please respond to emerita. with 150. words
What I learned about gangs and drugs from chapter 18 and 19 is hoe structured and organized gangs actually are. Before I read the chapter and went over the lecture, I assumed that most gangs were loosely connected groups of individuals. The book explained that many gangs operate with ranks, leadership roles, rules and even codes of conducts. I also learned that gangs often form identities based on territory, colors, symbols, or shared experiences, and these identifiers help investigators link certain crimes and graffities to specific groups. The chapter also discussed how gangs recruit members, their main target are young people who feel isolated and in need of protection in which explains why gang involvement is spread so quickly with in certain communities. Gang related crime isn't random a lot of it is tied to maintaining power, protecting territory and controlling illegal markets.
From the drug investigation chapter, I learned how closely drugs and gangs are connected in criminal activity. The book also explains that gangs control drug trafficking in their neighborhoods because selling drugs is one of their main sources of income. The different categories of drugs and how each affects the body differently, helps officers identify signs of drugs used during investigations, The chapter also explains how investigators use surveillance, informants, undercover operation and controlled buys to build drug cases. something that stood out to me was how dangerous drug investigations can be, not only because of the high risk of violence but the unpredictability of drug users and the presence of weapons they get exposed to. Nonetheless, both chapters helped me understand how deeply gangs and drugs are intertwined and how investigators must use a combination of intelligence, observation and community knowledge to effectively combat both issues.