Case Study: HSBC Balance Scorecard

Case Study: HSBC Balance Scorecard HSBC Holdings plc is a global financial services company in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. As of 2010 it is the sixth largest bank in the world and the Financial Services Group and the company ranked eighth is a composite measure of Forbes magazine. On June 30, 2010, it had total assets of 2.418 trillion U.S. dollars, about half in Europe, fourth in the U.S. and a quarter was in Asia. HSBC Holdings plc was founded in 1991 in London by The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, to serve as a new group Holding Company and to allow the acquisition of British Midland Bank. The bank origins in Hong Kong and Shanghai where the branch was opened in 1865. HSBC is a universal bank. It is organized into four business segments: Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets (Investment Banking) Financial Services (retail banking) and Private Banking. HSBC first listing is on the London Stock Exchange and is part of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (which is a component of the Hang Seng Index), the New York Stock Exchange, Euro next Paris and Bermuda Stock Exchange à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. Since August 2010, it was the largest company on the London Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of 115.8 billion pounds that had been achieved. The balanced scorecard developed in 1992, belongs to a strategic management system that includes efficient implementation and effective policies and tasks necessary to promote the companys customers, employees and management meet. The usage of the e Balanced Scorecard can actually vary depending on the structure and philosophy of the company. But in the case of HSBC, it centralizes the use of Balanced Scorecard in a single department. The Balance Scorecard may also be able to identify closely with managers and solve a variety of problems. Background and problems The research problem to be addressed: A study to analyze financial performance and management of HSBC The researcher wants to highlight: A. Financial Perspective B. Customer perspective-which is an approximation of HSBCs efforts to reach target groups C. Business Process perspective shows an alignment of key business processes from HSBC D. Lessons and prospects for growth shows an approximation of the learning curve HSBC Research Objective à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The researcher wants the vision of HSBC leading operational objectives. Communicate the vision and the individual results. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The researcher wants to organize wants to commute the HSBCs Business planning, Feedback and learning and then adjusting the strategy accordingly using the balance scorecard Literature Review / Theoretical Framework HSBC is to have sustainable growth as a market leader in the overall market in financial and insurance sectors, as well as leadership in this segment. In both cases, the insurance and financial services at HSBC will play a crucial role. HSBC is able to provide overall guidance to the rule through the acquisition of other banks and financial institutions and utilities are combined into a new, large undertaking. Train their employees, business processes and introduction of new technologies will strengthen the positions of the various financing with HSBC Insurance. This means in practice in the economies of scale to be able to create a distribution network for local and international financing and insurance services. When a market is already controlled by other companies, HSBC has devoted his attention to the development of a premium segment with its funds and various insurance services (2004). HSBC aims to ensure sustainable growth, while continually improving the profitability of the company. The strategy to achieve this consists of four elements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The struggle for leadership positions in attractive markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Always focus on the sharing of financial and competitive segments of the insurance industry. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work to improve business processes efficiency and reduce operational costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continued growth through targeted acquisitions, if they are able to create added value for shareholders. Balanced Scorecard and HSBCs Improvement 1)Translating HSBCs vision into operational goals. The appearance of the Panel of the economy reflects the difficulty in managing the growing need for organizations, that require the effective use of valuable resources such as money, materials, equipment and people. And HSBC is no exception to them. That is why the Balanced Scorecard is used by the company to the most effective ways to use their resources through the application of methods of analysis disciplines such as mathematics, science and engineering to determine coordinate derivatives (2003). Through this process, problems with HSBC meet operational objectives in different ways and alternative solutions are then forwarded to management. Management then selects the appropriate measures in accordance with business objectives. Often, the Balanced Scorecard complex issues within HSBC and the high level strategy, resource allocation, design, production and prices and the analysis of large databases. 2) Communicate the vision and the individual results. All businesses and organizations are governed by their goals and tasks. These objectives are often considered a corporate vision or business philosophy .Therefore, some strategies are implemented to achieve these objectives, and is a key element in the characterization of a company or organization. The staff is clearly a key indicator to determine the characteristics of a business or organization. It is known to play a crucial role of human resources for HSBC differentiation and a potent source of competitiveness for the company. Thats why HSBC is constantly investing in the development of human resources, even in times of recession. But determining the extent that HSBC may want to develop human resources depends on its financial performance for a specific period of time. With the Balanced Scorecard from HSBC in the last decade has transformed operations at very low levels of writers to the success of the organization . However, budgets are also increasing at a rate faster than the gross national product. In the midst of this influence on growth and increase, managers and executives from HSBC are misled by the question: How to invest in human resource development? Certainly the answer will not be easy, especially since the actual level of expenditure is often an elusive figure, depending on the financial performance of the organization. However, the balance scorecard allows at HSBCs investment in human resources development to be determined. 3) Business Planning Operational planning is a necessary function within HSBC. In most financial and insurance companies that process is often very difficult due to the rapid evolution and the occurrence of unanticipated events. HSBC uses different methods depending on the speed of customer demand and level of financing, insurance. However, HSBC aims to change for each transaction is not: the efficiency and effectiveness Business planning by HSBC for its activities and resources will be implemented over time coordinates. This allows the company to achieve its goals with minimal resources. Business planning also enables the company to the status of their business plans at regular intervals to monitor and control operations. Planning activities of HSBC is in four elements: planning, production planning, financial planning and budgeting. The program includes the specification of the onset, duration or length, and at the end of planned activities. Work planning is to allocate the necessary staff and delegation of responsibilities and resources Financial planning is to identify the types and needs in terms of equipment. Cost planning is to determine the costs and the possibility of occurrence. 4) feed back and learning strategy and adaptations accordingly. One of the most important factors in improving HSBC is to measure the implementation and use of the Balanced Scorecard as a performance indicator and measures around customer satisfaction. These measures or indicators are measurable characteristics of products and services company that HSBC is normally used to study and improve performance. The indicators are chosen that are able to cover the essential factors that are essential for improving the operational and financial performance of HSBC. Through analysis of accurate information from monitoring processes, measures or indicators themselves may be analyzed and to increase its support for the objectives of this type. Methodology: There is certainly a need to reconcile both the inside and outside functions. While HSBCs operations management involves focusing on the usage of the balanced scorecard as its core competency with market position following its resource base, the company will be at a disadvantage if it neglects the macro and finance and the industry environment. Therefore, HSBC has to be aware of recent changes in the management of operations and changes in the political, economic, legal and demographic or develop customer outside functions such as identifying the market, the link Technology channel bonding, and monitoring. The benefits derived by HSBC, is to use the Balanced Scorecard as from higher incomes. Knowing what the market demands and trends could help the company come to fully exploit its research and development capabilities with insurance and financial services which are not only profitable but also high quality. The strategic option as a marketing tool, where attention to the proximity with customers and focus their comments. On the other side of the coin, there is a great mobilization of resources and risks associated with HSBC will be granted. However, the above option seems to be a practical strategy in the wake of globalization, because there is an abrupt change towards a more integrated global economy and independently. Key stakeholders should not object if HSBC heart of business is not threatened. Centralized control of the company activity is anticipated that key obstacles should exist in the exercise of this option, unless additional time is necessary, given the scope and duration of operations of HSBC. In the meantime, the partnership with HSBCs main competitors is ridiculous at first glance as a measure. But after careful consideration, the measure could pave the way for the company to continue to improve its management. The conclusion is that both parties are increasingly significant in this type of alliance. High performance measurement in operations management capabilities can be combined with their competitors suddenly invincible force that has transformed HSB. Another failure could be possible if one of the competitors of HSBC are in the need for alliances. However, the question remains whether HSBC might be able to implement any of these options, and if these options may be acceptable to key stakeholders. Any merger or alliance may be the exchange of knowledge. This company has always supported the approach of the Interior. It is important to note that the merger could be many implications for HSBC :values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and culture and resources. Key stakeholders would certainly be affected by options and must be convinced of the positive aspects. Somehow, HSBC will be able to overcome this barrier in the process of implementing the policy options above. CONCLUSION The results of the analysis carried out on the impact of the Balanced Scorecard of HSBC indicated significant effects, even under the threat of unrest. Therefore, we conclude that the management operations of HSBC is still expected to improve faster than average. The review of HSBCs operations management capabilities and resources revealed very little inconsistencies regarding its strategy in using the balanced scorecard. However, the need to reconcile both the inside-out and outside-in approaches becomes a need for HSBC. The analysis of the financial sector environment, and management of operations and functions of HSBC has shown some shortcomings, most of which are distorted to the environment. However, these gaps paved the way towards determining a number of recommended strategic options to secure the competitiveness of HSBC through the continued utilization of the balanced scorecard. In addition, HSBC,has to find a balance between the internal forces within the administration and the evolution of environmental forces so that such policy options can be implemented.

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Current Issues: Gangs 2011, n. p. Copyright @ 2011 ReferencePoint Press, Website: www. referencepointpress. com. P. O. Box 27779, San Diego, CA 92198. Phone: 858-618-1314. Fax: 858-618-1730. All rights reserved. Current Issues: Gangs By Peggy J. Parks Contents Gangs at a Glance Overview How Serious a Problem Are Gangs? Primary Source Quotes Facts and Illustrations Why Do Young People Join Gangs? Primary Source Quotes Facts and Illustrations Can People Leave the Gang Life Behind? Primary Source Quotes Facts and Illustrations Can Gang Violence Be Stopped? Primary Source QuotesFacts and Illustrations Key People and Advocacy Groups Chronology Related Organizations For Further Research Source Notes About the Author Gangs at a Glance Gangs and Gang Members The U. S. Department of Justice estimates that more than 20,000 gangs with a total of about 1 million members are criminally active in the United States. Gang Migration Gangs are no longer confined to large cities. The FBI states that ga ng activity is rapidly spreading to outlying suburban and rural communities throughout the United States. Types of Gangs Four main types of gangs identified by the U.S. Department of Justice are street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, and military gangs. Gangs and Crime Law enforcement officials say that gangs commit a wide range of crimes, including distribution of drugs, weapons trafficking, drive-by shootings, armed robbery, assault, identity theft, and homicide. In many communities gangs are responsible for as much as 80 percent of crime. Cities with Gang Problems The U. S. Department of Justice has identified Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York as the top three cities for the most gangs and gang-related crime.Reasons for Joining Gangs Young people join gangs for many reasons including the desire to belong to a family-like group, protection from rival gangs, the ability to make money (usually from stealing or selling drugs), prestige, and ready access to drugs. Quitt ing Gangs Whether people are able to leave gangs depends on the particular gang and its rules. Jumping out (being beaten by gang members) is a common way of letting someone out. Some gangs expect their members to remain committed for life and threaten them with death if they try to quit.Fighting Gang Violence In cities throughout the United States, the FBI and state and local law enforcement officials are focusing on the most violent street gangs in an effort to capture their leaders and get them off the streets. Overview â€Å"Gangs are morphing, multiplying, and migrating—entrenching themselves not just in our inner cities but increasingly in our ever-sprawling suburbs and wide-open rural spaces. † —Federal Bureau of Investigation, a law enforcement agency of the U. S. Department of Justice. Gangs and gang-involved kids exist at some level in every community. Certain groups have decided to use violence and retribution, and their acts are affecting all of us. à ¢â‚¬  —Steven D. Strachan, the chief of police of Kent, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. At 16 years old, Melody Ross was thoroughly enjoying life. She had just begun her junior year at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, where she was an honors student and a pole-vaulter on the track team. She was popular and known for being friendly, kind, and someone who always had a sunny smile on her face.On the evening of October 30, 2009, Melody and her friends went to their school's home ­coming football game. After the game ended, the girls left the stadium and were sitting on the curb in front of the school. Suddenly the loud crack of gunshots filled the air. A feud had broken out between members of rival gangs, and they were shooting at each other—with bystanders caught in the crossfire. By the time the violence ended, three people lay on the ground, wounded and bleeding: two men and Melody. Ambulances rushed them to the hospital, where the men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.Melody, however, was not so fortunate. She died of a severe bullet wound in her side. Her family and friends were devastated, and as a memorial to her, a classmate named Dylan Vassberg created a Facebook page entitled RIP Melody Ross. â€Å"Every kid our age–we don't ever think we're going to die,† he says. â€Å"We never think that. We think we're going to college and we're going to have a long life and die of old age. Not die because someone decided to shoot a gun. We never think of that. It's not something that crosses our mind ever. Not even fathomable, really. 1 How Serious a Problem Are Gangs? Although the precise number of gangs and gang members (known as gangbangers) is not known, the U. S. Department of Justice makes estimates based on information it receives from state and local law enforcement officials. In January 2009 the Justice Department's National Gang Intelligence Center released a report entitled National Gang Threat As sessment 2009. The report states that more than 20,000 violent gangs with a total of approximately 1 million members were criminally active in the United States as of September 2008.The report's authors state that â€Å"gangs pose a serious threat to public safety. † They warn that throughout the country, gang activity is rapidly spreading from large cities to outlying suburban and rural areas. This, they predict, will cause gang-related violent crime to remain at high levels and likely increase. They write: â€Å"As these gangs encounter resistance from local gangs or other drug distributors in these communities, an increase in violent incidents such as assaults, drive-by shootings, and homicides can be expected. â€Å"2 The Evolution of GangsNo one knows exactly when gangs first formed, but they are often assumed to have been around for centuries. According to Lou Savelli, who is a retired New York City police sergeant and cofounder of the East Coast Gang Investigators As sociation, the word thug dates back to India during the 1200s. It is derived from â€Å"Thugz,† an Indian word that referred to a gang of criminals who traveled throughout the country terrorizing towns. Savelli adds that like gangs today, the Thugz had their own symbols, hand signs, slang language, and rituals.Gang activity is thought to have begun in the United States early in the country's history. Journalist Ed Grabianowski explains: â€Å"Criminal gangs have certainly been around as long as crime itself—it doesn't take a criminal mastermind to realize there is strength in numbers. The urbanization that accompanied the Industrial Revolution gave rise to the modern street gang. â€Å"3 Throughout the 1800s, as more people immigrated to America from other countries, gangs such as the Monk Eastman Gang and Five Points Gang formed and terrorized the streets of New York.But it was the 1920s that ushered in the heyday of gang activity in the United States because of a n otorious gangster named Al Capone, also called Scarface. This was a time known as Prohibition, when the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution made the sale or distribution of alcohol illegal. Supporters hoped the legislation would transform American society for the better, but its effects were quite different from what they expected. Once alcohol was no longer legally available, criminal gangs began to distribute it on the black market.These gangs developed rapidly and continued to grow in power, which caused a steep rise in violent crime. Capone and his gang of criminals were responsible for a wave of violence in the Chicago area during the 1920s and 1930s. Savelli says this led to his becoming known as most violent gangster in Chicago and perhaps in all of the United States. Capone's reputation spread far and wide, and his actions strongly influenced the activities of would-be gangsters throughout the country. By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, gangs had become entrenched t hroughout the country and were widely known for their connections with violent crime.During the 1950s gang-related crime was rampant in a number of U. S. cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, and it was steadily growing. Over the following decades gangs became better organized and continued to expand their activities from cities into neighboring communities, as the Justice Department explains: â€Å"The gang members who migrated from urban areas often formed new, neighborhood-based local gangs. These local gangs generally controlled their territories through violence and intimidation. 4 Gang membership—and associated violent crime—continued to grow throughout the rest of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Street Gangs and Motorcycle Outlaws Gangs often differ significantly from one another based on membership requirements, structure, and the ages and ethnicity of the members. Two main types that have been identified by law enforcement off icials are street gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs. The Justice Department says that street gangs pose a considerable threat to communities because they are the largest group and also control the greatest geographical area. Therefore,† Justice Department authorities explain, criminal activities such as violence and drug trafficking perpetrated by street gangs pose the greatest threat. The threat becomes magnified as national- and regional-level street gangs migrate from urban areas to suburban and rural communities, expanding their influence in most regions and broadening their presence outside the United States to develop associations with . . . criminal organizations in Mexico, Central America, and Canada. 5Most street gangs are local-level gangs that operate in single locations while regional-level street gangs are more organized and larger. Some of the largest and most violent street gangs are Hispanic gangs such as MS ­13, 18th Street, Surenos, and Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) and the predominately African American gangs Bloods, Crips, and Black P. Stone Nation. Asian gangs such as the Asian Boyz are also developing a reputation as a result of their links to drug trafficking and violent crimes. Though less common than gangs of other racial and ethnic groups, white gangs also pose a threat.The white supremacist street gang Nazi Low-riders has a growing presence in Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Illinois, and members have been connected with a number of racially motivated violent crimes. Outlaw motorcycle gangs also pose a significant threat because they engage in numerous criminal activities, such as trafficking in weapons and drugs, and often commit violent crimes. State and local law enforcement agencies have identified as many as 520 outlaw motorcycle gangs with an estimated total of 20,000 members of various races and ethnicities.The motorcycle gangs that the FBI considers the greatest threat because of criminal activities are the Sons of Silence, Bandidos, Mongols, Hells Angels, and Outlaws. Gangs Behind Bars Just because people are incarcerated, and even sentenced to life in prison, does not necessarily prevent them from engaging in gang activities. According to the Justice Department, prison gangs are highly structured criminal networks that are active within prisons throughout the United States. It adds that as of September 2008, more than 147,000 documented gang members were incarcerated in federal, state, and local correctional facilities.One state where this is a particularly serious problem is Washington. According to a study released in 2009, gang-affiliated inmates are responsible for 43 percent of all violent crimes that are committed in the state's prisons. The report also states that the Crips are the most represented prison gang, with 2,385 inmate members. Also well known for violence behind bars is the white supremacist gang Aryan Brotherhood and the Latino gangs Barrio Azteca and Mexican Mafia. One gang that has been especially violent in Texas prisons is the Texas Syndicate.In February 2007 federal authorities issued indictments for gang members who were suspected of being responsible for as many as 16 murders outside the state's prisons, including a triple slaying in 2003. The indictment states: â€Å"It is understood that members and prospects of the TS may receive a telephone call and instructions to commit a murder . . . at any time. Regardless of the member's friendship or association with the victim, the orders are to be carried out. â€Å"6 Not only are gangs extremely active in prisons, gang members who have been imprisoned are often the gangs' top leaders.According to Sergeant Jeremy Young, who is a supervisor with the Modesto, California, police street crimes unit, the bottom level of a gang's chain of command is made up of gangbangers who are the â€Å"soldiers† on the street; the mid-level is composed of the leaders o f street crews who run the operation; and the top level are the bosses who are often inside prisons. â€Å"The (gang leaders in the) prisons run the street,† he says. â€Å"A lot of things that start in there end up out here. â€Å"7 Criminal Activities Gangs are involved in a wide range of crimes.These include drug distribution, assault, armed robbery, drive-by shootings, auto theft, identity theft, extortion, weapons trafficking, and homicide. In fact, the National Gang Threat Assessment report says that according to law enforcement officials throughout the United States, criminal gangs commit as much as 80 percent of the crime in many communities. Yet the connection between gangs and crime is a controversial is ­sue. According to the Justice Policy Institute, a Washington, D. C. –based think tank that supports alternatives to incarceration, gang members are not responsible for the biggest share of crime in most jurisdictions.In a July 2007 report, the group stat es that many crimes committed by gang members are unrelated to gang activity, and reliable data on the extent of gang crime do not exist. The report's authors write: â€Å"The available evidence indicates that gang members play a relatively small role in the national crime problem. . . . National estimates and local research findings suggest that gang members may be responsible for fewer than one in 10 homicides; fewer than one in 16 violent offenses; and fewer than one in 20 serious . . . crimes. â€Å"8 Gang-Infested CitiesAlthough gangs have a presence in communities all over the United States, the National Gang Center says that the three cities with the most gangs and worst gang-related crime are Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. According to John S. Pistole, who is the deputy director of the FBI, Los Angeles is â€Å"ground zero for modern gang activity,† with over 400 gangs and an estimated 40,000 gang members. â€Å"Many gangs were born here, a generation ago,â₠¬  he says. â€Å"But they are no longer limited to Los Angeles. Like a cancer, gangs are spreading to communities across America. â€Å"9Two other California cities where gang-related crime is increasing are San Diego, where gang-related homicides rose 56 percent between 2006 and 2007, and Salinas, where gang-related homicides increased 125 percent during that same period of time. Gangs are also a serious problem in Hartford, Connecticut, and Camden, New Jersey. And Pistole adds that gangs are becoming more active in many other cities including Baltimore, Houston, Washington, D. C. , Denver, Atlanta, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Omaha, Nebraska. High-Tech Gangbanging The Internet has opened up a whole new way for gangbangers to recruit new members.As a February 2007 ABC News report states: â€Å"By posting online content that glorifies the thug lifestyle, gangs are using the Web to recruit—some using children as young as 8 years old as part of the on ­line recruiting process, known as ‘Net Banging. ‘†10 Sometimes rival gang members spar with each other online, proudly displaying their gang colors, tattoos, and gang hand signs in photos. They also use the Internet to schedule fights with each other as well as brag about crimes that they have committed. By monitoring these sites, federal and state law enforcement officials can track gang activity.Cell phones also play a crucial role in gang operations. Gangbangers communicate with each other by sending text messages, and it is not uncommon for them to use multiple phones that they discard after they have completed criminal operations such as drug trafficking. The Justice Department offers an example: â€Å"The leader of an African American street gang operating on the north side of Milwaukee used more than 20 cell phones to coordinate drug-related activities of the gang: most were prepaid phones that the leader routinely discarded and replaced. 11 Why Do Young People Join Gangs ? Law enforcement professionals say that the issue of why kids join gangs is complex. According to the Justice Policy Institute, no single risk factor or set of factors can accurately predict which young people will become gang members. One of the most common reasons kids join gangs is that they are from broken homes and desperately want to be part of a family-like group, and they perceive gangs as being able to provide that. Brandon Robinson grew up in a housing project in Kansas City, Missouri.As a participant in a 2007 survey about gangs, he told interviewers that many of those who join share the commonality of being from poverty-stricken, dysfunctional backgrounds. â€Å"You got family members on crack and you ain't eating right,† he says. â€Å"Everybody's hungry. â€Å"12 According to Robinson, gang members look out for each other, help feed each other, and stick up for each other, much like a family would. â€Å"That's when you start loving your street,†13 he says.Other reasons for joining gangs include the lure of having money to spend (from stealing or selling drugs), easy access to drugs, and protection from the dangers of the street and rival gangs. Yet many criminal justice experts say that being part of a gang does not keep kids safer at all. In fact, studies have shown that young people who are involved with gangs have a markedly higher likelihood of being injured or killed than those who are not gang-affiliated. Girl Gangs Traditionally, gangs have been dominated by males and that is still true today.But the Justice Department states that female involvement in gangs is on the upswing. A May 2008 study by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention found that in high-crime neighborhoods nearly 30 percent of girls surveyed claimed that they were members of gangs. The report ranked â€Å"young females as the fastest growing offenders in the national juvenile justice population. â€Å"14 One city that has experienced growing problems with girl gangs is Flint, Michigan. Gina Nyovane, a 22-year-old graduate of Flint Northwestern High School, has observed girl gangs in her former school and throughout the city.She says that these gangs are becoming more widespread and more violent, as she explains: â€Å"I hear it all the time. Girls are quick to pull a gun out, faster than a guy. â€Å"15 Over Labor Day weekend in 2009, members of a girl gang called the Goonies followed a car that was carrying members of a rival gang, the Dufflebacks. A young man traveling with the Goonies fired six shots at the other car, killing an 18-year-old male passenger and wounding the female driver. Can People Leave the Gang Life Behind? The common view is that people who join gangs are never allowed to leave them.The Justice Policy Institute says its research has found that gang membership is not a â€Å"one-way street† and that the typical gang member is active for a year or less. The group explains: â€Å"Thi s myth is perpetuated not only by the media but also by gang members who exaggerate the stakes of membership in order to underscore the importance and permanence of their collective bond. â€Å"16 Yet many people say that joining a gang is a lifetime commitment, and the only way someone can leave is by dying or going to prison. Former gang member Hashim Garrett was 15 years old when he was shot six times in the back and legs.Today he struggles to walk and must use forearm crutches because his right leg is paralyzed. In a speech to students at a middle school in 2008, Garrett addressed the realities of gang life: â€Å"They say they're like your family, but your loved ones don't ask much of you. Come home on time, clean up your room, be polite, eat your vegetables. The gang's going to ask more than that. Hold this gun. Hold these drugs. Prove you're wild. Maybe kill somebody. † He adds that most gang members want to quit the gang but are too afraid to do so. If you join the f ootball team and you don't like the coach, you can quit. You can't quit a gang that easy. â€Å"17 Can Gang Violence Be Stopped? Controlling gang proliferation and gang-related crime is one of the most significant challenges facing law enforcement officials every day of the year. Federal agencies such as the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives have partnered with state and local police departments throughout the United States in an effort to bring down gangs and put an end to their crime sprees.In many cities, the focus is on eliminating the leadership of gang enterprises. According to Pistole, the goal is to do more than just disrupt their activities—it is to â€Å"dismantle them entirely. † He explains: Taking apart a gang is like demolishing a building. Hacking away at individual walls and beams might damage the building, but it doesn't destroy it. But using federal drug and racketeering statutes is akin to dynamiting the foundation. On ce the gang's leadership infrastructure implodes, all members are weakened. It becomes difficult for the group to operate.Eventually, it crumbles. And so our strategy is to prosecute as many gang leaders, members, and associates as possible so there are no pieces left which are large enough to allow the gang to rebuild. 18 How Serious a Problem Are Gangs? â€Å"Following a marked decline from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, a steady resurgence of gang problems has occurred in recent years. † —James C. Howell, Arlen Egley Jr. , and Christina O'Donnell, research associates with the National Gang Center. â€Å"Wherever MS-13 goes, violence follows.Gang members have carried out beheadings and grenade attacks in Central America and have hacked people with machetes in cities along the East Coast in the United States. † —Jessica M. Vaughan and John D. Feere, policy analysts with the Center for Immigration Studies. For people in many areas of the world, includi ng the United States, gang violence is a harsh reality of life. According to the U. S. Department of Justice, the problem in America is growing worse. The Justice Department estimates that the number of gang members totaled about 1 million as of September 2008, which was an increase from 800,000 in 2005.One reason gangs continue to grow larger and more powerful is that they are fostering relationships with criminal organizations in Mexico, Central America, and Canada. This has led to a proliferation of drugs and weapons being smuggled across the U. S. border as well as an influx of illegal aliens who join gangs. To emphasize the seriousness of America's gang violence, FBI director John Pistole tells the story of a young woman who was working at a Los Angeles outdoor market in September 2007. Her newborn son, Luis, was beside her is his stroller.Members of the 18th Street gang approached one of the market's vendors, telling him that he could not sell his goods in their territory unle ss he paid them rent. He had steadfastly refused to meet their demands in the past, and when he continued to do so at the market, gang members drew their guns and opened fire on him. The man survived, but Luis did not. A stray bullet struck the baby and killed him instantly. Pistole says that this tragic incident is indicative of what is happening throughout the country: â€Å"In too many neighborhoods, too many young people are recruited into gangs.They fall into a life of crime, drugs, and violence. They shoot each other, with no regard to the innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Crime and violence are not confined to their cliques, but have a chilling effect on entire communities. â€Å"19 A Ruthlessly Vicious Gang Of all the gangs known to law enforcement, Mara Salvatrucha, or MS ­13, is one of the most violent. It started as a small Los Angeles street gang formed during the 1980s by immigrants from El Salvador. Now, however, it is among the largest and most dangerou s gangs in the United States and Central America.According to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), MS-13 has â€Å"mushroomed into the size of a small army† and â€Å"strives to be the most violent and feared gang in the world. â€Å"20 ICE states that MS-13 members have been convicted of murder, assault, extortion, kidnapping, theft, drug dealing, rape, robbery, and other violent crimes. One city that is plagued by the violence of MS-13 is Houston, Texas. Although larger gangs are active in the city, the FBI considers MS-13 to be â€Å"of particular concern because members are often heavily armed and well trained in the use of weapons and assault tactics. 21 In January 2009 MS-13 gang members robbed a Houston beauty salon at gunpoint and sexually assaulted an employee. They warned her not to go to the police, saying that if she did she would regret it. They also threatened the salon owner, telling her that they would kill her if she reported the incide nt, and they demanded that she pay them a weekly protection fee of $100. The salon owner was terrified—but she was also angry. She had seen the same kinds of crimes committed in her native El Salvador, and she was determined to fight to keep them from happening in her adopted country.Even though she feared for her life and the lives of her family members, she went to the FBI and told agents what happened. During that visit she turned over a security surveillance tape that showed the gang members' faces. About a week later the woman had not paid the protection money. In retaliation, two MS-13 gangbangers drove by the salon and sprayed the front door with bullets—but they did not get away with the violent act. Because of the tapes and the salon owner's cooperation, the FBI agents arrested seven members of the gang. As one agent explains: â€Å"This case is proof that victims of crime should not suffer in silence. He adds that the salon owner, who was placed in protectiv e custody by the FBI, â€Å"was courageous to stand up to gang members, and as a result those gang members are now in jail. â€Å"22 Violent Communities Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is often called one of America's most beautiful cities. With its tree-lined neighborhoods of stately brownstone homes, the â€Å"Magnificent Mile† shopping district, prolific theaters and restaurants, and world-renowned museums, the city attracts tourists from many different countries—yet it also has a dark and dangerous side.Law enforcement officials estimate that 50 to 60 gangs are active in Chicago and that together, they have as many as 30,000 members. Armed gangbangers roam the streets of the South Side of Chicago, committing crimes and terrorizing the people who live there. A chilling testament to this gang violence is evident in one of the city's lesser-known monuments: an arrangement of more than 150 landscaping stones, each bearing the name of a school-age chil d killed by gang violence since 2007. Police superintendent Jody Weis states that Chicago youth have become increasingly more violent over the years.He explains: â€Å"There's simply too many gangs, too many guns and too many drugs on the streets. We've got a problem with some of our young people . . . resorting to use of weapons and violence to solve any type of conflicts they may have. â€Å"23 Chicago has had a problem with gang violence for many years, but public outrage was sparked in 2007 when a 16-year-old honors student named Blair Holt was killed. Holt, who was not involved with a gang, was riding in a city bus with a friend when members of rival gangs started shooting at each other. He attempted to shield his friend by pushing her down into a seat.His heroic act saved her life, but he was fatally shot in the stomach. Afterward, his father, a Chicago police officer, expressed his despair and frustration over gangs who do not think twice about killing people: â€Å"You wo nder where it comes from. What causes a child to wantonly and blatantly hatch such an ill-conceived plan? To go out and do something like this? What makes them do it? Where is this coming from? What are the influences? â€Å"24 Chicago is far from alone in its ongoing struggle with gang violence. It is prevalent in communities all over the country.In South Carolina, for instance, the rate of gang violence has risen nearly 1,000 percent over the past decade, with the highest number of incidents reported in Colleton County. Although Colleton County is home to just 38,000 people, law enforcement investigators have identified about 20 active gangs with an estimated total of 400 members. According to Sheriff George Malone, â€Å"The violence in Colleton County is out of control. â€Å"25 One incident occurred in November 2009 in the small town of Walterboro. A group of people were playing cards in the front yard of their home when a car pulled up and suddenly opened fire on the group. A 20-month-old toddler and 2 adults were killed; 6 others were injured. Gangs in the Military According to the Justice Department, gang activity is on the upswing in the military. Members of every major street gang and some outlaw motorcycle gangs have been identified on both domestic and international military bases. One incident involved three soldiers stationed in Alaska who were charged with murder after killing a civilian as they shot at members of a rival gang. Another involved a soldier who was arrested in October 2007 for the gang-related shooting of five people in Oklahoma.A 2009 Yale Law Journal article describes one case in which a marine sergeant who was a gang member â€Å"shot his commanding officer and executive officer—both lieutenant colonels—and threatened to continue killing officers until his fellow gang members were released from confinement. â€Å"26 While on active duty, gang members may abuse their security privileges and access to weapons and other military equipment to further gang activities. For instance, military gang members may take advantage of their positions to engage in criminal acts such as trafficking illicit drugs or weapons.According to the same article, a gang member in the army who was stationed in Iraq smuggled home four AK ­47 assault rifles that were later used to commit multiple bank robberies. After gang members have been discharged from the military, they remain a serious threat to society. They can use their combat skills against rival gangs and also teach those skills to others. The Justice Department says that this poses a â€Å"potentially significant threat,† as it explains: â€Å"Gang members with military training pose a unique threat to law enforcement personnel because of the distinctive military skills that they possess . . especially if gang members trained in weapons, tactics, and planning pass this instruction on to other gang members. â€Å"27 The Justice Department adds th at such military training could ultimately result in more organized, sophisticated, and dangerous gangs as well as an increase of deadly assaults on law enforcement officers. Incarcerated Gangs Incarcerated gang members are every bit as threatening as those who are on the streets because gang members who are behind bars often control crimes that are committed outside of prison.One example is the Mexican Mafia (also known as the Eme), a violent prison gang with as many as 75,000 members. The incarcerated leaders rule over associates who are given the authority to order crimes in neighborhoods or cities. Tony Rafael, the author of the book The Mexican Mafia, explains: â€Å"Street gangsters very often are puppets of the big homies locked up in prison. The proof is overwhelming and plays itself out on an almost daily basis in almost every neighborhood in Southern California. â€Å"28Members of the Mexican Mafia and their associates have been connected with kidnapping, murder, drug tr afficking, and extortion, among other crimes. According to Rafael, the gang has grown into a large, powerful, and violent organization. He writes: â€Å"It has far-reaching intelligence and communications systems, as well as a standing army of thousands of street soldiers. â€Å"29 Rafael adds that the Mexican Mafia continues to expand its power over street crime: â€Å"Most neighborhoods in Southern California that have a strong Hispanic street gang presence feel the power of the Mexican Mafia.It took local and state law enforcement over twenty years from the founding of the Mexican Mafia to recognize its influence on the streets. It took another two decades for federal law enforcement to address the Eme as a significant criminal organization. â€Å"30 Aside from controlling crime on the streets, these gangs are also involved in violent acts inside prisons. This is a serious problem in Ohio, where attacks in state prisons have doubled from nearly 500 in 2005 to more than 1,000 during 2008.Corrections officials say that part of the increase in violence is due to an influx of gangs such as the Heartless Felons, who are known for attacking prisoners in bands of six or more. Some of the worst violence has broken out at Mansfield Reformatory, a prison built for 1,536 inmates that now houses 2,475–161 percent over capacity. â€Å"These are dangerous times,† says Shirley Pope, the director of the state's Correctional Institutional Inspection Committee. â€Å"Mansfield is overcrowded. It is understaffed and on top of that, it has this peculiar group of younger inmates who have been described as incredibly vicious.An Ongoing Problem Whether they are terrorizing people in neighborhoods, committing crimes while in the military, or reigning over street crime from inside prisons, gangs are a significant problem all over the United States. Law enforcement officials report that gangs now have a presence in every U. S. state and the District of Columbia, a nd gang membership appears to be growing. According to reports from local, state, and federal authorities, there is no sign that this situation will change anytime in the near future.

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Canadian Culture Essay - 1408 Words

Each and every one of the worlds many nations is unique in its own way. No two nations are the same in terms of the way they live. Whether it is driving on the right or left side of the road, pronouncing words a certain way or using hand gestures to communicate different meanings, each nation of the world has something that allows it to stand out. This uniqueness can come from certain religions, cultural practices, geography, history or from a multitude of other reasons. Despite this, a unique nation usually gains its originality and identity from its people. The way the people interact, live, work, play and have come to exist dictate how others perceive them as a culture. Canada is a provocative country with a divergent population.†¦show more content†¦For example, the discovery of corn in places such as Southern Ontario proved the complexity of trade routes as corn had originated in Mexico. Also, the Iroquois Constitution written somewhere around 1400, included rhetoric ab out land-ownership, freedom of religion and the rights of women. To quote Dr Poutanen, Aboriginal peoples before European contact were dynamic, complex, and culturally rich as well as diverse. . The first Europeans had contact with Aboriginals around 1000 AD with the landing of the Vikings in Newfoundland. However, long-term settlement and engagement first appeared when Jacques Cartier claimed areas of the St. Lawrence for France in 1534 under Francis I. There were many different types of encounters including contact, collision and relationship. Initially, settlers and indigenous tribes were peaceful, sharing gifts and culture. As time progressed however, natives began to lose face with Europeans. Disease burdened the Natives as their bodies were not immune to European disease. Many thousands of people died and those who didnt were forced to abide by European rule. 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