Desklib - Social Media and Gang Violence: A Case Study

This report discusses the role of social media in gang violence through a case study and highlights the need for government intervention. It also covers gang reduction strategies and the portrayal of gang violence in media. The report includes typewritten notes on three selected lectures that discuss the same topics.

Portfolio
development
and
management

Table of Contents
Table of Contents........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
A Chapter or Journal, Article Review..........................................................................................................4
Film or TV series or program Review.........................................................................................................6
Gang Reduction Strategy.............................................................................................................................8
Typewritten notes on three selected lectures................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
The usage of social media is increasing in this world at a rapid speed which can be
beneficial or harming the citizens. In the current scenario, social media users are increasing day
by day which is a major concern for health activists and government. It is important for the
government to take essential measures which are supportive to take care of youth and children
for social media usage. In this report a brief discussion on increasing crimes with the usage of
social media is taken into consideration. The project also includes various dimensions of Snap
chat and the way it sets criminal mindset in the teenager’s is explained.

A Chapter or Journal, Article Review
Snapchat Is Fuelling Britain’s Teen Murder Epidemic
On the basis of this case study, it is analyzed that the cases of murder are frequently
rising in UK (Major homicide and murder cases, 2022). The role of social media channels more
in order to spread the awareness about these kind of cases. It is determined that social media
networking sites are playing prominent role to highlight these kinds of cases. The aim of this
article is on the fact that Children stabbing other children to death on the streets and in parks with
machetes and hunting knives is not normal. But somehow, in Britain, one of the richest countries
in the world, this shocking scene has become tragically common. A one case which is related to
“Snapchat” includes “Snapchat Is Fueling Britain’s Teen Murder Epidemic”. It is analyzed that
throughout the last 3 years, the Snapchat has aided & encouraged a string of young people
killings. It was happened more frequently, many juvenile mass killings & killings have been
prompted by a disagreement on Snapchat, including some cases like a 15-year-old kid who was
fatally stabbed on a packed bus on the way back home and also 16-year-old boy who was slain
following a sequence of murderous threats on a train platform (Brotherton, 2015).
1. There are various advancement of social media and social networking sites, it is
identified that social networking sites and applications are providing positive impact on
the society and also improve the awareness about the crime and also provide the best
solutions in order to tackle down the crime related problems (Role of social media in
London crimes, 2022). Snapchat is considered one of the effective tool of social media
which can helpful to provide the knowledge and techniques to deal with the crime
situations. "Some portions of Snapchat are gang culture 24/7." "It's like watching
television program on the digital networking that involved both parties battling & seeing
who might be the most extreme, who can be the harshest," for instance , on the basis of
Jonas, he work as a support worker whom brother was a victim of street crime, says.
"Knife chases, live on the internet, guys attempting themselves appear frightening." "It
wasn't because Snap chat generates this violence," Jonas explains, "but it makes things

worse because certain individuals see it, and so these men love using this to tease one
another and prove who's bigger and tougher (Views of famous personalities on crime and
death, 2022). People need to prove themselves to Snap chat since nowadays, many
people believe that if something doesn't happened on the social networking sites, it won't
affect. It went viral among her online network, despite the fact that the teen girl had little
relation with boy's death, as authorities would eventually uncover (Effects and impacts of
Snap chat, 2022).
It is identified that, Snapchat is the ideal venue for filming street battle for people active
in gang activity. "When somebody is physically assaulted on a Snapchat video, they must
respond with something even more severe to maintain their standing in the environment, and
online media gives that space (Pinkney council, 2022)." Ciaran Thapar, a preschool teacher in
south London and author of Cutting Short: Youth Crime, Loss, and Salvation in the City, says,
"It's that phenomena that's occurring en masse." "It occurs in everyday social media, such as
when individuals argue in person because of something someone wrote on Twitter." "Of
obviously, whenever they combine it in a society where there are a lot of knives and trauma
flying around, it gets much more intense."
As in the instance of Olly's murder in Reading, Snapchat information is frequently
utilised in courtroom to achieve verdicts. However, although the establishment of a 20-strong
specialised police team dedicated to monitoring gang-related internet content in 2018, the
volume of violent content greatly outnumbers resources. Three years ago, Met Director Cressida
Dick described how social media networks enable teenage violence. When it comes to violent
content, however, the firms that manage these platforms tend to be hesitant to respond and
unwilling to comply. Throughout her "set-up chick" episode, the 14-year-old girl said that
Snapchat refused to assist her or even the authorities discover the persons who propagated the
rumour, while she claims that Instagram was more helpful (Snap chat murder cases insights,
2022).
It is analyzed that social media channels also providing negative impact on society. It is
determined that nowadays, Snapchat goes dark when the teenager dies. The poison around a
deadly attack reaches the platform in minutes (Davies , 2011). As per the current situation,
teenager’s gloat of stabbing rivals to death in Snapchat recordings, groups proclaim that "blood

points" against their opponents have now been achieved & pledges of retribution are aired. It's no
accident that the app was used by assassins to show showcase knives and openly state their
desire to attack Olly in the days leading up to his murder in Reading. In a terrible instance
intimately related to the Snapchat, a mother told when she viewed evidence on social networking
sites of their 15-year-old son Tamim Ian Habimana's murder in Woolwich, south London, in
July. Tamim's killing has been filed against five adolescents aged 14 to 19 (Dragiewicz, 2014).
From the above information, it is concluded that there are adverse impact of Snapchat such
as, Young people are also properly utilizing Snapchat in order to purchase the suspicious death
weapons. A group was arrested last month after being found distributing 128 hunters knives and
cutlasses on Snapchat. “Peope are extremely aware to how the social media may, in some
instances, fuel violent crime in London," Commander Alex Murray, the Met Police's head for
fighting aggression in London, told VICE World News. There are various online disagreements
that can now spill out into the streets and culminating in violent assaults." In a manner which has
not been conceivable before, it's simple to get sucked into a violent, poisonous vortex on
Snapchat, where teens are seen being slashed and assaulted and opposing crews throw up
championship charts of points won for injuring the rivals (Gunter, 2017).
Film or TV series or program Review
Gangs of London (TV Series)
In order to address the requirements of this report, a TV series is selected which is totally
based on the gangs & groups offending so that this TV series can effectively full fill the
requirements of the gang agenda. For this report, “Gangs of London” TV series is considered
&Gangs of London is popular &most trending action–crime drama, this TV series mainly
created by the Pulse Films & Sister, based on the year 2006 video strategy game. This TV series
mainly follows competing gangs & other organized criminals in current London. The 1st season
premiered on Sky Atlantic on April 23, 2020 in UK.

The key character of the TV Series are Michelle Fairley as Marian Wallace, Joe Cole as
Sean Wallace, Brian Vernel as Billy Wallace, Colm Meaney as Finn Wallace and Valene
Kane as Jacqueline Robinson. The TV series aims to deliver message about struggles among
gang rivals as well as other criminal companies in present day London.
Gareth Evans & Matt Flannery devised the series that is mainly known for action crime
flicks The Raid. This TV series is tending to be set in the heart of London, one of the world's
most dynamic and multicultural cities, Gangs of London tells the story of the city being torn
apart by the turbulent power struggles of the international gangs that control it and the sudden
power vacuum that's created when the head of London's most powerful crime family.
“Gangs of London” are a two-part TV series. The show's magnificent, murderous,
violent first five episodes mainly open the way for the just a short tempered, self-indulgent, &
annoyed plot point that fades into the more laid back final four episodes. It's still enjoyable, but it
lacks the thrills of the first half, which is a disappointment because Gangs of London is at its best
during the action parts. These are unquestionably among the greatest on the smaller screen in a
lot longer.
For the first five episodes, the program serves us a hedonistic mix of huge action set
pieces set against a Wild West backdrop even as families fight for control of London. Since the
violence &speed are so superb, it's easy to overlook some of the artificial dialogue & sporadic
performances. “Gangs of London” pulls ideas from previous crime dramas but managed to
integrate them it in to a compelling adequate scenario without ever seeming like a carbon copy or
rip-off. Finn Wallace, the mafia leader in charge of London, is assassinated by two unknown
assailants on a hired hit. Sean's wrath runs as deep as he sets out to find out who deceived
&killed his brother now he's in charge of the company. There's a dangerous concoction of set-
pieces just begging to be worked with, with individual power struggles inside the group, a bunch
of terrible blood, &tensions with the Albanian mafia. It is key role of a person in the academic
life to understand side effects of using social media for achievement of attentiveness and alert
(Hagedorn and Davis, 2008). In academic life a student should take assistance of teachers and
seniors in order to develop effective knowledge based on social media and its usage based
consequences.

Elliot, a guy who works on Finn Wallace's payroll & finds himself trapped in the centre
of just this developing struggle as he generally discovers the prominent data & begins to gain
Sean's confidence, is the true wild card. Others pursue a sliver of evidence, which eventually
takes them to the two lads who are guilty (Hills, 2018) . Despite some flaws with the second part
of the tale, “Gangs of London” is a tremendously fascinating crime epic doing an excellent job of
integrating violent content & large-scale dramatic create chances with an intriguing storey about
power in London. Whereas the storey loses its way in the later part & a number of the characters
aren't given a good send-off, there's plenty to admire about this series to make it quite well worth
watching, warts & all.
Gang Reduction Strategy
One of gang reduction strategy is Prevention that aims to prevent an individual from joining
gangs. It is termed to an activity or program that is specifically designed for preventing people to
join any type of gangs. The strategy mainly emphasises towards young people. Moreover,
Situational gang crime prevention emphasis on the cause of the crime despite of who the
offenders for perpetrators are. With this, it makes it possible to get to root of issues and
preventing them from occurrences.
It has been evaluated that benefit of prevention strategy is that it targets youth and assist
reduction of youth joining gangs. It also provides sanctions as well as service for younger people
that actively involves in gangs so to push them away from participation in gangs. However,
limitation of the strategy is that its positive results takes huge time to come in action. For
execution of the strategy, professionals are required who can influence actions of youth for not
joining gangs.
Sharing important intelligence information regarding gangs and their whereabouts between
criminal justice in forces like the police, the judiciary, etc. are some of aspects adopted in gang
prevention strategy to reduce people joining gangs. Furthermore, key ideas are Targeting, finding
and apprehending repeat gang crime offenders. Using civil ordinances or gang injunctions to
prevent an association from any gang members.
The strategy can be placed in wider political contexts as there are various youth people
that join gangs for political purposes. With placement of the strategy in politics, there are
chances to reduce the risk of gang involvement among at-risk youth. It will prevent youth from

joining gangs, also strengthens communities, families and schools to improve community
supervision, train teachers and parents to manage disruptive youth, and teach students
interpersonal skills.
Towards gangs agenda, prevention strategy contributes in Improving community-level
supervision of youth, increasing adult supervision of students after school, reducing youth’s
conflicts, aaddressing elevated risk factors for joining a gang along with providing a center for
youth recreation and referrals for services.
Typewritten notes on three selected lectures
First Lecture (Gangs & social media)
The main purpose of this lecture is to discuss about the role of the social media as a
catalyst for the gang violence. With the help of case study, it can helpful to clear this role in an
appropriate manner. In this lecture, teacher is also discussed about the academic perspective
related with the gang & also social media in a different way. The main motive of the case study
which discussed in this lecture is determined about the police gang and social media content.
In this lecture, teacher discussed about the specific case named - Case study “Headie one
and Tottenham vs Wood Green N17 – N22”. In this case, 3 murders are found over the ten
week in the year 2018 and in the social networking sites posts & a song which went viral that
highlighted this case and this is the central part of this case study. Crimes and cases are going
viral on the social networking platforms (Home Office , 2012).
In this case study, teacher discussed about those people who are affected the society
most and doing this types of illegal activities. Teachers discussed about the Headie , his real
name is Irving Adjei and he is a underground drill artist and he served 3 previous prison
sentences for 30 months. After that teacher discussed about the Wood green reprisal, it is
identified that Kobi Nelson, who is 22 year old young person , he mainly work from Tottenham
killed Allegedly shout ‘wood green, wood green’ and it is identified that this Incident rapidly
trended on social media and via social media , some family members found out through this
medium).

In this lecture, teacher also discussed about a specific tragedy, on 2nd, April 2018,
Tanesha is a 17-year-old Victoria girl. Blake, an innocent person in a drive-by assassination in
Tottenham, was shot and died, marking a turning point in the Tottenham vs. Wood Green rivalry.
Because when train arrives, anyone can board.
In this lecture, teacher also provided some knowledge about the gangs and social media amnd
addressed the question -
What does this tell us about gangs and social media?
There are few things are discussed which highlight the effectiveness of the social media. Social
networking site evaluation, expert interactions, and young people interviews. It demonstrate,
provoke, and glorify violence - Takes place 'under the radar,' thus it becomes a 'free for all' zone.
The social media is putting adolescent citizens at risk by exposing them to extreme violence as
well as growing crowd disdain for one another incites. The current scenario is forcing from
society to retaliate and protect one's image. Youtube videos used for attacks and violence -'sket
lists' of young ladies sexually abused - internet boundaries growing hazy, direct cause for facial
landmark conflicts.
Responses to social media
The newly enacted Extreme Violence Program of the UK Government (Scottish
Government) singled out social media for glamorizing gang life, exacerbating gang tensions, and
normalizing weapon ownership. Subtle and overt drug cartel social media data will be disrupted
and removed by a Metropolitan police task squad. Drill rappers will be banned. Gang injunction
on live performances – AM and Skengdo – criminal behavior ban – Rico Recks – criminal
performer ban – 1011 – popular music downloading ban. In joint venture proceedings, it is being
used as evidentiary. Challenges with social media platforms not doing enough when it comes to
law government databases and information gathering (Hopkins-Burke , 2008)

Second Lecture (A History of Respectable Fears Boomers, zoomers and those inbetween (and
before!) All will be revealed)
This lecture discussed about the significance of the history and also discussed about the youth
violence & youth culture across the two centuries & identifies the reactions on it.
In this lecture, some points related with the horrible history are highlighted which determined
that -
The history of infancy is a nightmare where we've only lately begun to emerge,"
writes De Mause (1982), referenced in Jenks (1996). The deeper the quality of child care travels
back into the history, ever more probable kids are to be murdered, orphaned, abused, terrorised,
and physically molested (Ilan, 2015).

Results
It is determined that The elders were terrified of the youngsters loitering on road side, Young
people were scary to them. Because they were afraid of being tormented, youths congregated in
groupings on road side, wherever they felt safer. Is there a generational divide and/or a lack of
social solidarity?
That when someone is physically abused on a Short video clip, they must reply back with
something much more extreme to sustain one‘s reputation in the surroundings, and internet
media provides that space "Whenever someone is physically abused on a Snap chat video, they
must reply back with something a little more drastic to sustain their right to stand in the
surroundings, and internet content provides a certain extra room.”It's that phenomenon that's
occurring en masse," says Ciaran Thapar, a preschool teacher in west London and writer of
abruptly ending: Youth Crime, Loss, and Salvation in the City. "It happens all the time on social
networking sites, like when people dispute in reality over something someone said on Twitter."
"Of course, when they mix that in a culture since there are a number of daggers and trauma
floating around; it becomes a lot more complicated."
Political disorder and destabilization must be a deeply embedded component of a social milieu, if
this long list of related numbers tells us anything. As an outcome, they'll be significantly more
difficult to achieve than if people imagined they sprang out of nowhere. We must first regain the
ancient if we want to grasp the modern and establish our future."

Twenge, 2006, p2 in Hills (2018)
Everyone is a member of a dynasty. Some individuals welcome it with open arms, when others
would rather not be thrown in together with their peers. Whether people like that or not, the
lifestyle you will encounter is determined by your birth date. This covers pop culture's highs and
lows, as well as international events, societal changes, economic consequences, societal
conventions, and worldviews. Until you are young, environment moulds you & remains with you
after the rest of its life (Winton, 2014).

Societal influences during the formative years of generations
On the basis of this table, it is identified that the years are distributed on the basis of the
generation including “Baby Boomers ( 1943 – 60), Generation X (1960-1981), Generation Y,
(1982- 2002), All these generations are mainly concerned about some appropriate factors like
Notable Occurrences, Major Influencers, Entertainment, Communication and technology,
spending styles, value and also work ethics. The specifications of all the generations are
demonstrated in this table (Jenks, 1996).

Third Lecture (Gangs in International and Comparative Context)
The main concern of this lecture is on the Gangs in context of the International and Comparative
ways. In this lecture, teacher mainly discussed about the international criminal activities which
are discussed below-
International Criminal Activities associated with Gangs (or at least in the media!)
There are many kind of factors are involved in this which can helpful to enhance the gangs
agenda of the organisation. Some Appropriate activities such as Human Trafficking , Cybercrime
, Drugs Trafficking , Illegal Trade in Animals and Animal Parts , Arms Trafficking and also
Terrorism.
Internationalisation of the ‘gang’
"The gang is a spontaneously established intermediate group that was later incorporated via
combat. It is defined by two behaviors’: face-to-face meetings, milling, group activity across
space, dispute, and planning. Heritage, thoughtless internal workings, esprit de corps,
camaraderie, morality, collective identity, and commitment to a local place are the results of this
social action." (Pitts, 2008).
Types of Gang (from an International Perspective)

The Impact of Globalisation (or neo-liberalism)
There are some points are explained in context of the globalisation -
Global North
There are many factors are involved such as Consumerist economics – victory of want ,
Destruction of agricultural production foundation , Geopolitical strife, Urbanization: slums,
ghettoes, barrios, favelas, banlieus, Commercialism & Fear; pull & push (Muncie, 2015).
A Common Context: Exclusion and Marginality
There are various factors are involved which can helpful to improve the effectiveness of the
organization such as Opportunity and Inequality, Othering/Racism and Marginalization , Usually
in confrontation with the authorities and the administration, but can still be founder by them ,
Case Formulation in the shadow economy, but also provision of protection and personal
functions.
Identity, Politics and Resistance
Gangs give a feeling of identity, companionship, work, and security to young people from
marginalized areas all around the world. Police containment/repression/control measures
exacerbate rather than alleviate gang-related violence as a remedy to economic, political, and
social marginalization.
In other cases, gangs have evolved into community organizations that participate in local politics
or provide differentiated instruction, healthcare, and other services However, this appears to be
rather uncommon (Nurse, 2013).
In this lecture, Hybridisation & Commercialisation of ‘Street Cultures mainly discussed
which are explained below –
On the basis of the Ilan, the global street related culture mainly highlights about the tattoos,
graffiti and clothing, gestures (a recognisable street style). It is identified that “Drill music” is

considered the latest example of ‘urban’ & Black music which is associated with the street
culture. It incorporated with some factors such as - survival and resistance, emphasising struggle
against the repression. On the basis of Hagedorn, ‘corporate hip hop’ mainly glorifies & also
provide the profits from the street violence (Pearson, 1983). Large corporations – promote and
market clothes, trainers, song writing, video, and social media related companies that are based
on designs generated in deprivation. Gangs are seen as cool and also dangerous – both up close
and at a distance . Culture offers an explanation, authenticity, and solidarity; connection
diasporic neighbourhoods. Upwardly mobile youth implement this fashion well as
Resisting the Gangs Label
"In the context of a global antagonistic legislative framework for both United States and the
United Kingdom, inside which gang bangers are mostly a perfect scapegoat for a widening
context of shared insecurities, there is a hazard that present study can reify this same drug cartel
occurrences as an impartial, criminological organization, offering a broader range of ethical
nervousness, there is a hazard that present study can reify this same gang occurrences as an
impartial, law breaker organization, trying to offer a comprehensive view of social (Pearson ,
2011).
Differences and similarities are seen when viewed from an interdisciplinary approach viewpoint
-
Gangs have flourished in places marked by unemployment, marginalisation, and social isolation.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are both a confidence booster and a cause of
instability. They have a distinct geographic and climatic context. Culture and illegal activity bind
them together. Some characteristics of gangs prevalent outside the UK, such the overwhelming
volumes of gang activity and police aggression against criminals, put this same UK's 'gang issue'
into context (Pinkney , Robinson-Edwards S, 2018).

CONCLUSION
From the above stated report it can be concluded that it is essential for the government
and parents to focus on social media related issues. The government should provide essential
guidelines which are important to be followed by youth and children to remain safe. This project
also concludes that it is essential for the government to focus on crimes which are arising due to
social media and help them with effective plans and procedures. The above analysis also
concludes the role played by advanced information and technology in order to develop effective
measures for controlling IT based operations.

REFERENCES
Brotherton, D. (2015) Youth street gangs: a critical appraisal. London: Routledge
Brown S (1998) Understanding Youth and Crime: Listening to Youth? Buckingham: OUP; Ch
1
Davies A. (2011) ‘Youth Gangs and late Victorian society’ Chapter 2 in in Goldson B. (Ed)
Gangs, Territoriality and Violence. London: Routledge
Dragiewicz, M. (2014) Global Human Trafficking: Critical Issues and Contexts, Global Human
Trafficking. London: Routledge
Europol (undated) Illicit Firearms Trafficking. Retrieved from:
https://www.europol.europa.eu/crime-areas-and-trends/crime-areas/illicit-firearms-
trafficking 17.03.19
Gunter, A. (2017) Race, gangs and youth violence : policy, prevention and policing. 1st edn.
Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
Hagedorn, J. and Davis, M. (2008) A world of gangs armed young men and gangsta culture .
Minneapolis, Minn. ;: University of Minnesota Press
Hills, C. (2018) ‘Reflections on Generation Y’ in Taplin, S. (ed.) Innovations in Practice
Learning. St. Albans: Critical Publishing.
Home Office (2012) First annual report of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human
Trafficking. London: The Stationery Office
Hopkins-Burke R (2008) Young People, Crime and Justice Cullompton, Willan Chs !&2
Ilan, J. (2015). Understanding street culture: poverty, crime, youth and cool . London: Palgrave
Jenks C (1996) Childhood London, Routledge
Muncie, J (2015) Youth and Crime 4rd Edition, London: Sage; Ch 2
Nurse, A. (2013) Animal harm : perspectives on why people harm and kill animals. Farnham:
Ashgate
Pearson G (1983) Hooligan: A History of Respectable Fears. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Pearson G (2011) ‘Perpetual novelty: Youth, modernity and historical amnesia’’. Chapter 1 in
Goldson B. (Ed) Gangs, Territoriality and Violence. London: Routledge
Pinkney C, Robinson-Edwards S, (2018) "Gangs, music and the mediatisation of crime:
expressions, violations and validations", Safer Communities, Vol. 17 Issue: 2, pp.103-
118
Pitts, J. (2008) Reluctant gangsters: the changing shape of youth crime . Cullompton: Willan
Winton, A. (2014) ‘Gangs in global perspective’, Environment and urbanization, 26(2), pp. 401–
416.

Online
Major homicide and murder cases, 2022[Online]Available
through:<https://www.statista.com/statistics/283093/homicides-in-england-and-wales/>
Role of social media in London crimes, 2022[Online]Available
through:<https://www.wired.co.uk/article/stabbings-in-london-knife-crime-murder-rate-
crime-gangs-mile-end-grove-road-social-media>
Views of famous personalities on crime and death, 2022[Online]Available
through:<https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/death-penalty>
Effects and impacts of Snap chat, 2022[Online]Available
through:<https://smartsocial.com/post/effects-of-snapchat-teens>
Pinkney council, 2022[Online]Available through:<https://www.moreton-pinkney.org.uk/>
Snap chat murder cases insights, 2022[Online]Available
through:<https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/23/17045118/snapchat-police-drug-murder-
data-request-colorado>