Research Methodology

The Influences and Implications of Gang Violence o the Jamaican Society

University of Technology

Module Name: Research Methodology
Program: Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA)
Name: Ricardo Moody
ID Number: 1204863
Due Date: February 5, 2015
Tutor: Gerrard Scale

Background
Over the past couple decades, there has been an increasing amount of new Gangs in Jamaica. These gangs range from the community format, where the members of the Gangs solely belong to the community in which they live, to the institutions that they attend such as high school and sometimes even colleges where the associates come from different backgrounds but end up becoming members of Gangs. Gang membership has been held accountable for many acts in the Jamaican Society, these acts range from murder to rape, and also includes theft. The issue of Gang violence is important because there needs to be widespread knowledge to the Jamaican Society about how these gangs are formed, as well as what are the major factors that influences and further gang related activities and the implications to having so much gangs in the country.
The ghettos of urban Jamaica have been seen to be the major starting point for gangs and these gangs are said to flourish on the bad economic conditions (Sheehan, S. 2004). These gangs are also said to be rivals because they are attached to rival political parties mainly from the 1970’s and 1980’s. in 1982, THE slums of Jamaica went to war when rival gangs and police had a battle resulting from close to 40,00 persons attending the funeral for a man said to be member of prominent gang. Almost a dozen persons died that day, and ever since, the government has tried to implement measures to put a stop to the violence, starting in 2001 where Minister Patterson sent over 3000 troops into the area to control violence and a more recent being the retrieval of one of the “Dons” known as Christopher “dudus” Coke, who is said to be involved at the highest level of gang violence in and around the Kingston area.
Of late things are starting to heat up again, since the arrest of the leader to the “Klansman Gang” who are seemingly having some disputes within the gang causing them to kill each other. This research paper will expound on the details surrounding gang affiliations to political parties and what influences these gang activities, as well as the negative implications to being in a gang or a victim of gang violence

Key Definitions

Gang-A gang is a group of recurrently associating individuals or close friends or family with identifiable leadership and internal organization, identifying with or claiming control over territory in a community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.[Some criminal gang members are "jumped in" or have to prove their loyalty by committing acts such as theft or violence. Although gangs exist internationally, there is a greater level of study and knowledgeable information of gangs specifically in the United States. A member of a gang may be called a gangster.

Influencers- Anything or persons with the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Implications-The action or state of being involved in something. It also speaks to the effects resulting from an act.

Society- It is defined as the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.

Research Questions

What are the implications of Gang violence?
What/who are the influencers in Gang violence?
How is a gang formed?
How is gang membership obtained?
Why is gang membership so important?
Why is a Gang formed?

References

Arias, E. (2013). The impacts of differential armed dominance of politics in rio de janeiro, brazil. Studies in Comparative International Development, 48(3), 263-284. doi:10.1007/s12116-013-9137-8
Howe, D. (2008). Violence stalks the caribbean. New Statesman, 137(4885), 24-24.
Manwaring, M. G. (2006). Gangs and coups D ' streets in the new world disorder: Protean insurgents in post-modern war. Global Crime, 7(3), 505-543. doi:10.1080/17440570601073251
Rapley, J. (2003). Jamaica: Negotiating law and order with the dons. NACLA Report on the Americas, 37(2), 25-29.
Sives, A. (2010). Elections, violence, and the democratic process in jamaica, 1944-2007. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers.

Purpose of Study: To obtain information and knowledge about the bases upon which gang violence originates, as well as the influencers and implications of the act.

Problem Statement: Gang violence has become a prevalent act in the Jamaican society, the act takes up residence in both rural and urban Jamaicans causing the infliction of pain on their hearts through murders, and robberies among other violent crimes that gangs partake in.

Significance of Study: This study is aimed at educating the general public about gang violence and the effects it has on the Jamaican populous, as well as the roots from which gang violence stem. This study will also serve to inform the general public of the influences of the gang violence so that possible measures could be put in place to stop gangs from being formed.

References: Arias, E. (2013). The impacts of differential armed dominance of politics in rio de janeiro, brazil. Studies in Comparative International Development, 48(3), 263-284. doi:10.1007/s12116-013-9137-8 Howe, D. (2008). Violence stalks the caribbean. New Statesman, 137(4885), 24-24. Manwaring, M. G. (2006). Gangs and coups D ' streets in the new world disorder: Protean insurgents in post-modern war. Global Crime, 7(3), 505-543. doi:10.1080/17440570601073251 Rapley, J. (2003). Jamaica: Negotiating law and order with the dons. NACLA Report on the Americas, 37(2), 25-29. Sives, A. (2010). Elections, violence, and the democratic process in jamaica, 1944-2007. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers. Purpose of Study: To obtain information and knowledge about the bases upon which gang violence originates, as well as the influencers and implications of the act. Problem Statement: Gang violence has become a prevalent act in the Jamaican society, the act takes up residence in both rural and urban Jamaicans causing the infliction of pain on their hearts through murders, and robberies among other violent crimes that gangs partake in. Significance of Study: This study is aimed at educating the general public about gang violence and the effects it has on the Jamaican populous, as well as the roots from which gang violence stem. This study will also serve to inform the general public of the influences of the gang violence so that possible measures could be put in place to stop gangs from being formed.