Gangs in Canada

Nowadays, gangs have become part of a regular society. Some are small and some are big, but they are spreading everywhere. Recently, gangs in Canada have been becoming a part of a large network working together - all sharing the same goal - FAST MONEY! Mafia and gangster movies plus

hardcore rap music are a perfect provoking recipee for these gang members to cause ruckus. Also a

youth growing up without a father can be put into a situation where he has to trust or depend on gang members. More than three quarters of Toronto residents say that the city is now a more dangerous place, than compared to five-six years ago. These growing gangs in Canada, especially in Toronto and Scarborough area, have been getting worse in the last six years and have been the cause of much rising violence in Canada.

In 2005, a notorious gang in Toronto called 'Malvern Crew' was raided, sixty-five alleged gang members were arrested as a result. Toronto's police officers made early morning arrest making the largest anti-gang take down in the city's history. These gang members seem to have been heavily influenced by rap music and mafia flicks - some police officers say, during the raid of the malvern crew, alot of mafia movies like 'Scarface', 'The Godfather', and rap music such as of 50 cent and G-Unit were seized. The influence of these movies can be seen on the streets when you see local gangsters calling themself 'Scarface' inspired by the role 'Al Pacino" played in the 1983 film, Scarface. Rappers like 50 cent are also a bad influence on these teenage gang members. The influences of these rappers can also be seen on the streets, when you hear them listening to songs called 'I do mine the fast way, Ski mask way' and then actually see them doing it for real. The behavior and attitude of these guys are mirrored to those rappers and characters from songs, videos, and movies.

Another reason for the rising violence in Toronto and Scarborough area's are the low-income

neighbourhoods and youths that are living without their fathers. Kids in these low-income neighbourhoods are mostly fatherless, living with just their mothers. At a young age, these kids

require a sense of security which they would normally get from their fathers, but in the absence

of their fathers, they get that security by being mean, being tough or being in gangs. An estimated 90 percent are single parent familes, majority of them headed by women in these Toronto housing projects. When the mothers are gone to their low-income jobs, the kids are usually getting raised by their siblings or the T.V. Also, some of these women bring boyfriends at home, who usually turns out to be abusive towards the woman or her kid. Eventually the kid starts to reflect back on what he sees. All these kids in the housing projects end up getting together because they all share the same experiences, the same anger towards society