Always Running, By Luis J. Rodriguez

Situated oftentimes between violence and death, being recruited in this criminal lifestyle is a risk that these young adults take everyday. However, for these members, gangs offer a second family, a reliable family, many of them come from broken homes or are seeking the stability found in a family unit.. This is one of the main reasons why the youth are drawn to gangs. Take it from Juan Carlos Lopez known as “Spanky” from “G-Dog and the Homeboys” by, Celeste Fremon. His life is no different from the people who decide to join a gang. He was a runaway teen at the age of

Prior to being assigned the reading of the memoir “Always Running”, by Luis Rodriguez, I had never given much thought on juveniles involved in gang life. Rodriguez achieved success as an award-winning poet; sure the streets would no longer haunt him - until his own son joined a gang. Rodriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in the vivid memoir, “Always Running.” “Always Running” is the compilation of events Luis experienced during his youth in San Gabriel. The theme of the book is to always strive for the best things in life and to always take a stand for what you believe. Lured by the seemingly invincible gang culture of East L.A., he witnessed countless shootings and beatings, as well as senseless acts of street crime against his friends and family members. As a Latino in a poor neighborhood, Luis struggled through criticism, stereotypes, and mistreatment. With the help of his mentor, Chente, Luis saw a way out through education and the power of word to successfully break free from years of violence and desperation.

We also learn about the new SAT and its essay component, which some college completely ignore. Some college and universities are eliminating their requirement for the SAT or ACT in an effort to minimize their importance and stress that surrounds them.

In Always Running, Luis J. Rodriguez recalls his time growing up in Los Angeles during the 60s and 70s. Rodriguez writes of the hardships that his family had first encountered while trying to assimilate into American society and how he would often, while growing up, be criminalized by his teachers, law enforcement, other people, his peers, his community, and eventually people who cared most for him. Rodriguez recalls the times where he and some friends came together and created a family, a brotherhood of sort, in order to fulfill his need of belonging, but as other people in the community had also formed groups to consolidate power, thus marked the beginning of rivalry and the introduction of gangs. Rodriguez’s gang life had been filled with tragedies and filled with great times, but ultimately he tried to leave the life of crime and commit to an education. Rodriguez tried stepping away from the gang lifestyle by going to school and writing poetry, but ended up back in the life of crime after a serious altercation with the police. When Rodriguez went back to his gang lifestyle, he found the same gang that treated him as a brother, had shunned him away after Rodriguez had offered a solution to wither away the gang violence.

Having been raised in a system in which violence is normalized and embraced, it is not uncommon for gang members to perpetrate gang rape alongside their other acts of everyday violence to elevate their status within the gang. It is without a doubt that in street culture rape plays a prevalent role in adolescent socialization, and is therefore devalued and normalized (Bourgois 344). Gang rape provides shelter from individual responsibility and guilt, because since there is no one instigator, each can claim that they were merely going along with it. Furthermore, gang rape is used as a community unifier, separating the in and the out crowds. In the case of Primo, “learning to be a rapist was very definitely part of Primo’s coming of age. Tagging after the ‘big boys’ on the street, he was repeatedly excluded for being too young - or not wanting - to participate” (Bourgois 344). Only by joining in on the rape was Primo inducted into the group and accepted as part of the gang. The everyday violence of gang rape, as horrendous as it is, acted as a bond between gang members.

Determined to help his audience - people who stereotype against and do not understand gang life - find commonalities with gang members, Fr. Boyle shares his experiences with gangs in Los Angeles. At the beginning of the novel, Fr. Boyle articulates his thesis and expresses his purpose for sharing his experiences when he states, “Though this book does not concern itself with solving the gang problem, it does aspire to broaden the parameters of our kinship. It hopes not only to put a human face on the gang member, but to recognize our own wounds in the broken

Luis had a very rough and unfair childhood. He and his family were constantly moving because they were economically unstable and because of how much involvement he had with gang violence. As Luis gets more involved in the gang life him and his friends began to establish a gang called, “The Impersonations.” On page 41 in the book he says, “The impersonations is how we wove something out of the threads of nothing.” At one point Luis and his gang family thought that was all they could rely on at the time.

The life-course perspective goes into detail about the onset, persistence, and the desistance process and show that there are connections that are present, and once these connections linger, then the relinquishing of the power that gangs have over people is released. These researchers note that often times juveniles are joining particular gangs, participate, and then leave. So, when studying this process, Pyrooz & colleagues’ (2010) found that by using the conceptual framework that life-course perspective adds, we can better understand the organization and the process of how gangs work over time. This research also provided us with an understanding of the ties that members associate with their respective gangs, and just how hard it is to break those ties and let go of the gang lifestyle through the life-course. In regards to these ties, the researchers concluded that leaving a gang can be tumultuous, it is a time of confusion and possible victimization. Another significant finding was that leaving a gang is not the same process for everyone, there are diverse variables that affect individuals differently. If these variables are not taken into consideration, then the ties to the gang and the desistance process is likely to be less successful (Pyrooz & colleagues,

In “Tattoos on the Heart,” by Gregory Boyle, Boyle experiences how to deal with gangs. The novel, a compelling story about gang violence and one man’s response towards giving those buried within it, tells a story of gang members working for a chance of redemption and solace. Can others be seen as fathers or even as a role models when gang life is such a large force in their lives? Through the story gangbangers that try to change themselves for the pursuit of a better future and a desire to succeed and escape gang life, Boyle tells an emotional, human story about life in the Los Angeles barrios. Boyle characteristics represent him as a father for three gang bangers: Joey Cesar, and Scrappy. While

Over the course of the study, Rios witnessed firsthand how all the adolescent boys were brutalized by rival gangs, peers, officers, and social institutions such as schools whether the boys were labeled delinquent or not. A large majority of the boys were arrested at some time during the study and all the boys were regularly searched by police on random occasions for no other reason than that the officers believed they appeared suspicious. The boys faced a vicious cycle of social controls that demanded unrealistic expectations. When the boys were unable to accomplish the goals society demanded of them, they were labeled deviants and criminals with no support of the community or state in overcoming the

In Luis J. Rodriguez’s novel, Always Running, there were many scenarios when Grillo’s character changes throughout the story. These changes include joining a gang, dropping out of high school and drug use. He hit rock bottom in his life by surrounding himself with the wrong people, causing traumatic situations to now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

In Grillo's early childhood, he faced many financial problems which impacted him to change and join a gang for financial gain. His parents were constantly working, his mother clean houses and his father was a janitor. They would remain without electricity, one day they decide to go out to eat and Grillo refused to go inside the restaurant. His mother begged him, “No I don't want to go inside, I yelled. And why not? My mother demanded, por el amor de dios aren't you hungry? I pointed a finger to a sign on the door. It read, Come In, Cold Inside”. This quote shows how Grillo to feel weak and in turn prompted him to change and turn to gang activity to make money.

In the story Always Running, the main character Grillo changes throughout the story mentally and physically by abusing drugs, joining gangs and his thoughts on education. In the beginning of the story Grillo is just a normal mischievous kid with typical family problems until he gets affiliated with dangerous drugs and changes drastically. One change Grillo Grillo makes in his life is to abuse drugs, he was first introduced to them at age 13.

And try not to forget what comes with the Barrio, though these issues are not explored in this book gang violence and drugs are common issues within ghettos around the world today. The main issue/problem for the main character Lincoln Mendoza is having to adjust

The sociological analysis of gang membership explores the different types of effects that arise due to criminal involvement. Because of the social conflicts that are associated with gang membership, this paper will explore the different theories of social learning and both personal and control issues that relate to the recent surge in crime across Chicago. As we open the doors of a crime ridden society, the truth begins to unfold. It isn’t just the thought of helping, it is the action that remains the barrier between living a life of crime or a life that carries hope.