PREVENTION PROGRAMS

           Youth gangs have been an issue in the United States for decades.  Since the early 1980, the growth in youth gangs had increased tremendously.   Each time new immigrants migrate to the United States, a new youth gang emerges.  Conversely, new youth gangs are emerging as the American children are becoming teenagers.  Both immigrants and American teenagers are joining gangs for similar purposes.  Whatever the purposes are, these issues need to be resolve.  The government has to create more prevention programs to prevent the growth of youth gangs.  As the increase of immigrants and teenagers escalate, the numbers of youth gang prevention programs need to expand to keep up with the new youth gangs. 

           Youth gangs are emerging quickly in our country.  What should we do to prevent these individuals from joining gangs?

-          Youth are emerging so quickly that it is impossible to reach out to every teenager and prevent them from joining gang.  What the government should do is expand on the creation of youth gang prevention programs for children at a younger age.  In addition, the government should provide prevention programs for parents.  Due to the fact that parents are children’s first instructors, they can begin educating their children and steer them away from joining gangs at younger age. 

-          One of the best prevention programs in the United States is the Montreal Preventive Treatment Program (Wilson 1, 2000).  This program is design to target potential gang members from joining gangs at an early age.  The program targets individuals ages seven to nine who have a history of disruptive problems and behaviors in their earlier years.  During this program, the parents need to finish an average of seventeen training courses involving monitoring their children’s behavior, using punishment effectively, and managing family crises (Wilson 1, 2000).  These skills are use to better and prevent the children from joining gangs.  On the other hand, the children need to finish an average of nineteen training courses.  These courses are given to teach self control and improving social skills (Wilson 1, 2000).  Once both the parents and the children completed the courses, the chance of the children joining gang is very low. 

-          Gang members are overflowing in our school systems across our nation.  In schools today, we are seeing an increase of gang related fights between students.  These problems are usually caused by gang members who are also students.  They bring their preexisting gang conflicts to schools and create more conflicts at schools (Wilson 1, 2000).  Schools can prevent students from getting involved in gang by providing in school safety, control procedures, enrich procedures that will make school more enjoyable, meaningful, and effective, and have programs that involve the community (Wilson 1, 2000).  For example, creating more activities for students and getting the community to join the students in these activities might prevent the conflicts between the gangs.  Another method that the school system could do to prevent youth from joining gang is to provide school vouchers.  The voucher system works when the government issues school vouchers to the students.  Then once the students choose the school that they want to attend, they need to bring the vouchers to the school so the administrator could notify the government of their attendents.  With this system, students can choose a school that does not have gang issues.  This can prevent students from joining gang. 

-          One of the largest youth gang prevention program in the United States is Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T) program.  This program is developed to engage students in grade school to the correct path.  This program is consists of three sections.  The first section is the conflict resolution skills portion.  The second section is the cultural sensitivity portion.  The last section is the negative aspect of gang life portion.  Due to the length of the program, it usually takes about nine weeks to finish the program (Wilson 2, 2000).  At the end of the program, the individuals should have the knowledge to use many resists skills to stop the pressure needed to  join gang (Wilson 2, 2000).  This program is proven to be effective to many youth.  After the completion of the G.R.E.A.T. program, the students are reported less problems in lowering the rate of gang involvement, higher school commitment, and greater positive outcomes (Wilson 2, 2000).  By having more programs like G.R.E.A.T., the United States will have a lower youth gang involvement.

-          Another large program that is effective at preventing youth from joining gang is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).  BGCA is a club that uses different tactics to engage youth to the right path in life.  The program purpose is to prevent youth from feeling the needs to join gang.  BGCA uses technique such as recreational activities to educate and teach life skills to the youth.  The purposes of these skills and educations are to teach the youth how to enhance their communication skills, problem solving techniques, and decision making abilities (Wilson 2, 2000).  Once the youth learns these skills, they have a great chance of making the correct decision such as not joining gang.  Statistic shows that individuals who completed BGCA will avoid gangs and strongly improve in school. 

           These are a few of the many programs that are provided by the government.  Although these programs tend to work, the government needs to provide more programs.  The youth population is still growing rapidly and the access to gang is getting easier.  The government needs to create more prevention programs to effectively prevent youth from joining gang. 

Bibliography

1.    Wilson, J. (September, 2000).  Preventing Adolescent Gang Involvement.  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/182210.pdf

2.    Wilson, J. (August, 2000).  Youth Gang Programs and Strategies.  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/171154.pdf

VIOLENCE

           In the 1970’s, gangs began to change their way of resolved issues with rival gang members.  In this era, the fists fighting between the gangs had a tremendous decline, but the homicide rate escalated.  The cause of the escalating homicide rate is because the gangs are using weapons such as knives and guns to resolve their problems.  The result of the use of these weapons ended many lives (OJJDP, 2011).  Gangs no longer fight with their fist.   Killing is the new way of warning rival gang members of what would be the consequences if they disrespect the gang.  This is the beginning of getting honor and pride for defending territory (OJJDP, 2011).  Overtime, gangs changed their motives and their use of weapon.  Brass knuckles were getting unpopular and guns became the new choice of weapon.  The use of firearms escalated.  Gang members began carrying firearms in public.  Because of the easy access to firearms, violent confrontations between rival gang members were being resolved by shooting and killing.  With these weapons, youth gangs started practicing the new ways of eliminating their enemies.  The most common method is drive by shooting.  According to Violence Policy Center, drive by shooting occurs when rounds of ammunitions are fired from a vehicle (VPC, 2009).  Majority of the time, the shooter or shooters are in the vehicle as they are rapidly shooting at their targets.  Due to the rapid firing, the shooters usually miss their targets.  That is why the results of drive by shootings are usually innocent bystanders getting shot and killed.  Only a small percentage of the multiple times, the rival gang members get hit during these rampages.  Due to the drive by shootings and violence that occurred, the homicide rate escalated.  Los Angeles County recorded over twenty-seven homicides in fifteen years (VPC, 2009).  All the homicides occurred from the late 1970’s to the early 1990’s (VPC, 2009).  The majority of the homicides were gang related.  Los Angeles was not the only city that was experiencing these gang problems.  Most Major cities across the nation were also experiencing these undesirable behaviors.

In Seattle, Washington, youth gangs were known to committing more serious and violent acts.  The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recorded an increase in a variety of crimes in Seattle (OJJDP, 2011).  The majority of crimes were committed by youth gang members.  The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention also recorded youth gang members committing five times more crimes than youths who are not affiliated with gangs (OJJDP, 2011).  In Denver, Colorado, there were many changes after 1970.  Youth gang members began committing more seriour crime than ever.  After 1970, youth gang members were responsible for the majority of crimes in the city.  This involved crime such as homicides, attempted homicide, and much more.  These acts were usually committed with the use of firearms.  The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recorded youth gang members committing seven times more serious crimes than non gang affiliated individuals (OJJDP, 2011).  The use of firearm changes in the way gang members deal with their issues and the choice of weapons changed history forever.  The most violent era starts here in the 1970’s.  

Gang method of operation changed forever, since firearms were introduced to the gangs.  The lethal weapons became the number one use of choice.  Out of the different types of firearms, nine millimeters handguns quickly became the number one choice of handgun (VPC, 2009).  Gang members favor this weapon because of the size and the rounds that the gun holds.  The size of the gun made it more convenience to carry and easier to conceal.  The rounds that the gun holds also made it more convenience for the shooters.  Unlike revolvers, nine millimeters handgun holds up to sixteen shots.  With the multiple rounds, a person is more likely to get shot during a drive by. 

In a national trend data on gang homicides, it recorded a total of six hundred and thirty-three gang related homicides involving firearms in the major cities from 1980 to 1982 (OJJDP, 2011).  Imagine what would happen as time passes and the firearms multiply in the streets.  In Los Angeles, gang related homicides increase tremendously over the years.  In 1979, Los Angeles only seventy-one percent of the total homicides were gang related homicides.  In 1994, this same survey was conducted and there was a big increase from 1979.  The gang related homicides involving firearms in 1994 jumped to ninety-five percent (OJJDP, 2011).  In Chicago, Illinois, gang related homicides also had a huge increased over the years.  In 1987 to 1994, the homicide rate increased almost five times.  Firearms were the cause of increase in homicides.  As a result to these homicides, more and more gang members are carrying firearms.  As for youth gang members, their purpose for carrying a firearm is to protect themselves.  They fear that rival gang members might catch them without firearms.  Youth gang member believes that by having a weapon they are more secured and less likely to get killed.  They are more secured with weapons, but by having weapons, they are more likely to use them.  This creates more homicides and it had increased the crime rates in our nation.

Bibliography

OJJDP.  (2011).  Youth Gang and Violence.  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  http://www.ojjdp.gov/jjbulletin/9808/youth.html

VPC.  (2009, February).  Youth Gang Violence and Guns: Data Collection in California.  Violence Policy Center.   http://www.vpc.org/studies/CAgang.pdf

DRUG TRAFFICKING

           Law enforcement agencies are cracking down on drugs trafficking all over the United States.  They are targeting the major cities around the United States.  One of the areas that they focus most on is the border of United States and Mexico.   Within the borders, Border Patrol Agents have caught multiple youth attempting to smuggle drugs into the United States.  In some cases, Border Patrol Agents were able to catch youth while they are operating vehicle filled with marijuana.  For example, in one case, Custom and Border Patrol Agents caught eight juveniles smuggling three hundred and eighty-eight pounds of marijuana and almost five pounds of cocaine (Brezosky, 2009).  In addition, law enforcement officers were also targeting drug dealer that are associated with gangs in Los Angeles County.  In one month, law enforcement agencies have arrested one thousand four hundred and fifty-three drug dealers.  Of those arrested individuals, three hundred and fifteen of them were juvenile (Lamar, 2001).  These groups of criminals were put into the Los Angeles County’s Juvenile System.  Thejuvenile facility was designed for one thousand three hundred and seventeen people, but the facility was holding over two thousand people for numerous years (Lamar, 2001).  However, due to the illegal drugs, Los Angeles County was not the only county to face this problem.  Major cities such as New York and Detroit were also having issues with overflowing juveniles in the system.  

The juvenile systems are over flowing because many youth are getting arrested for possession of drugs and dealing drugs.  Although youth are getting arrested for initiating these activities, it is not deterring them from getting back to the illegal drug business.  What is motivating them to continue these criminal activities?

           There are many reasons that motivate youth to commit illegal activities.  The majority of youth who participate in these illegal activities are individuals who live or lived in poverty.  Some of these individuals grew up in household where there is a lack of a male model.  On the other hand, the mother is present, but she is either working a minimum wage job or living off of state aids, welfare (Lamar, 2001).  The income that the family received monthly is very little.  This means that the family is struggling to get by.  Some individuals will try to find jobs to help their family, but due to the economy crisis, the lack of education, and their age, they are usually out of luck.  Although it is hard to find jobs in our jobs enterprise, drug cartels and adult prison gang members are recruiting youth to run their drug business in the black market.  Also unlike the other minimum wage jobs, drug cartels and prison gang members are paying these individuals a price they cannot refuse.  Children ages nine and ten are oftenoffered a hundred dollar per day to look out for police officers.  Their job is to notify the dealers when a police officer is present in their neighborhood or are near their place of drug dealing.  The youth who are a little older and have more experience can be runners.  Runners are individuals who transport the drugs from the supply house to the dealers.  They make up to three hundred dollar a day.  Once they become experts of the business, they can have the dealer’s position.  Dealers are individuals who stand on the streets corners and sell drugs.  They can make up to three thousand dollar a day (Lamar, 2001).  The incomes that individuals make vary from neighborhoods and states.  In most major cities like New York and Los Angeles, drug dealers usually make more money compared to those cities like Sacramento and Stockton.  Whatever the dealers makes, keep in mind that these individuals are kids.  The money that they received is much more than what an average kid receives for allowance.  Imagine what these kids can do with the drug money. 

           In the article, “Kids Who Sell Crack,” author Lamar stated that children who sell drugs usually used their profits to show off their wealth (Lamar, 2001).  They will only purchase name brand items and items that are known to be celebrity’s items.  For example, Los Angeles is known to be one of the biggest movie production cities.  Due to the fashions and wealth that the city is known for, it hasinfluenced many people to dress and live the life style of celebrities.  Therefore, youth individuals who have money will usually purchase name brand clothing, glamorous cars, jewelries, and live the luxury life of celebrities.  Sometimes, the individuals do not have to buy the items.  The other alternative is to rent the items as a way to show off their wealth.  For instance, a thirteen year old drug dealer in Los Angeles brags how he uses his drug money to rent a new Nissan Z on the weekends (Lamar, 2001).  He would drive the vehicle around to show off his wealth.  Also, he would buy gold necklace and expensive clothing to make his wealth present for other to see.  As other youth see his wealth, they are motivated to do what is necessary to gain the same wealth.  For example, a child who is seven years older than Frog admits to this motivation.  Jeff Woodberry said that his role models are individuals who make a lot of money (Lamar, 2001).  That is why he got into the illegal drug trade and started dealing drugs.  After a few years of dealing drugs, he stated that he averaged about two hundred thousand dollars a year.  That is more than what most people make and definitely more than what youth make.  This gives Woodberry the chance to buy all the expensive items and show off his wealth.  Now, it is his turn to motivate others to deal drugs to make the big income.  This process is a cycle that will keep on motivating others to get into the drug business. 

           Although many law enforcement agencies are cracking down on illegal drugs, many youth are still motivated to get into the illegal drug trade.  Most of the youth individuals that are involved in the illegal drug trade are individuals who live in poverty.  Due to their lack of income, when there is an opportunity to make easy money they take the opportunity without hesitating.  Some youth individuals see drug dealing as a way of making money to support the American dream.  They will pursue their dream even if law enforcement agencies are cracking down on them.

Bibliography

Brezosky, Lynn.  (2009, December).  Cartels’ youth recruitment worries authorities.  Street Gangs.  http://www.streetgangs.com/news/120709_cartelyouthrec

Lamar, Jacob.  (2001, June).  Kids Who Sell Cracks. Time Magazine Inc 2011.  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,149199,00.html

WHY YOUTH JOIN GANG

In our country today, many youth are affiliated with gangs.  In a recent study, the National Gang Intelligence Center states that there are currently more than one million known gang members in the United States (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009).  Of those known gang members, four hundred thousands of them are juveniles (Gang Statistics, 2009).  How come a large percentage of youth are joining gangs?  What attracts the youth group to gangs?  There are many reasons why youth are involved in the gang life.  Youth join gangs for one or more of five reasons.  Also, their purposes of joining gangs vary from person to person.  The first reason for joining gangs is for physiological purposes.  The second reason for joining gang is for safety.  The third reason is to feel that they belonging to something.  The fourth reason is self esteem.  The last reason for joining is self-actualization.  Due to these reasons, the youth gangs in our country are multiplying.    

          A percentage of youth group joins gangs for physiological reasons.  Some people have the elements of gang members.  For example, in the article, “Why Youth Join Gangs?,” the author states that youth who have histories of drugs usage and violent delinquency are highly expected to become gang members (Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1998).  Due to the fact that these individuals and gangs have similarities, some individuals join gangs.  Others join gangs for the gang lifestyle.  Within the teenage years, many youth individuals are experiencing new things.  Usually, the youth individuals are drawn to the partying lifestyle, the female, the drugs, and the alcohols.  If the gangs could provide youth with the lifestyle, they are more likely to join the gangs (Morrissey, 2011).  Therefore, when youth feels their needs have been fulfilled by a gang, they’ll join the group.   

          Providing safety for youth is another way to persuade them to join the gang.  Protection is one of the safety reasons why youth join gangs (Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1998).  Some of these individuals don’t have the chance to choose if they want to be gang members or not.  If they don’t join the gang, they will get physically assaulted each time the gang sees them.  Youth also joins gangs for the protection against other gangs.  Usually, gangs from other neighborhoods will assault innocent people due to the fact that they reside in a different neighborhood.   Another reason for joining gangs is for employment purposes (Morrissey, 2011).  This is because getting a job is hard for individuals with no or little education.  By joining the gangs, the gangs will provide narcotics to them.  After selling the narcotics, they will receive a portion of the drug money.  By joining gangs, they provide youth with safety and security.

          Other ways to attract youth to gangs is by providing the sense of belonging and esteem to the individuals.  In some of the cases, youth join gangs because their family members are members of that gang (Palomares, 2006).  By joining the gang, they feel more attach to their love ones.  At the same time, they are gaining a second family.  This entire bond make youth feel more important and feel the sense of belonging and esteem from the gang.  They also feel the respected by gang members (Palomares, 2006).  Thurs, youth are attracted to gangs because they want the belongingness and esteem from the gang.

          Lastly, a small portion of youth joins gang for self-actualization.  Some of the youth individuals joined gangs because that’s what they want for their lives.  There are no other purposes for joining the gangs.  For example, they are not benefitting by joining the gang.  These individuals are becoming more and more of what they are.  They are reaching their max at what they are doing. 

          Youth are joining gangs for sense of fulfillment.  Over the decades, youth gang members are multiplying due to that fact.  The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs explains why these individuals are joining gangs.  They are joining gangs because they need something or someone.  We should find different ways to fulfill youth needs.  By providing something or someone to these individuals, they might be prevented or deterred from joining gangs.      

National Gang Intelligence Center  

National Gang threat Assessment 2009.  Retrieved September 11, 2011 from National Gang Intelligence Center Web Site http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs32/32146/gangs.htm

Gang Statistics

Gang Statistics. Retrieved September 20, 2011 from Gang Prevention for Schools and Communities Web Site http://www.helpinggangyouth.com/statistics.html

Juvenile Justice Bulletin

Why Do Youth Join Gangs?. Retrieved September 20, 2011 from Juvenile Justice Bulletin Web Site http://www.ojjdp.gov/jjbulletin/9808/why.html

Morrissey

Morrissey, Mitchell. (2011, September). Why Do Kids Join Gangs?  http://www.denverda.org/prosecution_units/Gang/Why_Do_Kids_Join_Gangs.htm

Palomares

Palomares, Rueben. (2006, May).  Why do Teens Join Gangs?  http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=71e1c80cb69b2e741167c3a0709c9ec1

Youth and Gang

              In cities across the United States, a large percentage of youths are joining gangs.  Especially in the past few decades, youth gangs are becoming more common and a growing concern for Americans.  The problem is caused by the rapid growth of youth gang population.  This growth in gang population also brought an increase to the crime rates.  Youth represents a huge portion of the gang populations and are responsible for the escalation of these crime rates.  According to “The National Gang Intelligence Center,” they documented approximately one million gang members in the United States.  Of those documented gang members, approximately four hundred thousands of them are youths (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009). 

               Media across the country are focusing on youth gang issues, but what is the identification of Youth Gang?  Who belongs to that group?

            What is considered Youth Gang?  There might be many explanations and definitions of youth gang, but this is my definition of youth gang.  If individuals fit in the following descriptions, they have a good chance of belong to a youth gang.

-           Youth

·         age from twelve to twenty-four.

·         a condition of being young

·         a time of life from puberty to the attainment of full growth

-          Under the California Penal Code Section 186.22 (f):

·         a street gang is defined as any organization, association or group of three or more persons

·         whether formal or informal

·         has continuity of purpose.  For example, the group repeatedly commit the same type of offense

·         seeks a group identity.  For example, the persons claims a specific name or they have the same tatoos

·          has members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity.

Bibliography    

National Gang threat Assessment 2009.  Retrieved September 11, 2011 from National Gang Intelligence Center Web Site http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs32/32146/gangs.htm

Street Gangs (2011).  Definition of Criminal Street Gang.  What is a Gang?.  http://www.streetgangs.com/laws/definition_gang.html

Wilson, J. (September, 2000).  Preventing Adolescent Gang Involvement.  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/182210.pdf