MS 13 Overview & Theory
The Mara Salvatrucha, known as MS 13, is one of the world’s most infamous street gang. They steal from people, force and intimidate their way into neighborhoods and have progressively turned to international crimes such as human trafficking and drug smuggling. Their activities have helped make the area of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras the most brutal places in the world that are not at war. The US Department of the Treasury labeled the group a "transnational criminal organization," the first title for a US street gang in October of 2012. This paper will discuss the history of MS 13 and use theory to describe the reasoning behind MS 13. (“MS 13” n.d.)
In the course of El Salvador's Civil War, children as young …show more content…
Youngsters picked up English much faster than the adults, who faced discrimination and minimal wages. As poor refugee teens in Los Angeles, they were wedged again in a struggle. There was a violent gang war between Mexicans and African-Americans already going on. As the youth became ostracized, they banded together for protection and formed what is now known as Mara Salvatrucha, which would later become known as MS 13. The two largest rivals to MS 13 in the gang world are the Latin Kings and Barrio 18 also known as MS-18. (“History of the Mara Salvatrucha gang” 2014) A group of Salvadorans formed the MS 13 crew for the pure benefits of protection from rival gangs such as MS-18. MS-13 is named after an aggressive army of ants that are social predators. The ants do not construct long-lasting nests because they are continuously moving. Also, the word “trucha" or trout means fast freshwater fish. The part "trucha" was slang for a speedy and clever lookout usually assigned to stand at a river crossing indicative of a street corner. (“MS-13 and Mara-18: What you're not being told - The Anti-Media” 2014)
A theory developed by Robert Merton in 1938, the Strain Theory, suggests that people who find their way blocked and do not experience the same prospects are more likely to follow a deviant path. This may help develop and understand the gang MS 13. Members will easily find …show more content…
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, these two authors both developed their own models using the situational leadership theory. They categorized all leadership styles into four main behavior types. These factors could relate directly to the structure of a gang. The first style, telling (S1), it involves the leader directing people what to do and how to do it. The second style, selling (S2), it involves communication between leaders and followers. The leader’s prime objective is to “sell" their designs and to get their members to accept their method. The next method would be, participating (S3), the leaders then sit back and allows followers of the gang to develop active roles. The last leadership role, delegating (S4), it is characterized by the being less involved approach of a leader. Gang members are taking the full responsibilities of risks. ("Vincent Van Vliet",