Gang As An Organization

The issue of the gang as an organization is contested. Discuss the concept of the gang as an organization using evidence and research to support your arguments.

To understand the functions of a gang as an organization we would delve into the meaning of the word gang as well as highlight the factors that defines, and is associated with gang operations. There is no single, accepted nationwide definition of a gang. It has been firmly established that the characteristics and behaviors of gangs are exceptionally varied within and across geographical areas (Klein, 2002; National Youth Gang Center, forthcoming; Weisel, 2002) and that a community?s gang problem, however affected from other areas is primarily and inherently homegrown.

As such various

Barnard, C. I. (1938).?The functions of the executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pg. 73. Another definition for an organization is, ?a short hand expression for the integrated aggregation of those persons who are primarily involved in: ?(1) the undertaking or managing of risk and the handling of economic uncertainty; (2) planning and innovation; (3) coordination, administration and control; (4) and routine supervision? of an enterprise. Harbison, F. (1959). Entrepreneurial organization as a factor in economic development,??The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 70, 364?379, pg. 365. When one thinks of an organization, structure comes to mind. With structure consideration must be given to the basic processes, external environment, input, throughput, and output. In any organization the external environment consists of all competitors, vendors, customers, etc., which exist on the outside but have an impact on the processes of the organization. As indicated in his study of gang in America Thrasher indicated that ?street gangs have a long history in American cities.? It was only during the last three decade

This should not be very surprising, as few organizations can survive without some form of leadership. Not surprisingly, leadership roles are better defined in those gangs and gang cities where gangs have operated the longest. Thus, in Chicago and Los Angeles, we find gang leaders who are older, more specialized in their activities, and more powerful. In other cities, those we have called emerging gang cities, leadership roles have a far more informal character. In these gangs, the leader of a gang can change from one day or one function to another. As gang membership entails much criminal activity, it is not surprising to find that leaders change regularly, as members go to prison.?(Curry and Decker, 1998, p. 75). Gang members has been proven to be intelligent and competent resulting in a great threat and resistance to various social institutions including the police and army. The strain theory, most notably associated with Robert Merton (1968) posits that anomie develops in individuals because of a recognized gap between individual?s goals and what they can achieve through legitimate means. In so for these gang members to achieve their financial goals they resort to drugs, arms dealing and trafficking. However does this yearning for these individuals goals allow these youth to enter a petty gang without a set hierarchy or is it that they enter into an organized group or network of gang members? Organizations tend to focus on goals rather than