Deviant Communities in the United States

There are many groups in the United States which would fall under the definition of deviance. Some of these groups are very notorious and well renowned in the United States. Some of the most well known groups include:

• Klu Klux Klan/White Supremacist groups
• Bloods
• Krips
• Mexican Mafia
• Brown Pride 

While these are some of the more notorious gangs, there are many different sects of these groups as well as lesser known factions which exist throughout the United States.

I find it interesting to study why people might choose or prefer a lifestyle many try to avoid all together. Some questions I hope to answer and explore include:

• Why do young people join deviant groups?
• What would a person gain by joining such a group?
• Is their any specific race, gender, ethnicity, or culture that is more prone to associate with such groups?

The first link shared here is a research article from JSTOR which addresses these questions. Why do young people choose to affiliate with gangs? What is the perceived benefit of gang affiliation? This study also explores gender and ethnicitiys role in choosing to affiliate with gangs.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/189781

The next link leads to yet another article from JSTOR. This article delves into the economic benefits of gang association. It also goes into further detail on how gangs are operating in the modern day. One major point of the article is how focus on money in gangs is leading to more violence and expansion.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/1147588

 
This picture was published in The Tennessean and taken by John Partipilo. Gangs often use tattoos as symbols of affiliation.

This video is a snippet from a popular television show called gangland. The clip shows how one deviant group operates and gives interviews from members within the group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca-pkWvgHwE

This website was created by a non-profit organization that helps at-risk youth find alternatives to gang affiliation.

http://www.gangfree.org/gangs_why.html

This website provides detailed information on why young people join gangs as well as the risks involved with such affiliation.

http://www.ojjdp.gov/jjbulletin/9808/why.html