The work discusses social deviance that is demonstrated by Mara Salvatrucha, one of the most dangerous street gang that conducts its operations in central and northern America. Its short forms different short forms such as Mara, MS-13 or just MS. MS-13 has operations throughout Honduras, El Salvador, in various cities across the United States as well as some penetration in Toronto, Canada. According to The New York Times reporters Liz and Nadia (2017), four bodies of young men were found in the woods located behind a football pitch in a suburban town on Long Island. This scary event took place during the spring break that is usually given to the local high schools, in the middle of April 2017. According to police officers, the four young souls were hacked to death by machete, which is the Ms-13’s weapon of choice. The deadly gang is reported to have a mission statement titled, “murder, rape, and control”.
The causes and development of these street gangs can be explained using different conceptions of psychopathology. Some of the earliest theorists state that the code of conduct of members of MS-13 street gang is a result of evil spirits and these murderers and rapists possess demons. It is only a spiritual leaders can cure such abnormalities by driving the devils or evil spirits out through some physical escapes routes that were supposed to be provided during the performance of this ritual. Regarding the traditional approach of psychopathology, people with these abnormalities such as the members of the MS-13 are chained, flogged, starved, and immersed in boiling or ice-cold water. These treatments are undoubtedly ineffective, and in most cases, the affected people were driven into even worse mental disorders than ever before. Another approach to psychopathological problems is regarding them as an ordinary disease. This view of the demonological approach to psychiatric disorders is also archaic. This traditional belief has played a negligible role in the humane treatment of the afflicted. Several hospitals were established in Europe and America to handle such diseases. Unfortunately, most of the hospitals that were found to handle such as abnormalities that MS-13 gang members are facing were targeting public figures only. The health institutions were, therefore, would be used for the confinement of all types of socially undesirable from the wealthy families, and making sure that they are isolated from the rest of the human beings. Hence, criminal elements such as MS-13 gang members would have been subjected to institutionalization and treatment that is similar to the one prescribed for the mentally disabled people.
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The perception of mental disorders has transformed over the years and psychologists in the current worldview it from a broader perspective. Mental illness is a reality that can now be accompanied by logical elaboration as to why it exists. Also, there is need to accept the fact that mental abnormalities are real and anybody can undergo similar problems. Liz and Nadia (2017), report that among the souls that were lost in the hands of the malicious gangs was Jefferson who was eighteen and Michael at twenty. Jefferson had earlier on undergone a similar situation in the hands of the very gang and survived the shooting while in Santa Rita. Besides, Michael is reported to have witnessed his friends die at the hands of the MS-13 at the same spot they also lost their lives. These revelations show that these young men might have been experiencing some severe mental disorders and trauma in their lives, an illness could not be attended to in time. Besides, it is surprising to learn that Michael, despite having witnessed the murder of his friends at the woods behind the soccer field in Long Island, he still had the guts to go there again with his other friends. This phenomenon raises many questions, and one of the most appropriate answers is that he could have been suffering from severe mental disorders. According to Cook et al. (2017), several medical institutions worldwide have been set up to assist people with psychopathological problems. Evidently, the world would be a better place to live when people converge in peace and harmony and try to understand one another as well as accepting that being unique is a parameter that everyone should appreciate.
The street gang and other forms of social deviance pose a big problem that has been difficult to solve because of the high rate of its modification and evolution. Different researchers have been striving to explore this field by either examining the adolescent identity crisis or analyzing in urban historical and socioeconomic terms. It can be noted that the problems with gangs have a close association with childhood tendencies as well as predispositions, which facilitate the recruitment of gang members, starting much early during the psychosocial development of the child. According to Densley (2012), gangs usually target one youth at a time for recruitment as a potential member, and not a group of hopefuls. In the process of hiring, street gangs typically based on the features and characteristics that they think will add value to their group and further their criminal goals.
According to McDaniel (2012), some of the risk factors that facilitate gang members are protective factors, which usually come from the home life of the child. The earlier the low frustration tolerance, low self-esteem, anxiety, and inner conflicts begin in childhood, the higher chances they are to have originated from home life. Frustrations and internal conflicts can make an adolescent vulnerable to the seduction of the gang and their violent behaviors. While targeting young people, MS-13 among other street gangs usually provide solutions of how adolescents can free themselves from frustration and bag feelings, offer protection from hostilities, as well as providing ways of making money and growing rich. In return, it is mandatory for the potential members to be aggressive towards other people who are non-members, as well be willing to commit any crime.
It is evident that Michael and his other three friends could have been users of drugs and substances. Michael’s sister, Irma who states that every time his brother Michael lives with his friends for a soccer pitch, they go to the woods where they smoke marijuana (Liz and Nadia, 2017). This behavior can be regarded as being maladaptive since it fails to work for Michael to help him in dealing with challenges, coping with stress, as well as accomplishing his goals. The use of drugs does not help him to identify the risky spots and avoid them (Maddux and Winstead, 2015). His action is a clear demonstration of a strong relationship between the statistical abnormality of a particular behavior and its maladaptiveness. It can be noted that the conception of psychological disorders must include a reference to social norms. The action and conduct of MS-13 gang violate this conception, as it is associated with over twenty murder cases in two years, some involving children victims (Cordelia, 2017).
Research reveals that gang members and violent men have higher prevalence of mental abnormalities and use of psychiatric services than the nonviolent (Coid et al., 2013). Violent victimization, ruminative thinking, and fear of victimization can contribute to a high level of psychosis as well as anxiety disorders in members of any street gang. There is high probability that members of MS-13 street gang engage in drugs and substance misuse, anti-social personality disorders, and suicide attempts because of the nature of activities. According to New York Times, it is clear that most parts Long Island, even some simple actions of adolescents such smoking marijuana, showing disrespect, or just wearing the wrong color of T-shirt can attract severe consequences since the indiscriminate arm of MS-13 can reach this group of teenagers.
In conclusion, MS-13 gang members portray incredibly high levels of psychiatric morbidity, thus posing a significant risk to residents of Long Island, among regions and cities. The few young men who manage to unhook themselves from the gang are trailed and hacked to death, while those surviving live in perpetual fear for their lives. Also, the survivors place a heavy a burden on the mental health services. There should elaborate assessment of gang membership in individuals presenting to medical services in places experience the high level of street gang activities and general violence. Healthcare professionals and other mental health experts should play an active role in promoting resistance from gang street activities. Also, the United States government, together with other governments whose countries are embroiled in challenges emanating from this criminal gang, must speed up the process of formulating strategies for eliminating it.
References
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Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., & Mallah, K. (2017). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric annals , 35 (5), 390-398. Liz Robbins and Nadia T. Rodriguez. (2017, July 12). The Gang Murders in the Suburbs. The New York Times, Retrieved From
Cordelia Lynch. (2017, December 12). MS-13: The violent Gang Targeting Rich US Suburbia in Long Island . Sky News . Retrieved from https://news.sky.com.
Densley, J. A. (2012). Street gang recruitment: Signaling, screening, and selection. Social Problems , 59 (3), 301-321.
Liz Robbins and Nadia T. Rodriguez. (2017, July 12). The Gang Murders in the Suburbs. The New York Times . Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com.
Maddux, J. E., & Winstead, B. A. (Eds.). (2015). Psychopathology: Foundations for a contemporary understanding . Routledge.
McDaniel, D. D. (2012). Risk and protective factors associated with gang affiliation among high-risk youth: a public health approach. Injury prevention , injuryprev-2011.
