Reasons Young People Join Gangs

There are an abundance of reasons why some youth may choose to join a gang. The lacking of sense of guidance positively and

The reason behind the street gangs has been largely associated with myriad of social and economic reasons. Among the reasons as to why youth join gangs are desperation due to poverty as well as breakdown of a family as a cohesive unit. According to the survey of gang areas, Los Angeles showed identical poverty map within the area. In ss much as there are some other reasons behind youth joining gangs, when critically analyzed it, reveals that such reasons are always directly or indirectly related to family poverty and situations. Examples of these gangs are Surenos and Nortenos whose mode of operation and activities though different, share some similarities.

The primary risk factors for gang involvement come from environmental influences. "Studies have examined the effects of gender, race, and age as predictors of gang entry. In addition, family factors such as structure, income, socioeconomic status, and parental attachment also influence gang membership" (Vito & Kunselman 372). Unfortunately

Within the novel, See provides the reader with an adequate set of reasons and theories that generally support the ideology of why many individuals join gangs. Some of the main points and arguments portrayed highlight the idea that many of these traditional theories correlate and suggest a lack of opportunity for the younger generation. It is much harder for young people to become successful in society due to major emphasis on laws, poverty, social class and status. It is common characteristics such as these ones that allow for certain individuals to fall behind in society causing then to be identified outside of the norm. As a result of these legitimate means, many individuals turn to gang involvement for a sense of unity, identity, and loyalty. The gang becomes an individuals new family where everything is done collectively and no one is left out, something that may have been missing from an individuals real family. Also, being a part of this gang now allows for individuals to have a sense of self worth; it allows them to believe that they now have a true identity that reaches out and describes who they are. They are no longer lost, but instead have found a mini social institution where trust and loyalty is valued the most.

Over the past 20 years, the country has mourned the loss of many people at the hands of a juvenile. US citizens primarily blame video games, music, social media, gangs, religious affiliation, psychological abnormalities and bullying for murders carried out by juveniles. There are only two of these that I believe is a legitimate reason for juveniles to carry out a murder. I believe that gang affiliation is a legitimate reason. There are numerous situations in which children have little option in joining a gang. Refusal to join a gang can put their family members at risk. Also, being raised under strain can influence juveniles to join a gang. As far as psychological disorders, there is high unpredictability with this group. Medication can actually

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

I believe there are numerous factors that contribute to the gang violence that affects so many communities around the world. The fact that humans are not able to self regulate much of their behavior plays a major part. Control by others takes place before control by self. This means that everybody is taking their initial cues to change or modify their behavior, from an outside source. I believe that low self esteem is a factor in the decision to join a gang. I also believe that lower intelligence can make a person more likely to join a gang. It is easier for somebody with a lower intelligence to succumb to the positive reinforcements that are provided by gang membership. These include; money, praise, and friendship. Many gang members do not

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.

A gang can also provide money and stability for the youth and provide them with some sort of job and income, this is obviously acquired through committing crimes. According to our textbook Criminology Today An Integrative Introduction by Frank Schmalleger it states that, “ When we speak of a delinquent subculture, we speak of a way of life that has somehow become traditional among certain groups in American society. These groups are the boys’ gangs that flourish most conspicuously in the ‘delinquency neighborhoods’ of our larger American cities. The members of these gangs grow up, some to become law abiding citizens and other to graduate to more professional and adult forms of criminality, but the delinquent tradition is kept alive by the age-groups that succeed them.” (Schmalleger, 2015, p. 171) Most of the time youths that join gangs start at a very young age. They may feel joining a gang provides them with more than society will provide them, there are times that youths want to get out of their gang and be part of the normal society. Like it said in our textbook some of these youths that are involved in gangs are able to get out and become law abiding citizens while others stay and become more involved within their gangs. When youths are involved with gangs it

These factors include a family’s position in the social hierarchy, family violence and substance abuse, and negligence within a family. Everyone is impacted socially by their status and make decisions resulting from this. In reality, gangs do provide power. This power, however, has a negative impact and can result in dangerous actions being taken. The consequences of these actions include going to jail and death of the gang member or their loved ones. Joining gangs may initiate from the family but it also has a reciprocal effect of hurting them. This is sometimes due to the poor socialization of children. Joining a gang, however is not a normative event and is not foreseen by theoretical perspectives. The impacts of joining a gang are significant as they harm society as a whole and increase the death rate. Unfortunately, there is an increasing amount of youth gangs in Canada which is becoming harder to control. Many organizations such as the RCMP are taking action to prevent youth joining gangs. Children are with an authority figure from the day they are born and if they happen to face hardships, the chances of them integrating into a gang intensifies. Overall, influences begin from the household an individual is grown up in. Habits, beliefs, and actions come from the process of nurturing and if it does not suit the needs of the child, the child will begin to see youth gangs as an open

One of the main reasons people choose to be gangs is because they feel a sense of belonging and family.A lot of people who join gangs also don’t have a father figure or have a family but their family situation is extremely unstable. Gangs act as a substitute family that provides brotherhood and protection, something that a family is supposed to do. Another reason people choose to be gangs is because of money and greed. Drug trafficking, sexual and human trafficking are extremely profitable black markets that gangs actively participate in. In fact, according to the Global Financial Integrity, it displays data that shows,”that global drug trafficking is worth $426 billion to $652 billion, the human trafficking industry is worth $150.2 billion

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.

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

Gangs have direct effects on a society, such as increased levels of crime, violence and murder. Gangs also have long-term or late suggestions in that gang members are more likely to drop out of high school, struggle with unemployment, abuse drugs and alcohol or in end up in jail. These factors not only contribute to the gang members, but they also force taxpayers to pay for welfare and community-assistance programs. Common reasons for the younger generation to join gangs, include trying to find a place where they belong and sharing in mutual desires for safety from family problems or life challenges. Together, the feelings and attitudes among gang members haze them to act violently, often self-contradictory with rival gangs. This violence leads to injury and death of not only members but also of bystanders in the community. High gang activity also causes fear among community members, discourages business activity and obstructs home-value appreciation. Communities, also must pay for higher levels of law enforcement when gangs are prominent.