The simple answer is, yes we stereotype gang members, gangs or gang activity. It is not only about gangs, we stereotype people (mostly at subconscious level). Gang stereotypes stand out as they are generally perceived as violent groups of people. They thrive in stereotyping themselves as it gives them their identity. It is not really a matter of stereotyping, it is about calling a spade a spade.
When an average citizen thinks about gang members they might imagine a violent young man. I understand and agree with Week 1 Lectures; it is not just the youth but people from all walks of life that join gangs. However, when it comes down to the numbers, it would be hard to argue against the fact that a huge number of young people from impoverish background join these gangs. Young men realize that that they can achieve more through a group than through individual efforts, which inspires them to form or join a gang (Harding 38). Hence, young people have the most motive to do so.
One needs to see the reasons why people stereotype gangs. For instance, there are two key elements among street corner gangs; status and belonging (Harding 38). They achieve status by resorting to the social notion of that region what it means to be in a gang, and they feel belonged by following the code of the gang (Harding 38). It is not other people that stereotype them, it is the gangs that need this stigma to exist.
Gangs identify themselves with violence. It is their strategy to keep discipline within their gangs and to keep outside threats away. The police reports regarding gang related violence compelled the researchers to focus their investigations on immigrant youth. The first well known study in this regard was by Frederick Thrasher, called The Gang (Martinez 21). Initially these groups or gangs were spontaneously formed, but later, it became one of the key ways of their survival; to resist outside threats, their behavior defined their identity (Martinez 21). Later, this behavior escalated into other serious crimes. Also, violence is a currency which the young gang members resort to, to rise above their peers (Harding 38).
People from deprived background might engage in drug trafficking, weapons or robberies because it has financial appeal. A person from a well-to-do background, earning a decent income would probably be more worried about getting in trouble with the law by committing such crimes. It would not be stereotyping to suspect an unemployed person in their 20s living in a violent neighborhood for robbing a local store for $800, than a person in their 50s with a decent job and health insurance.
It is probably not even a debate whether we stereotype gang members or gang related activity. We all do it, and not doing it would be very unusual. A gang that does not engage in violence and does not have young people for criminal activities would be highly unlikely in any region. Not stereotyping gang activities, at least to a moderate level would be injudicious.
References
Harding, Simon. The street casino: Survival in violent street gangs. Policy Press, 2014.
Martinez, Ramiro. Latino homicide: Immigration, violence, and community. Routledge, 2014.
