RESPECT
"Respect" can mean life or death in gangs
(Richland County) September 6, 2006 - For young men and women who get involved in street gangs, "respect" can often be a matter of life and death.
It can start with nothing more than a hand gesture, symbols, or colors of clothing. In a split second, words are exchanged, weapons produced and shots fired.
When you're in a gang, you protect each other and you fight for respect. That issue of respect - or what gang members see as disrespect - often triggers confrontations and violence between gangs.
Police and criminal justice experts say it's how gang members prove they belong. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says it's about "power. I think a lot of it's got to do with power. Your gang is the strongest and you're not going to allow somebody to disrespect you. And you've got to demonstrate that you have the power."
USC professor Jeff Rojek saw how some of the nation's toughest gangs operate when he was a Los Angeles police officer, "When somebody challenges you, shows a sense of disrespect because they are, they're basically challenging you, questioning your willingness, whether you're going to defend yourself, whether you're going to stand up. And if you fail to do so, which is interesting, you at some level lose some level of status."
Rojek says there are other reasons for gang violence including turf wars, drugs and money.
In Blackville last month, police arrested five teenagers said to be affiliated with the Folk Nation gang. Investigators say they caused a panic at a party, threatening people with high powered guns.
The incident began with a fight over a girl, another type of disrespect.
Reported by Jack Kuenzie
(Richland County) September 6, 2006 - For young men and women who get involved in street gangs, "respect" can often be a matter of life and death.
It can start with nothing more than a hand gesture, symbols, or colors of clothing. In a split second, words are exchanged, weapons produced and shots fired.
When you're in a gang, you protect each other and you fight for respect. That issue of respect - or what gang members see as disrespect - often triggers confrontations and violence between gangs.
Police and criminal justice experts say it's how gang members prove they belong. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says it's about "power. I think a lot of it's got to do with power. Your gang is the strongest and you're not going to allow somebody to disrespect you. And you've got to demonstrate that you have the power." USC professor Jeff Rojek saw how some of the nation's toughest gangs operate when he was a Los Angeles police officer, "When somebody challenges you, shows a sense of disrespect because they are, they're basically challenging you, questioning your willingness, whether you're going to defend yourself, whether you're going to stand up. And if you fail to do so, which is interesting, you at some level lose some level of status."
Rojek says there are other reasons for gang violence including turf wars, drugs and money.
In Blackville last month, police arrested five teenagers said to be affiliated with the Folk Nation gang. Investigators say they caused a panic at a party, threatening people with high powered guns.
The incident began with a fight over a girl, another type of disrespect.
Reported by Jack Kuenzie
posted by Braye Cloud at
8:55 AM
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