Gang violence is like a ritual bringing members closer together. They use violence to bring new members into the gang. Another words they beat the crap out of them and if they survive then they can join the gang. They share both the danger and excitement of being violent towards people not in their gang. They provide cover for one another and they share stories that are passed on as a tradition. Violent gangs are considered a counterculture because their behavior isn't acceptable to our beliefs or norms.
By being aggressive around one another, it causes them to believe that violence is normal. Some reasons for their brutality is to "defend or expand the gangs turf, recruit or jump in new members, keep members from leaving, exclude or jump out undesirable members, exercise revenge or seek redress for perceived wrongs to the gang, enhance perceptions of the gang's power and invincibility, gain respect or dominance over others, enforce rules and serve as a counterpoint or check on what some might call moral restraints or a moral conscience." If the gang asked a member to do something violent it would be to risky for that member to think about if the violent act was morally correct or not. The more one responds to peer pressure to be violent the less one feels moral restraint and develops a numbness regarding brutality. Gang members think it's very important that their peers find them courageous, willing to be heroes, and being masculine enough. One cultural value most gang members maintain is social order, but they don't know how to achieve that without violence. Just like in the military gang violence is planned, looked forward to, experienced and relived, and the concept of courage and heroism shape discussion. The virtues of courage and heroism are used in justifying violence. Gangs are bullies that beat up on weak people both male and female, this unfortunately can become a sport. Nearly all mal
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