ipl-logo

Gangs And Substance Abuse's Role In Juvenile Delinquency

1187 Words5 Pages

It is estimated that 24.6 million Americans ages twelve and older are current users of illegal drugs (Schmalleger, 2015). A high percentage of juveniles that go through the juvenile justice system have some type of relationship to drugs or gang memberships. Juveniles involved in gang activity are more susceptible to substance abuse as minors and subsequently as adults. Gangs and substance abuse play a large role in juvenile delinquency. A drug is defined as a chemical that alters normal body and mind functioning. (Schmalleger, 2015) Because not all drugs are illegal there are more specific illegal substances which are just unlawful drugs that can be easily abused. Substance abuse is defined as the excessive use of alcohol, opiates, …show more content…

A gang is defined as any denotable group of adolescents working to unlawful or anti-social ends (Taylor & Fritsch, 2015). Gang members vary in ages, ranging from five years old to seventeen years old. Forty percent of gang members are juveniles. Almost half of all gang members in america are juveniles. Different gangs vary in size and how they operate. The most common form of communication for gangs is graffiti. Graffiti is defined as public markings used by gang members to identify their existence (Taylor & Fritsch, 2015). Nine out of every ten boys in juvenile detention centers have some level of gang …show more content…

They are so closely related that the greatest factor influencing local gang activity and violence is drug-related. Drug dealing is a very common occurrence within gangs because that can be a source of income. So, once a juvenile gets involved with a gang, they are exposed to drugs and other illegal substances. Another issue lending to delinquency is that once a juvenile becomes involved in a gang and begins dealing drugs, it is almost impossible to get out of the gang. Once in a gang, the juvenile is generally a member for life. Typically, gangs are adolescent males from lower-class areas of large urban centers. (Cullen & Agnew, 2014) Because 60 percent of gangs do not allow females, it causes more aggression between the males within the gangs. The second biggest factor causing gang violence is inter-gang conflicts. This problem becomes even worse when drugs are involved. Illegal substances cause an altered state of mind which then causes them to react irrationally. The trafficking of drugs and selling of drugs leads to even more violence because most of the involved people have

Show More
Related

Gangs From A Juvenile Delinquent's Perspective

88 Words | 1 Pages

Gangs. What do you think of gangs? Have you ever stopped and wondered why there are young teenagers who join gangs and commit crimes? From a juvenile delinquent’s perspective, their violent actions may not seem immoral. Joining a gang could provide a sense of belonging.

Read More

Operation Ceasefire Case Study

614 Words | 3 Pages

The language and violence play a major role but violence plays a role in a way you would not think. The language and violence intertwine because the harsh language is to prove their reputation and show they are loose cannons, but they also must engage in violence to prove they are more than talk (Decker, 1996; Kubrin, 2005). Gang violence is highly misunderstood. It is usually looked upon as gang rivalries but the misconception is wrong. The violence among gangs is usually within themselves.

Read More

Corrupting The Gang Way Research Paper

1117 Words | 5 Pages

Gang activity has been flourishing since the American Revolution in 1783 (Sante, 1991). Sadly, a great percentage of teenagers have thrived off of this gang activity. Gang activity within the youth is continuing to grow in many places such as Chicago and New York. Gang related homicides have even taken place in small towns such as Lynchburg, Virginia recently. The gang activity that is growing in the Unites States is directing our youth to death

Read More

Gangs In The Mid-1800s

673 Words | 3 Pages

A gang is “a group of people who associate with one another for social or criminal reasons” (Hagedorn). Many people want to end violence not only in homes but in the streets. Gangs are one source of violence in the streets. Gangs have been around in the United States since the mid-1800s (Hagedorn). Gangs form for social, personal, and criminal reasons.

Read More

Gang Action Plan Paper

1070 Words | 5 Pages

To the outside world gangs are simply violent groups of individuals who cause problems in the community and surrounding areas. This paper provides an action plan to resolve the gang issue over the long-term. In order to resolve the gang situation the purpose for the gang, the influences that keep it strong, and potential catalysts within the community require identification. Children and Gangs According to the AACAP (2011) the main reason children and adolescents join gangs is because they desire a sense of connection.

Read More

Youth Gangs Definition

103 Words | 1 Pages

But what is really known about American youth gangs? And how do you go about defining it? The following are elements to define what gang is and consist of. First the gang must have more than two members. The gang members usually fall around the age of 12 to 24.

Read More

Street Gang Stereotypes

557 Words | 3 Pages

Why would someone join a gang when one does not hear of anything positive about being one of their members. There are pulls and pushes to joining such as social forces, lucrative or financial forces, and ethnic forces that push many young people in the direction of gangs. Is the reputation and image of gangs more stereotypical than realistic? The stereotype of a gang is they are frightening people with only violence in mind and they appear to rule the streets of their cities.

Read More

Why Women Join Gangs

683 Words | 3 Pages

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

Read More

Kids Join Gangs

73 Words | 1 Pages

There are various factors that take part in a person joining a gang. For an example, a kid might want to join a gang because of their family. The family might not pay attention to the kid and might not show love and affection towards the kid, which causes the adolescent to move on, grow up, and join a gang. Kids join gangs for love. They want someone to take care of

Read More

Gang Violence: The Causes Of African American Gangs

1438 Words | 6 Pages

The definition of a gang as most of us know it, is an organization or group of criminals. A violent group that comes in many different types’, race, age, and geographic background. However, most gangs reside in urban areas and in poor community. The most recognizable gangs that the American media, culture, and justice system look at frequently is African American gangs. Those are the at-risk gangs or thugs that is frequently said to African American gangs.

Read More

How Does Gang Violence Affect Society

1370 Words | 6 Pages

People have a mind set that gangs are there for protection and it's really not. Gangs will leave you in two places grave or in jail. Learning about gangs is essential to understanding history and how to stay away. In order to talk about what a gang is and why you should stay away you should know what it is. A gang is a group of 3 or more individuals in a group (“What is a gang?”).

Read More

Gangs In The United States Essay

1080 Words | 5 Pages

Especially those living here in the United States. Gangs are groups of criminals that identify themselves by a group identity. These gangs bring fear and intimidation to their neighbors and communities. Usually, these gangs are identified by a common name, symbol,

Read More

Youth Gangs Research Paper

905 Words | 4 Pages

Introduction Juvenile delinquency due to gang relation has increased drastically. Many people fail to realize that gangs have a considerable influence on the decisions juveniles are making. Adolescents are easily influenced by the members of the gangs and manipulated to commit certain crimes. As juveniles they are not mentally and emotionally mature to make such critical decisions, which in turn allow gang members to manipulate and control the youth they recruit. Juveniles become a part of gangs for several reasons, including, gaining protection, governmental, and social issues.

Read More

Gangs Inflict Social Problems

1495 Words | 6 Pages

Most gangs include mainly male people who can range up to the ages of 12 to 25 years old. Gangs are commonly found in large cities, which either include a white dominant race or a black dominant race. They follow a consistent pattern of either being truants and come from unsupportive families. They can also be people who are unemployed and struggling to make means and therefore they result to gang activities. They are seen to be associated with criminal activity and violent behavior as well as prostitution and drug laundering including many other criminal offenses.

Read More

Essay On Gang Violence

1228 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the 17th-century gangs have been causing havoc in people's life and destroying the society. The National Institute of Justice (2011) has defined a gang as "A group of collective members which create an atmosphere of intimidation among citizens. " Many of these gangs are well organized, using different forms of violence to control neighbourhoods and to conduct their illegal activities. The National Gang Threat Assessment (2011) reports that “Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions.” Street Gangs have caused incidences of violence that is confined in the inner city of many countries.

Read More

More about Gangs And Substance Abuse's Role In Juvenile Delinquency

Related Topics

Open Document