What Causes Gang Violence

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In addition, gang violence is a consequence of today’s drug trade. As of 2012 the Los Angeles Police Department reported across the Los Angeles County, there have been “a total of 39,435 arrests associated with drugs, and 923 deaths aftermath of gang related violence. The illegal drug market in Los Angeles is one of the most profitable, and most violent, across the country” (LAPD). Drugs and gangs tend to integrate perfectly, gangs use drugs to illegally make money; as a result, it kills the competition and gains street credibility in the process. Moreover, it is in the streets where the brutality takes place, gang wars are started because of greed and power over turf. Each gang operates certain territories/corners, even so LAPD suggests “there’s constantly gangs that become …show more content…

Additionally, gang members nowadays become addicted to their own drugs they supply. Such addiction follows by behavior that makes them commit violent offenses. According to Matthew O’Deane “a major concern is that illegal drugs are one of the primary causes of gang violence offenses in our society. Violence occurs in connection with drugs and gangs owing to the fact that users under the influence commit violent crimes because of the effects of the substance, or users commit violent crimes to get money for drugs” (Gangs and Drugs). In my neighborhood, I personally knew situations equivalent to O’Deane’s thesis. For Instance, there were a few gangsters who would smoke crack, rob the local liquor, steal their family for money, lose one 's temper for no reason, and mainly obtain a weapon to go out and try to kill their enemies. Of course, at the time I didn’t understand what was going on, yet as I got older it was clear that the major reason violence was taking place in my neighborhood was because of