Essay Example on Social Influences

The Trinitarios are noted as the fastest growing gang in the New York. Trinitarians were formed in the 1980s in New York prison system (Howell, 2015). The group spread its activities in the streets when the inmates were released and its inmates. Dominicans dominate the gang. The gang is notorious for recruiting high schoolers across New York and New Jersey (Howell, 2015). Furthermore, the group has taken credit in some teens shooting and machetes deaths across these two states.

Trinitarios are known not to be polite while recruiting their members. Given that the gang is well organized and has a lot of money. They approach their potential recruit targets when they are good dresses and driving the nice car. This is one of the ways they approach the kids they intend to hire. Once the kids are required, they start dressing in lime green colored beads and bandanas (Howell, 2015). Also, the kids who are recruited are given money and beautiful clothes. Those who refused to get recruited have to run for their lives or else they will be cut with the machetes which are the gang identified killer weapon.

Social influence used by Trinitarios to keep the members in the group to affect the members opinions, emotions or behaviors. Three important ways the gang has used social influence: identification- the members are influenced by the gang leaders who have earned the respect of the gang members (Decker, Melde & Pyrooz, (2013). The group members are expected to comply with the groups running of activities. The members are supposed to keep any of their pinions private, and if suspected there is defiance the individual is executed. Also given the recruit are young they easily get internalized into the belief and behavior of the group. The team members are given accurate information they need to consult in case there was any uncertainty to remove their doubts.

Trying to understand why individuals stay in the gang especially kids hard to comprehend why they choose to stay in Trinitarios. Kids in many parts of New York and New Jersey constantly under pressure to join the gangs and this leaves them to live in fear of attacks (Cloward & Ohlin, 2013). Some kids have decided to accede to the groups as a means of protection from other rival gangs. Moreover, some children are influenced to join the groups by their family members who already are in the gangs, and they have to accede to the gangs so that they can fit it.' Children who often have unsupervised time tend to join groups as they are finding it exciting. The idea of obtaining money fast is fascinating for many teens. Therefore, when tens are given an opportunity to join gangs to earn money many of them see it as an opportunity to make it big rather than a problem (Sweeten, Pyrooz & Piquero, 2013). Also, teens who have low-esteem are prone to joining these groups as they seek a place they can get a sense of purpose.

Individuals who attempt to leave the gangs find it very challenging and re-join the community. First, despite the individuals reforming there is a high probability that the people in the community will not fully embrace the changed person (Sweeten, Pyrooz & Piquero, 2013). Second, some people note that trying to leave the gang is a lost course, they do not have a life they are going back to. Third, for the members who have been forced to kill their families often feel ashamed and refuse to go back. In summary, Trinitarios gang is evidently causing a lot of problem in the streets of New York and New Jersey.

References

Cloward, R. A., & Ohlin, L. E. (2013). Delinquency and opportunity: A study of delinquent gangs (Vol. 6). Routledge.

Decker, S. H., Melde, C., & Pyrooz, D. C. (2013). What do we know about gangs and gang members and where do we go from here?. Justice Quarterly, 30(3), 369-402.

Howell, J. C. (2015). The history of street gangs in the United States: their origins and transformations. Lexington Books.

Sweeten, G., Pyrooz, D. C., & Piquero, A. R. (2013). Disengaging from gangs and desistance from crime. Justice Quarterly, 30(3), 469-500.