Gang influence on individual behavior
Introduction
Human behavior is determined by both biological and environmental factors. The environmental influence of individual behavior is significant when considering members of a certain group which shares common beliefs and allegiance. The fact that interacting with deviant peers tend to increase deviance in individuals is a clear indicator that group membership affects individual behavior (Gifford-Smith et al, 2005). Belonging to a group is one of the factors that shape individual behavior and ought to be considered when analyzing individual behavior. Gang membership has an influence of the behavior of individuals belonging to the gang whether considered at the current membership or past membership. A gang is a group of not less than three individuals who are bound together by an allegiance and the group is involved in unlawful behaviors. As such, gang membership is undoubtedly a great force that influences the behavior of individual members. These influences are mainly in line with the gang culture and the activities the gang is involved in. In addition, both intrinsic and extrinsic factors shape the influence of gang on individual behavior.
Gang influence on individual behavior
Before exploring the influence of gang on individual behavior, it is worth looking into some common characteristics and behaviors associated with gangs. Although most of the activities that gangs will get involved in are not unique to what the mainstream society does, there are peculiar things that are common amongst gangs (Decker, 2000). A marked difference is the component of violence and criminal behaviors amongst gang members whenever they engage in mainstream activities.
Confrontations between rival gangs are a common phenomenon which involves assaults and other serious violence such as drive-by shooting. Other criminal activities to be identified with gangs include illicit drug trade, auto theft, robbery, vandalism and extortion. Gang graffiti is a common gang identity that signifies a gang territory, gang power and gang allegiance (GGIA, 2010). The violence and criminal behaviors found in gangs are mainly aimed at instilling fear to rivals and residents as well as intimidating rivals. The rivals may be other gangs or any other member of the society who is not a member of the gang. Also notable about gangs is that most of the times there is no identified leader. As such, the toughest person, based on factors such as possession of money or committing toughest crimes, is considered the leader.
Being involved is an exposure into a network that is bound to affect ones behavior as determined by the forces of the network. This is because the networks in a persons life influence a persons behavior. In fact the more persuasive a network is in a persons life, the more powerful the effect it has on his or her behavior (Battin-Pearson et al, 1998, p 5). By belonging to a certain gang, one must readjust to the demands and the conduct of the group. DeLisi and Conis (2007) indicate that individuals who join gangs have to find ways of acquiring social status within the gang. To achieve such a status, an individual is compelled to engage in offending behavior. The expectations of membership in a particular gang directly imply that an individuals behavior must be reshaped to fit into the expectations. Even the mere introduction into the gang is enough to change an individuals perceptions and behavior in general. For instance, DeLisi and Conis (2007, p 148) mentions that joining membership to a street gang may involve being beaten in which an individual takes to mean that their interactions must be violent. A gang member who has the perception that his interactions must be violent is likely to possess weapons such as guns which to them they are for self-defense from being attacked or intimidated by other gangs while others will possess such weapons for status purposes.
An individuals behavior may be shaped by being a gang member in an indirect manner. This means that expectations coming from outside the gang may influence a person to behave as per what belonging to a gang implies. A gang member may perceive that others outside the gang are viewing them as bad or as per what the gang is involved in even while this is not so. This spurs the expectation of the individual as far as their interactions with other people in the society are concerned. The individual ends up behaving violently or delinquently so as to fit into the societys label (Vitaro, Brendgen Tremblay, 2000).
It is a common observation and a clue that one is in a gang member to see individuals change in not only their interactions with other people but also in their day to day lives. All these are influences of the gang labels and norms on individual behavior. Riley (2006) for instance cites the use of certain tattoos among members of a gang with different tattoos symbolizing different things in the culture of the group. In addition, an individuals dressing may change to fit into the demands and expectations of the group. These changes are forms of non-verbal communication which have an influence on the behavior of an individual.
When an individual joins any group, there is tendency to shift personal views from self to being part of a group. This implies that the self loses predominance and the group takes control. This happens since people are always working towards attaining a sense of social identity as well as achieving a positive self-image. These pressures impact individual behaviors and one acquires the behaviors that are within the group or those that are associated with the group (Mansour, Marceau Mongrain, 2006). This is the case with belonging to a gang. In search of the sense of self worth and positive self-image, an individual takes up the practices of the gang and does away with the self. As a member of a group, one is obliged to show commitment to the group members and activities. This obligation may not necessarily come from group members but also from the self as one seeks approval and gets cushioned from disapproval by fellow members. In the process, individual behavior tends to conform to group expectations.
Pinizzotto, Davis and Miller (2007) highlights some of the reasons why belonging to a gang changes an individuals behavior and more so to a delinquent one. The interaction with other gang members leads to poor development in social behaviors, delay of gratification as well as poor control of aggression. This is as opposed to other children who are in other social settings like schools and well-adjusted families where these deviations are checked. The interaction with fellow gang members does not allow appropriate social skills to develop as there are no appropriate correctional measures. On the other hand, a child who is in a well-adjusted family and social setting always receives correction whenever they seem to deviate from socially acceptable behavior. This makes them develop socially acceptable behaviors as opposed to persons who grow up in a gang. Gang members on the other hand tend to acquire socially unacceptable behaviors since they do not have external regulators in their behaviors. In fact any one who is not within the gang membership is viewed as a threat to their safety. Pinizzotto, Davis and Miller (2007, p 1) indicate that a member of a gang will either ignore, encourage, or recognize the socially unacceptable behavior as adaptive for their survival. It is therefore no wonder that gang members are remorseless and most of them will take pride in doing unlawful acts remorselessly such as cold-blood murder.
One of the reasons why many people join a gang is feeling deindividualized thus no sense of individuality. Loss of individuality lessens the sense of responsibility and accountability and this affects the behavior of an individual (Hitchcock, 2008). Since a person who is in a gang feels less accountable, they are more likely to get engaged in deviant behavior. In fact, the size of the gang determines the rate and severity of individual deviance since the larger the gang, the more anonymous one feels and less the accountability feelings. As such, the severity and frequency of deviant and harmful behaviors among individuals of a large gang is higher (Skarin et al, 2010 ). Skarin and colleagues also note that being in a large gang decreases the level of self-awareness thus increasing loss of a sense of individuality. The loss of individuality and self-awareness then leads to an increase in deviance characteristic to the gang. Moreover, belonging to a group affects arousal with a large group membership decreasing arousal. Increased arousal increases the sense of loss of individuality and this increases delinquency.
Exposure to criminal and delinquent behaviors of a gang seems to desensitize an individual. With time, the reaction towards the initially unacceptable behaviors becomes tolerated and the individual indulges in gang-associated activities more often and freely. Skarin et al (2010) mentions that desensintization towards crime and violence among gang members makes the gang members accept the behaviors of the gang. It is therefore no wonder that members of a gang will find it less offensive to behave violently against civilians. After all, they have been exposed into such violations while in the group.
Belonging to a gang has been associated with increase in criminal behaviors. Criminal activities have been demonstrated to be higher with individuals who are members of a gang as opposed to non-gang members. In addition, gang members initiate criminal activities at quite a tender age. Pinizzotto, Davis and Miller (2007) highlight that there are gang members who begin criminal activities even at the age of nine years. Most important is that involvement in criminal activities tends to increase as one stays longer into a gang. Some of the criminal activities which gang members will be involved in include murder, armed robberies, burglaries as well as drug crimes. Escape from detention centers is also common amongst persons who are members in certain gangs than non-gang detainees.
A myriad of delinquent behaviors have been observed and linked to being a member of a gang especially among the youths. Thomas, Holzer and Wall, (2003) studied delinquency amongst 66 youths in Galveston, Texas to find the relationship between delinquency and youth gang membership. It was identified that most of the delinquents were either currently in a gang, were members of a gang in the past or they had friends or a family members who were gang members. Several behavior problems were noted among the subjects with two of the five females in the study reporting being involved in a gang fight. Those who were currently gang members portrayed the most severe and frequent antisocial behaviors. For instance, most of them were more aggressive and externalizing compared to those who were in gangs in the past or who had never been gang members. Current gang members also showed poor communication and had a lower number of good peers. The number of offenses such as larceny, serious assault and public disorder among other offenses were also higher among youths who were currently in a gang compared to those who had never been members of a gang.
Gifford-Smith et al (2005) also examines delinquency amongst children and adolescents who have been in gangs versus those who have never been in gangs. This study acknowledges that delinquency is higher in adolescents who are members of a gang and the trend is mainly a factor of peer pressure. This is so because it has been observed that one members involvement in a deviant behavior is likely to lead others to engage in a deviant behavior. It is also notable that being exposed to deviant peers such as gangs not only increases the likelihood of engaging in delinquent behaviors but it also increases the range of the delinquent behaviors. As such, a member of a deviant peer such as gang may be involved in drugs, violent behaviors, and high-risk sexual encounters and at an early age and secretive antisocial behavior. This is in comparison with persons who are affiliated with a family or a school. From this study, it is also evident that an individual who was initially delinquent becomes more delinquent once they are members to a delinquent peer group whereas those who have never involved in delinquent acts start deviant behaviors. Furthermore, the magnitude of delinquency increases as individuals interact more with the members of the deviant peer group (Krohn et al, 2009).
Gang involvement has some differences in its influence on a deviant peer than belonging to any group whether a delinquent or non-delinquent peer group. This is because the delinquent behaviors developed in individuals in gangs are more serious mainly being criminal activities. Gifford-Smith et al (2005) says that a gang culture has the capacity to influence individual behavior in ways that are beyond the influence of the individual. This is an indication that individuals behavior is definitely influenced by a gang whether they already had an antisocial behavior or not. Battin-Pearson et al (1998) report higher offence rates among gang members than in non-gang members based on individual offence rate (IOR).
The report identifies substance use and delinquency as measures of offending to be highest among gang members and lowest non-gang members who are non-delinquent. Delinquent youths who are not gang members have relatively higher offending rates but not as high as gang members. Gang members have significantly higher rates of involvement in violent offending behaviors, non violent behaviors as well as general offending behaviors. Some of the violent behaviors especially among youths include using force against others, assault, sex offense, possession and use of a weapon. Huff (1998) also asserts that gang membership has a tendency to increase criminal behavior in individuals. Huff reports a higher rate of criminal activities among individual gang members than in at-risk individuals. For instance, cases of individual gang members being involved in car theft were markedly higher than among at-risk individuals. Similar trends were identified when considering more violent crimes such as homicide, possession and use of guns in crime and selling of drugs.
The positionstatus that one holds in the gang seems to influence the individuals behavior significantly. Huff (1998) for instance mentions that gang leaders are more likely to be engaged in more serious criminal behaviors. Gang leaders are not only likely to be involved in a proportionately high numbers of crimes but the crimes are also more offensive. Most gang leaders will be involved in such violent crimes as domestic violence, murder and illicit drug trade. Being labeled as tough by fellow gang members influences one to act in a tough manner in order to retain the status or power associated with the toughness. Unfortunately, the toughness has to be won by being engaged in more grievous crimes. Equally, a gang member who is perceived by other members as soft is likely to feel pressurized to act tough so as to equal the other members. This endeavor involves a change of behavior specifically indulging in more and serious antisocial behaviors.
In increase in the number of antisocial behaviors among gang members compared to non-gang members is consistently reported thus indicating an influence of gang on individual behavior. Arfaniarromo (2001) highlights a high likelihood of school dropout cases among other antisocial behaviors among gang members than in non-gang members. Arfaniarromo specifically investigates the Latino population in the U.S. and identifies that there are up to 40 percent of the urban Latino population who are gang members. The Latino gang members are termed by many people in the general population as not only sociopathic but also psychopathic. The issue of society expectation as well as expectation from within the gang groups is raised in this case. Since the Latino gang members have been associated with school drop out, involvement in criminal behaviors and other delinquent behaviors, the gang members seem to be compelled by these pressures and they end up engaging in the expected behaviors. The Latino gang members are made to feel that without engaging in the criminal and antisocial behaviors, they have not attained the expected norms.
Conclusion
A gang is a group that undoubtedly has influence on individual behavior. This is in consideration that a gang has its own culture and its membership requires conformation to the demands and expectations of the gang. These expectations may come from within individual, the gang or the society at large. The erosion of sense of individuality causes gang members to feel and acct less accountably hence they indulge in antisocial behaviors more often. Loyalty and allegiance to the gang influences the individual to compromise to the demands and expectations of the gang. Research has shown that gang membership influences individuals to engage in criminal activities among other antisocial behaviors associated with gangs. Members of a gang show higher rates and severity in delinquent behaviors such as illicit drug business, robbery, murder and violence in general compared to non-gang members. Although the mechanism of influence is not explored in this paper, there is no doubt that an individuals behavior is influenced by gang membership.
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