Why Do People Join Gangs

Initially gang activity could only be found in large metropolitan cities, but now gangs have invaded neighborhoods of all sizes across the country. Gangs introduce violence and fear to the communities they occupy, raise the level of drug activities, and destroy businesses and property which brings down the overall value of the whole area. Instead of going to school, many young people find themselves drawn in to the gang life which in most cases either leads to being locked up or death. There are various reasons why people would want to join a gang, but no matter what that reason might be one can only expect a life of violence and troubles.

Power seekers are also drawn to gang life, which tend to commit crimes that victimize others. One ex-gang member, Lupita explains that she “liked belonging to a gang because people recognized her power and they respected her” (Bazan, Harris, and Lorentzen 380). Gang members use deceptive tactics to prey on the youth by promising protection, acceptance, power, and material wealth. Joining a gang seems to be the best option for disadvantaged youth because it gives them what they are longing for. However, this comes at a price.

Gangs originated naturally during the adolescent years of a child. They started from small play groups that eventually found themselves in conflict with other small groups of youth. Due to the conflict between the two small groups of youth it became a part of a child’s mind set to come together as a gang and protect their rights and satisfy the needs that their environment and families couldn’t provide. There are about 24,500 gangs in the U.S and out of those gangs 40% of them are juveniles (Hess, Orthmann, Wright, 2013). There are numerous reason why a child would join a gang, and the

Furthermore, the book, Youth Gangs in American Society by Randall Shelden, Sharon Tracy, and William Brown (2013) discusses several theories about why people join gangs. One theory that I think especially fits the explanation as to why people join gangs, with regards to this book, is the control/social bond theory. Shelden et al define control/social bong theory as “when a youth’s, bonds or ties, to society are weak or broken, especially with family, school and other institutions, when this occurs, a youth is apt to seek bonds with other groups, including gangs, in order to get his or her needs met”(p 193). I think so many groups in society let this boy down in My Bloody Life, including his family, the school system and even the police. Consequently with his ties to society so weak, he reached out to a gang that gave him a sense of comfort and belonging.

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

     A gang is defined as a group of individuals with the same objective that are bound together by a bond of trust. The majority of gangs are

Many think they are going to become gang famous. Lots of youths join gangs to make fast money. Young people who are not financially stable yet because of reasons such as struggling to find a job or trying to help their parents would consider getting into a gang because it is fast and easy money that can help support themselves and their family. Financially disadvantaged young people would also rather look for a fast way to earn money. In the gang life they can participate in things like one drug deal and make enough money to get materialistic items such as clothes and sneakers than actually having a real job that would take a full months earnings. The appeal of obtaining money fast can be overwhelming for children and gangs are involved in drugs and other criminal activities that give children opportunities to get money

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.

Gangs try to make individuals feel like they belong with them or they finally have a group of

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.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary (n.d.), a gang is defined as, “a group of criminals that work together.” Gangs are a powerful force that is a constant threat against society. As of 2011, the National Gang Center (n.d.) estimates there to be 782,500 gang members in the United States alone. Mara Salvatrucha 13, also known as MS-13, is one of the biggest and most threatening gangs. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) (n.d.) believes Mara Salvatrucha 13 to have an estimated 10,000 members in the United States and several thousand other members in Central America. Joining a gang is justified by the need for protection, money, and promoting a

Gangs make great promises and pray on the vulnerable. Often these promises include, giving unconditional support, and lead to becoming the family these kids probably have never had. They offer a sense of unity and support. Gangs present themselves as a means of survival to youth who lack basic fundamentals such as food, clothing and shelter. They are trying to ignore a negative home life, or may be looking for an adult figure to guide them. And, most risk factors cut across racial and ethnic lines.

Juveniles often join gangs to be accepted into a society of their peers. These juveniles are looking for acceptance and a sense of belonging. They join these gangs for special status amongst their friends, protection from other gangs, financial help, peer pressure, excitement and for some juveniles, they are born into a gang society and it is a family tradition. Gangs can also act like a family. They will praise, chastise and show them a form of love and respect that they are looking for but cannot get at home.

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

Some criminal gang members give beat downs and stab people to get initiated into the gangs. For instance if a male and wanted to be a Crip or a Blood you would have to get beat in. If females want to join they have to be sexed in. Teenagers these days join gangs because the lifestyle of money,fast cars,sex.Another reason teenagers join gangs because their tired of being told what to do their tired of being bullied by older bullies at school or in the neighborhood.For instance Stanley Tookie Williams the Original Leader of the Crips gang when he was 12 years old he began carrying a switchblade to protect himself from older bullies on the neighborhood.