involvement of people with street gangs making the business of illegal drug more appealing. The decrease in the prospects of meaningful and lifetime jobs has dampened the secured power and conventional manners of controlling the society. This has, in turn. led to an strengthened power by street gangs controlling social force. This condition also caused the shift adolescent groups into loosely-formed street gangs (Howell & Decker, 1999).

Chicago Street Gangs The street gangs that exist today are generally established or formed in most part of Chicago. In fact, many of the pseudo street gangs that proliferate in other parts of the United States traced their roots from Chicago-based street gangs. This is because the history of Chicago is full with accounts of street gangs. Many Americans have trusted that the descent of the contemporary street gang was based from Chicago. The formation of the street gang called the People and Folks Nations, which was previously famous for organized crime connections, was attributed to Chicago.

In Chicago, street gangs belong to the hidden or underground culture

and the composition of the gangs are not restricted to sex, neighborhood culture and race. In fact, there is the existence of the Chicago-based Hispanic or Latino Gangs, White Gangs, Female Gangs, Arabic Gangs, Asian Gangs and African American Gangs. They are located in almost all parts of Chicago with members ranging from a handful just like in small neighborhood crew to members numbering to thousands for bigger street gangs. Additionally, the ages of the members of the Chicago-based street gangs can be 10 years old as the youngest and 50 years old as the oldest.

.Since street gangs are a rich component of Chicago's underworld, they have sustained their existence for the past decades and will remain to be a clandestine social groups in Chicago communities (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. d. ).

The emergence of Chicago street gangs started in during the 1960's when an adolescent group which called itself the Black P-Stone Rangers evolved into a felonious social class. Jeff Fort, who was the leader of the gang, united the heads of 50 more street gangs in their area and they became one group called the Black P-Stone Nation.The gang was under the influence of 21-man committee which was known as the Main 21. The group leaders depicted themselves socially aware, self-assisted gang that would provide upheaval among themselves and eventually to their society.

This premise allowed the gang to obtain $1. 4 million worth of anti-poverty financial assistance from the government. However, it turned out that the said funds were utilized not for the advancement of the group but to support their illicit activities including drug trade.The gang's misfits were later

exposed resulting to imprisonment of Jeff Fort (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. d. ).

It was unfortunate to note, however, that the activities of the first known Chicago-based street gang were apparently viewed as attainments rather than irregularities of the Fort's Black P-Stone Nation. In fact, it has even led to the creation of significant number of street gangs. Just like the Fort's group, the new breed of street gangs claimed themselves to be socially and politically driven but are actually not.Among the gangs that emerged, many were eventually disorganized while some evolved as a refined, highly designed street gangs involved in more illegal businesses such as felony, prostitution and theft aside from their main enterprise which is drug trade (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. d. ).

Following Fort's footsteps were two very powerful street gangs named the Black Disciples, under its leader David Barksdale, and the group which is called the Gangster Disciples with leader Larry Hoover. They were unified and formed as one group known as the Black Gangster Disciple Nation.The decade of 1970's saw the power of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation and Black P-Stone Nation which ruled the Chicago drug business but the two impersonating gangs later became hostile rivals showing their wrath by forming the bloodiest gang battle in the history of Chicago (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. d. ).

The Beginning of Coalitions Majority of the heads and members of the street gangs which were formed after the Fort group were eventually terminated in either national and state prison facilities.This is because just like the original Chicago street gang, the copy-cat groups were also engaged in

various illegal activities with drug trade at their helm. However, despite the fate of the initial groups, there are few which were formed and are totally different. Hence, additional individual street gangs increased which were basically formed and that required for immediate self identification. This enabled gang members to differentiate allies from foes and especially within the existing prison population.

Thus in the 1980's, imprisoned members of street gangs started separating into coalitions.Among the alliances that were formed were the Folk Nation and People Nation. Thereafter, all groups that were lined up in the beginning with the Black P-Stone Nation were combined with the group People Nation. On the other hand, those that were initially aligned with the Black Gangster Disciple Nation were unified with the gang Folk Nation.

These aligned street gangs were called sets wherein it the practice of lining up with either one of the two Chicago-based gang alliances was accepted (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. . ).Mentality and Philosophy A philosophy among Chicago-based street gangs that became important was the doctrine of “All for One, One for All” which also put a threat among members. This is because the philosophy required involvement of all members of a particular street gang in a manner that is offensive with other groups. In effect, this has made an individual or personal fight of a specific member as a battle of the whole group thus creating full agitation.

With this philosophy emerged the various terminologies and regulations in the Code of Conduct which the members of street gangs are required to strictly adhere. However, gang members who opted to shy away from engaging in gang

activities such gang riots or wars were meted with disciplinary actions or in gang term was called violations. These violations include beating which was done by a colleague which may even lead to death. The violation commands, which form part of the mentality and philosophy of Chicago-based street gangs, were formal orders that were authorized by the gang leaders.

Although regarded by gang leaders and members only as disciplinary in nature, it is through these ideologies that the Chicago gangs gained their notoriety and were later criticized for being inhuman. This is for the reason that such physical beatings or violations were inflicted among fellow members who are supposed to belong in the same brotherhood (“Street Gangs-Chicago Based or Influenced,” n. d. ). Chicago Street Gangs' Drug Trade Among the Chicago-based drug trade organizations or DTOs,the Mexican gangs y pose the greatest terror not only in the said state but across the country as well.These Mexican DTOs have stabilized and eventually expanded their illegal drug trades in other areas such as the Lake County, employing residential and commercial establishments in other parts of the county as their transshipment and storage of big amounts of illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine as well as little amounts of methamphetamine and heroin bounded for drug market areas in places such as the Southeast and Northeast Regions of the United States,Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes.

Additionally, Mexican DTOs operating in Lake County, specifically in Hammond and East Chicago, likewise carry wholesale amounts of illegal drugs to other locations or regions such as along the Southwest Border and those coming from Chicago. The most organized drug traffickers in Lake County are the

Hispanic groups based in East Chicago, where some have direct connection with DTOs based in Mexico. East Chicago gangs, on the other hand, usually operate only as mid-level providers to other groups based in Lake County.East Chicago-based street gangs are known for their use counter-surveillance techniques and electronic communication.

One instance in when the East Chicago Police Department unwrapped in 2007 various video and audio surveillance machines at drug storage areas in the city. Hence, the authorities have surmised that it is common for the Lake County-based street gangs, which have around 2,500 members, to have connections or tie-ups with Chicago-based street gangs.One proof is when Chicago-based street gangs provide illegal drugs to their counterparts in Lake County-based street gangs (“Drug Trafficking Organizations,” 2008). Conclusion With the above data and incidents, it could not be taken for granted that the advent and eventual growth of American street gangs, particularly those that are based in Chicago, have significantly affected the lives of Americans and several societies in general.The involvement of street gangs in drug trade is distributed, crossing within almost all sectors of the society such as the criminal justice system, learning institutions and law enforcement.

Street gangs and their connection with drug trafficking cuts across all demographic dimensions specifically race, age, population and geographic region. However, as previously stated, this problem is not totally hopeless.With the presentation of the grave implications of the the youth's involvement in street gangs as well as realization of the various impacts in the American society, such brotherhood should now be treated with extra care. This is where the role of the family, as the basic affiliation or grouping of

a person, will matter.

While the government, with its law and authorities, have tried their best efforts to address the problem, it is apparently not enough thus the involvement of the primary members of the society is indeed essential in the attainment of a well-defined meaning of brotherhood.