MS 13 A Social Problem

MS 13 originates in the 1980’s in Los Angeles California. This is a gang that is established by immigrants from El Salvador as a form of protection from the Mexican and African American gangs of Los Angeles. MS 13 begins to grow and gain strength as the gang members that were deported begin to establish chapters of the gang in El Salvador, as well as Honduras, Guatemala, and southern parts of Mexico. MS 13 is a fully establish organization, with many criminal activities funding the expansion of this organization, with chapters of MS 13 showing up in Europe including Spain, and the United Kingdom. MS 13 is notorious for there brutality, with the machete being there weapon of choice.

Using the Structural Functionalist perspective that societies are like organisms, depending on all parts to work together as whole. A society’s organism is put together by education, family, government, economy, and religion, interdependent on each other to thrive as a whole. When using this perspective to analyze the contemporary problem that we as a society are facing with the expansion of MS 13, I can not help but say that this is a direct consequence to the short comings of society as a whole. With each part of this organism we call society playing there role in this problem.

It is a well know fact that the majority of gang members come form fatherless homes. We see that after the civil war of El Salvador, there is a rise in migration to the United States, the majority of the immigrants that are migrating north are males, leaving behind and entire generation of fatherless boys and girls. Children being forced to stop going to school so that they can help there mothers, surrendering there right to an education. This is a problem that rings true for not only El Salvador, but all of Central America, Mexico, as well as United States were we see fatherless homes, due to the rise in men going to prison. The poverty faced in most of these countries is due to the failures of the government. It was completely inevitable that a gang would emerge of this size.

MS 13 has been so successful partly because of there ability to be organized. Almost as if they have created there own society. Offering to there members, family, education, economy, religion and there own government. Being organized has allowed them to spread through out the world like never seen before.

To begin to propose or implement a solution to this problem, there needs to be an understanding that all parts of our society as a whole need to work together. I believe that all the countries that are facing the MS 13 need to meet and come to a uniform plan on how to address the criminal activity and punish the offenders. There is little that can be done for the thousands of gang members that in some way or another were lured into this lifestyle.

Prevention is in my eyes is one of the best ways to attack this problem. If this is a direct consequence to shortcomings in every counter part of a society, than we must address the issue that played a role in this problem., The disintegration of the family structure in most of these countries, from the lack of jobs. There needs to be a uniform plan to help in these countries with there education resources. One of the tools that we must use is that of education, so that no matter your economic state every child should attend school, Providing tools for employment to these poverty ridden countries. These are all ways of preventing the next generation of males to running to the rescue of a promise of a better life offered by this gang. I believe that if you eliminate the access that these gang members have to so easily move from country to country then you begin to take the power away from them. Every country that is facing this problem should have a uniform plan of action on how to handle or prevent the migration of these gang members. However I can not pretend that there is a solution that would solve this problem tomorrow, as gangs have always been present in some way or another. What I can say is that if you find the source and treat it you we can have hope for the next generation.

The only consequence I see in all these ideas is that it will cost money. But you know so does having to imprison the next generation. So let’s spend money to prevent as opposed to punishing. MS 13 and all other gangs are nothing more than proof that the organism of Society has not yet mastered the art of working together smoothly.