'Cap' Gangs

One of the social injustices that we as citizen of the United States witness is crime, street gangs and the violence that are attached to it. As Los Angles, New York, Detroit to Chicago being the murder capitals of the world Americans of the United States grasp with this reality more so than any other country. But, you can see that street gangs and violence go hand to hand anywhere in the world. Take a look at Nicaragua after breaking free from the Sandinista regime in the end of the 90’s. Nicaragua was considered to be somewhat peaceful. However, the country’s conflicts have not come to an end; street gangs and violence remains an overwhelming reality for the citizens.

Latin American Gang Members

Since peace was declared the streets have become scenes of war, a battleground for common criminals and youth street gangs. With Mexican street gangs migrating into Nicaragua like the 18th street gang and MS-13, there is no end with these povertous groups taking command of urban neighborhoods causing mayhem throughout these neighborhoods.

Thus, Nicaragua has seen a rise in homicide in the country, 29 percent of all reported homicides in the region were committed by youths aged between 10 and 19 years old, and a further 34 percent by youths aged 20 to 29 years old. Youth gangs potentially constitute an ideal lens through which to explore the dynamics and ramifications of the new political economy of violence throughout Nicaragua. These some conflicts are in our home front where streets gangs are taking and terrorizing our inter-city. Therefore, murder rate have risen in major metropolitan city.

Is poverty the problem? Has privatization caused young gang violence? In fact, the main reasons youth become involved in gangs stems to social and economic struggles that they endure. Does this mean that if  poverty in Nicaragua was caused by the privatization ideology of the new order after the revolution, that capitalism is the root cause of gang violence? 

Jimmie Jackson

http://www.citylab.com/politics/2013/01/gun-violence-us-cities-compared-deadliest-nations-world/4412/

https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34112.pdf

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