Why Kids Join Gangs

There are over 20,000 gangs in the United States today. Many of them are located in big, popular cities like Los Angeles, Detroit, and Chicago. in Los Angeles alone there are over 1,100 gangs with a membership of nearly 100,00 people(Dudley and Gerdes page 20). With gangs most of the time comes drugs, and weapon distribution. A survey that was conducted in 1997 estimated that 42% of gangs were involved in the selling of drugs, and that 33% of gangs were involved in drug distribution(Dudley and Gerdes page 51). Not only are gangs a big deal in the United States they are also a big deal in the rest of the world. Gangs are responsible for 10% of El Salvador’s annual murder rate of 120 killings for every 100,000 people(Dudley and Gerdes page 70). One question that is asked by many people is, “Why do kids join gangs?” Do they think it’s an acceptable way to live? A gangs most important weapon against people is fear.(Dudley and Gerdes page 20). They get kids to join their gangs by making them fear what will happen to them if they dont. Kids are peer pressured

Large, national-level Bloods gangs include gangs like the Bounty Hunter Bloods and Crenshaw Mafia Gangsters(“Street Gangs” NP). Bloods membership is estimated to consist of between 5,000 to 20,000 individuals, most of the members of this gang are African-American males(“Street Gangs” NP). Blood gangs are active in 123 cities and in 33 states(“Street Gangs” NP). The main source of income for the Bloods is the distribution of cocaine and marijuana. Bloods members are also involved in the transportation and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and, PCP. The Bloods are also involved in other criminal activity such as assault, auto theft, burglary, carjacking, drive-by shooting, extortion, homicide, identification fraud and robbery. The Bloods are one of the most dangerous gangs in the United States and feared throughout the