Motivating Gang Members Research Paper

I have almost 18 of working with at-risk youth to provide intervention, diversion or employment services and program referrals starting in 1998 with the Mayor’s Gang Intervention Project Pride Program as a Youth Outreach Worker I. My population target was at risk a high-risk, gang-impacted 12 to 18 year old participants at the Gardner Community Center located in a highly gang-impacted neighborhood where there is a multi-generational Norteno gang influence from one of the oldest gangs in the city of San Jose, Varrio Horse Shoe. I was in charged of implementing pro-social activities like educational and recreational field trips, which included college campus visits and teamwork oriented recreational activities like white water rafting and camping

Many problems persist in communities like the ones described in the articles, “If You Want to Observe’ Em, Join ‘Em” and “Gang Leader for a Day”. Problems consist of high crime rates, poor housing and living conditions, and an increase in violence. These effects happen in those areas because they are usually an “open social network”. They do not have the information like the middle and upper class have. If they have school systems in their society it is not the best education young kids should be getting. The resources are not easily available like we have them. According to James Coleman, “Information is important in providing a basis for action. But acquisition of information is costly” (S104). Coleman states that since receiving information

Some truths are universal. A child comes into this world with needs. Infants need to be physically close to their mother and be able to receive and give affection to form an ever-lasting emotional bond. Children need to feel that they are safe, that they will never be abandoned, and that they are loved and valued. This deeply special relationship between a mother and child steers the person's relationships for rest of his or her life. If this relationship is close and secure, then the child learns to trust and love. If this relationship is emotionally distant and inconsistent, and especially if there is abuse, then the child learns not to trust or care and believes that he or she is all alone and the world becomes a very large and

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

I think you did a great job on your post as well as explaining the reasons why you think people join gangs. I agree that the main or most important reason people join gangs is for a sense of belonging or the need to feel a part of the family. I also like the point in which you made regarding the qualities of a gang and how they hardly display components of a family or team based on cultural aspects. I think your use of statistics was great and contained vital information regarding the increase in gang participation. All of your ideas were great. Nice post!

Increasingly, children are being raised in homes disrupted by divorce and economic stress; too many children emerge "under socialized" and "under supervised." (Fox 117). Of all the negative influences that have affected gang members, the roots are found within below average economic situations. The people with less than adequate paying jobs are more inclined to poverty and thus subjected to more afflicted ways of life. Youth living these impoverished lives in lower class areas are more prone to joining gangs because they face it everyday. ¡°Poverty has a cumulative effect, and that burden feels the heaviest on the shoulders of the youngest and weakest children.¡±(Fleisher 248) In situations where children are in neither a good family nor have a stable financial situation, nor well supervised, it is very easy for them to divert to gangs. In a society where more than 57% of children do not have the necessary full-time supervision they need (Fox 117), these children tend to fulfill their desire to be part of a family by joining gangs. ¡°Often they [gangs] offer protection and acceptance to ghetto youths who come from broken homes with little security.¡±(Grinney 76) It has been proved that there is a correlation between the status of an individual's family, and the higher chance that individual has of joining a gang. "Key informants in this study who were regular gang members were found

Pursuing the discussion of gang culture further, young people often embrace the gang life as a sense of belonging (Regan, 2011, p.55). Another proposing influential factor may be family for young people; some families have been experiencing breakdowns, hence resulting certain youths to grasp the opportunity of joining gangs. Willow (1999, cited in Smith, 2007, p.198) who argues that young people are ‘pressured’ into joining gangs, due to having negative issues within family homes – in evidence of this point, Willow (1999) states that “Some people in gangs get involved because they could have a bad life at home” (Smith, p.198, 2007) That being said, broken homes and a lack of fatherhood could possibly be the reason for an increase in gang involvement

According to the authors of Gangs, Graffiti, and Violence, they state that young people join street gangs for social and economic reasons (Leet, 2000). However, one of the main factors young people join gangs is due to the lack of stability of being raised in an unstable family environment. For instance, gang members raised in a single parent home by their mother, usually in her early thirties, caring for three or four children at a time, on her own without the presence of a male father figure. As a result of being a single parent, the mother is forced to work long hours and at times more than one job just to make ends meet, which results in the children being left unattended without any adult supervision or the older sibling left babysitting his or her younger siblings. In addition to the lack of supervision the moment the child gets into trouble with law enforcement officers, the mother comes to her child’s rescue excusing his actions and behavior. This type of behavior and attitude from the mother encourages the problematic youth to persist in his reckless behavior because she refuses to punish him in his wrongdoings. Therefore, the child grows up playing the victim, blaming society for his downfalls and shortcomings instead of taking responsibility for his or her own actions (Leet, 2000, pp. 10). As stated in Changing Course: Keeping Kids out of Gangs, affirms that in 2010 45% of high school students and 35% of middle-schoolers were either in gangs or reflected on

The definition of a gang crime by the law enforcement officials takes two dimensions but they employ one of the definitions in order to measure and tackle this problem in the society. The first definition considers gang-related all crimes committed by individuals who belong to a particular gang without regard to the circumstances surrounding such crimes or the nature of the offense. This therefore is a member-based definition of gang crime. Another but more restrictive definition is that a gang crime is committed if and when such occurs as part of the function of a gang or for the benefit of the gang and therefore is strictly gang-motivated. Based on the evidence that gang-motivated crimes constitute more than half of gang

Hagedorn, M. J. (1996) examined the nature American street gangs. The research shows historical evolution of gangs’ prevalence in US and major reasons for their enormous growth in various regions. Gangs erupted from economically under privileged communities while others inherited their gang background from their families and continued in America. The gang culture evolved and attracted hundreds of people mainly youth. Hagedorn stressed upon the equal division of economic development and job throughout major gang area. Furthermore, he examined that the growth of gangs in the country began after the influx of migrants after world war two.

Interesting topic and well discussed. The influence of gangs on levels of youth violence is greater than the influence of other delinquents. Teens commit way more serious and violent crimes while being a gang member than they do if they leave the gang, or not being in a gang at all. Gang influence last a long time and it’s pretty difficult to overcome (trying to help teens leave a gang). Being a gang member intensifies a youth behavior, and they are far more involved in delinquency. So much, that the community rarely gets involve because they feel as though a child in a gang is hopeless and helpless. I don’t really think people see young gang members as children, when compared to a regular/ minor delinquent. (I think it’s unfair) As

You have made valid points William. I too was not surprised to see what the research showed as contributing factors as to why youth’s join gangs. Family members already affiliated with a gang and peer pressure is the two leading variables that sway vulnerable youth’s towards gang activity. I understand how easy it can be to be swayed into gang activity if you do not have the support system at home. Without being taught proper morals and values and having strong role models to emulate, youth’s often are led down the wrong path towards drugs, alcohol, and other illegal activities. I agree with Dr. Drown, even youth’s that come from a strong family support system do choose to go down the wrong path because of psychological

Have you thought about gangs and why people join. Some say that they are substitut families and other think that’s a myth but can tell you what two people think. Jeremy Wallace states that they are because most come from broken families also he lives near gang territories in his hometown and is a priest. Dr.Samenow states that gangs being a substitute is a myth because if that was the case gangs would be overflowing also gangs resemble families meaning that they aren't real families. But I think that they are because all people need love from someone so gangs are the way to go because they can be treated like family since a small amount of teens but still need someone for a sub family.

Gangs and Violence happen all the time, studies show that kids age 14-18 may think that they can not get into gangs but you can easily become a victim of a gang. In addition, violence is a force of violating, damaging, and abusing property. Today’s teenagers (which i refer to as the class) who join gangs may often have a hard time at school, have low self-esteem,and often feel unloved at home.So that’s why you never think about joining because your loved ones may not look at you the same and your friends will become your worst enemies. Think again when you are ask to join a gang, just be like “sorry will not that interested in gangs”.If you do this you would obviously look like the bigger and better person. If you do this your family will show

The reasons as to why people join gangs are many and varied. Indeed, this has over time proven to be an issue of interest amongst many developmental psychologists. Familiarizing ourselves with the various reasons for gang membership could ease the development of programs meant to bring down the number of individuals joining gangs. Further, this could in the long-term turn out to be a step in the right direction as far as the suppression of gang activity is concerned. It is important to note that there exists an urgent need to discourage membership to gangs given the damage such groupings occasion to the society. Apart from raising crime rates, gangs are in most cases also blamed for encouraging drug use given the role they play in drug trade. It is however important to note that though quite a number of reasons have been advanced in an attempt to explain why individuals join gangs, the role household instability plays in influencing gang membership is more often than not underplayed. This effectively means that in seeking to explain the various reasons for gang membership, issues like the need for protection, economic benefit, influence from friends etc have been given more prominence than household instability.