Youth that don’t have support feel that “with King Lords, we had a whole bunch of folks who had our backs, no matter what. They bought us clothes and shit our momma couldn’t afford and always made sure we ate. It was just cool to have somebody take care of us for a change” (Thomas 168). Some youth living in an unstable home and community environment seek loyalty and belonging within a gang environment. Due to experiences caused by the surrounding environment, many young people feel isolated, and a sense of belonging is offered within a gang.
There is a number of reasons that range from simple to complex, on why teenagers join gangs, and we can help by finding solutions to their specific problem before they choose to join one. To help someone get out of a gang, we as a society need to show there’s more out there in the world that they could do that will make a positive impact. Teenagers have different reasons to join gangs depending on their life situation. Everyone in the “Greasers” in The Outsiders had different reasons to be part of the gang. “We were used to seeing Johnny banged up-
Secondly, today’s society is full of gangs and some of the members are born into that life and do not know any better, similar to the main character in the outsiders. “One of the worst effects of gang membership is the exposure” (Gangs and Children). Most people are either born into the gang lifestyle or have joined because they have nowhere else to turn to. Being in a gang provides people with that sense of family and
Many people join gangs to get money. The person can get money by selling illegal drugs. According to Hagedorn, gangs in the mid-1800s were big into illegal liquor sells. These gangs would sell alcohol that couldn’t be sold in stores to make money. Some other people are in gangs because they are dealing with more mentally driven problems rather than physical wants.
Some families children join gangs because they thank it is cool ,but they are not fun at all they get you into trouble. Teens look for love that is not found at home so they go and join gang because they don’t get any attention at home. Jeremy wallace wrote a story about how teens don’t get love at home so they join gangs. According to Jeremy Wallace the church helps out with gang violence and things like that. Jeremy Wallace knows a lot of thing about gangs because he is always around them.
For many years, people have feared gangs because they feel like they are in danger when they are around gang members. They would feel safe if gangs were put to a stop, but that would be very hard to do. Individuals can do things to ““avoid contact with gangs in their community”( ”(Youth 6). If a minor encounters a gang member while out on the street alone they should tell an adult that they trust. An adult can protect the child if the gang member tries to do anything to them.
According to the U.S Department of Justice (2001), the reasons that young adults join gangs can be either complex or for personal reasons. In their most recent study, it was found that just like male gang members, females join gangs because of economic problems and because of gang-family involvement and the pressure that comes from that family dynamic (pg. 2). According to Deschenes and Esbebsen (1999, pg. 63), traditionally, it is more common for males to be involved in gang and gang activity versus females. This is because this is the norm in our society and it is the stereotype when it comes to males
For families that are not intact, adolescents turn towards gangs because that seems more like a family than what they have at home. These adolescents are seeking for the feeling of a family. A recent American study of over 1700 youths found that adolescents growing up in a single-parent or step-parent family often feel estranged and consequently drift into drug use and abuse (Muehlenberg,
It can cause them to turn to joining a gang. The gang can create a sense of family for them. Also, if the movies and music that they are listening and watching glorifies gangs then they will be more likely to want to join a gang. Also having family members that are involved in the gang life, can influence a juvenile into joining a gang. An underlying mental-health issue or behavioral disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Diss tracks and tension between gangs on social media has caused deaths in teens before(Rana). A big reasons kids may join gangs are, many feel displaced, and it gives them somewhere to feel welcome (Stewart). Gangs take things very seriously, threats against each other can cause instant retaliation. Rap is a gangster’s music it is undeniable, so when a newly initiated person is getting brainwashed into believing that retaliation is key. All of this gang activity directly relates to the safety of your family and community.
Most communities are affected by gangs. Most gangs are taking over the streets and harming innocent children. As we know not only children are affected, but also innocent adults. What most gangs are doing is that if someone gets into problems with a specific gang, they will most likely go after their family members. Many times what ends up happening is that the whole family end up getting killed.
hase increst trumendusley. You know why people join gangs because they are looking for a family(3). that there on family does not even take care of them any more that they will look for a family but when they do join a gang the family just disond him but they do not know the resan does not get me wrong sometimes people just don't understand y they join gangs. but when they do it is not good because they will not get stuff done to fix it but when that try to get out of the gang they can’t because they are in the type of gang that if you try to leave they will kill u to get out but in the reason that they join gang is for food and money that they need for the family or for themselves and if they need the money(3) they can just go get a job but they.
Being apart of something makes someone feel better about themselves, but being a part of something big makes them feel great. When you join a gang, you feel stronger and more powerful, something these kids thrive
Due to gangs being in transgressing behavior it can be viewed as a social problem. However gang related activities could be based on how you define the term. George W. Knox, the creator of the National Gang Crime Research Center, believes that it depends on who defines the term. Such as a politician, a researcher or a government official. A social scientists definition is said to depict gangs as “denotable adolescent group of youngsters ”
Most gangs are made up of young males that are of a similar background and have a desire of acquiring