The social structure of the individual in reducing the contribution of neighborhood gangs to spreading violence in residential areas.

Abstract

The terms violence, crime, and fear have recently become closely associated with certain neighborhoods across many regions of Algeria, where crime has escalated alarmingly due to its devastating consequences, including the spread of terror and intimidation among residents. This phenomenon has repercussions for the security and stability of individuals and society, both nationally and internationally.

The phenomenon of neighborhood gangs is one of the most prominent social challenges facing contemporary societies, particularly in large cities characterized by high population density and significant social and economic disparities. This phenomenon is not merely a limited behavioral deviation, but rather the result of a dysfunction in the individual's social structure, where psychological, educational, economic, and cultural factors intersect. Hence, the importance of the individual's social development becomes clear as a preventive and strategic means aimed at forming a balanced personality capable of positive integration into society, far removed from criminal behaviors and gang affiliation. This has hastened the sounding of the alarm, and the spread of the phenomenon has attracted the attention of many specialists and researchers in various sectors. Through this research paper, we attempt to shed light on the spread of this phenomenon, which has taken on national and international dimensions, by analyzing the contribution of violence to the attraction of young people to neighborhood gangs and identifying the factors that make joining these groups an almost natural choice in their view, and the importance of the individual's social development to protect them from falling into this organization.