Examining Reasons Why Kids Join Gangs Essay

Gang involvement and its associated violent crime have become a rapidly growing problem for the United States. Generally, gangs consist of young people of the same ethnic, racial, and economic background. Usually of a low socio-economic status, these gangs engage in illegal money making activities and intimidate their neighborhoods and rival gangs with violent crimes and victimization. Gang members exemplify a high value for group loyalty and sacrifice.

In conclusion, the gathered data and research on the efficacy of existing anti-gang laws and programs is dependent on the circumstances surrounding the local government in the target area. The success of gang prevention and intervention is highly dependent on government, local and state funding, immigration enforcement, schooling, community involvement and other similar factors. Initiatives such as G.R.E.A.T. and A Better LA. provide measurable benefits but do not solidify success to the majority. Programs that are successful at teaching the consequences of gang involvement and assist with improving police and community relations are worth the investment. While the programs and initiatives may not be a saving grace for those at risk for gang activity, they have proven to reduce delinquent behavior.

Youth gangs in North American society are nothing new. When we turn on the news we often hear stories of misguided youth contributing to yet another gang related crime. Even though it is known that youth crimes are overrepresented in the media today, the subject of youth gang activity is quite a predicament to our society. Over the last few years, there has been a moral panic created by constant exposure to the media which portrays a great amount of youth crimes and violence. In Canada there are large urban cities with high proportions of young people, many of which live in poverty, that now have the issue of dealing with youth gangs and youth crimes. Toronto, British Columbia, and Ottawa are examples of Canadian cities that have

In order to come to a solution, an understanding of different aspects of the problem is required. Gangs are not a recent trend. “While they have existed in some verifiable form in the United States since the 19th century, the 1950’s showed the worst juvenile delinquency statistics the world had seen (Siegel and Welsh, 2011).” Major cities such as New York enacted curfews to help curb this issue, however at the time not many studies had been performed to realize the widespread activity and cause of such delinquency rates.

Gangs are becoming prevalent in today’s society and within our schools. More and more young people are turning to gangs in an attempt to escape their everyday lives and the future, which they perceive as dismal and bleak. They are initially attracted to the prestige and cash flow, which is glamorized by the street gang. Many gangs are actively involved in criminal misconduct, such as drug and gun trafficking, burglaries and homicides. However, street gangs are not just a criminal justice issue, but a social problem, which is triggered by poverty, peer pressure, boredom, despair and lacking a sense of belonging.

This paper discusses the gang activities in Grenville, NC. There are three main topics that include; 1) the history of gang activity. 2) Gang activity in today’s society. 3) Ways to eradicate gang activity within our community. To start what is the true definition of a gang and what is there purpose? A gang is an organized group of either friends or family with identifiable leadership claiming control over a community or territory. Gangs are driven by money, power, and opportunities to victimize enemies and the innocent to grow their criminal organization. Some anthropologists believe that the gang structure is one of the most ancient forms of human organization

It is commonly repeated that once a man joins a pack, he or she can never get out (the purported "blood-in, blood-out" statement). Be that as it may, for some young participation in a gang is a transitory event, with a huge extent staying in the group for just a moderately brief time frame. The procedures by which youth leave gangs, frequently alluded to as "desistance," are like the "push" and "force" forms by which youth join gangs, despite the fact that the particular reasons are regularly altogether different. The reasons people report for leaving the group incorporate becoming out of the pack life; thwarted expectation with the posse life; settling down, landing a steady position, and/or family needs; unforeseen parts of the posse life;

I enjoyed reading your post and opinions as to why individuals join gangs. I also think you made very valid points as far as people joining gangs to be cool. In today's society being in a gang is viewed as having more cool points. Most kids are blinded by the money and flashy materialistic things that come with being in a gang, that they do not even think about the dangers that follows being associated with a gang. I also like how you mentioned the impact the hip-hop music world has on kids wanting to join a gang. I am familiar with Y.G. and am a fan. I think he makes great hits, and I feel it is okay for him to represent where he is from, however I do not agree with his lyric promoting gangs and violence. I also think him being shot

At this time, it is impossible to believe that youth gangs and juvenile violence is a myth. There is no denying that there are gangs and they are brought about by many of America's youth who wants a quick fix in life. There are plenty of studies to back this up. Results from a national survey of law enforcement jurisdiction showed that there are almost a million gang members in the United States alone. Within that ‘million’, there were 46,000 people involved in gang accidents that spurred violent crime in the country. Due to our general information about gang formation, it is common to blame their development on poverty and other social problems. You must start by looking at the availability of drugs and weapons in the community.

On the surface, the criminogenic factors that can lead an individual towards gang involvement are similar amongst Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal gang members. However, upon closer inspection, it is the experience of colonization that drastically sets these two groups apart. That is, the impact and the trauma caused by the colonization of the Aboriginal people of Canada is the predominant factor that exacerbates and intensifies criminogenic factors associated with Aboriginal gang participation (Totten, 2009, 137; Bracken, Deane & Morrissette, 2009, 68; Peters, 2011, 83; MacRae-Krisa, 2013, 11; Goodwill, 2009, 12). The colonization process must be understood, and treated, as the originating source of Aboriginal gangs. It is

Socialization and peer influence and pressure can be a leading cause for teens to join gangs. I too was surprised that 1 in every 100 people are gang members. Between the ages of 13 and 15 the average person joins a gang. (Pyrooz, 2013). While the duration is 2 years I was unaware that gang activity had an expiration date. Every gang member that I have heard of or know is supposedly a member for life even though active gang activity diminishes with age.

Street gangs in this country can probably be traced back to the first wave of Europeans who migrated to the colonies for a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the first gangs were formed as a means of self protection, with the thinking that there is simply strength in numbers. The missions of gangs in today’s society have grown and emerged to include many violent criminal avenues, including drug trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and extortion but the original thinking that there is strength in numbers remains true. Criminology experts believe that the number of teens involved in gangs or gang activity may be as high as 1 in every 5 people in most urban areas. Those number jump to 1 in every 3 people in

The factors that go into the creation and growth of gangs goes beyond the people involved in them; but the circumstances and societal forces that push them into it. Many people depict people getting into gangs for all types of reason. Many resorting to the typical such as being rebellious, lazy, or holding a lack of morals. As I read an article on abc news regarding gangs, one man commented “All it takes is self-respect, alittle education and a backbone. I have no sympathy for gang members.” These people are ignorant to the real circumstanstances these individuals face and how much they endure. As Damien Pacman stated; a former gang member, "If you ain't got no job, you ain't got nowhere to go; after that, well, you're going to turn to the streets. The streets is calling you." Some of these factors include; and not limited to; Poverty and Family.

prove themselves by breaking into a house or to steal a car. Other times the

this is how to take care of yourself clean yourself wear nice clothes smell good. don't join no gang that's not good for a young boy like you once you join a gang it leads to a lot of stuff you could get caught by a police and end up in jail for life without bail and that could mess up your career in life. Or being in a gang you could end up shot and that could bring pain to your mother which wont be good for a mother to see her kid shot. because she will be in pain crying and stressing out in life worrying too much about her child. no mother should have to bury her child at the hands of some senseless violence. Boy wake up everyday go to school educate your mind do sports in school so you can end up in a professional football league or soccer