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
Interesting topic and I am glad you chose this topic. Today, it is important that young teens do not get involve in gangs and concentrate on school and their future. Joining gangs can ruin their lives and cause harm to them and their families. I love this topic and I am looking forward to reading more because I have family members that were in gangs and made all the wrong decisions and seeing that you are writing about it and having passion for it just makes it more interesting. Very good blog and looking forward to read more.
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog, I agree, youths who have difficult lifestyles are more prone to join a gang opposed to youths who have a traditional upbringing.
ReplyDeleteGangs are a big issue not just in the United States but in other parts of the world. I liked how you explained the reasons why youth join gangs. It is sad but true that many youths are destroying their lives by joining gangs.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a very good blog post. The detail in it helped me (who knows very little about gangs) to try and get in the minds of the youth and try to understand what motivates them to do what they do. After looking at the five reasons, it seems quite logical that they will join to be safe or be/follow a family member.
ReplyDeleteThis particular blog grabbed my attention for two reasons, first it describes step by step why and how youths can get involved in gangs which makes perfect sense to me coming from a small community and county where gang activity is relatively high. (Salinas Valley). Secondly it goes into detail and parallel to what is being taught in a Juvenile Delinquency class at sac state as well. Piecing these two sources together from my perspective really reflects on this blog. My question would be is how much of an influence does family place on the youth? and would ethnic background play a factor in this influence?
ReplyDeleteI think kids join gangs to be accepted. This incorporates safety, belong and self-esteem. But kids are joining gangs younger and younger, and are getting trapped in the gang life style way early in their lives. Usually the burn out stage is around 25 so if kids are joining at a younger age, that probably means the will be gang banging for a longer time period. I think we need to have some programs that get to kids before gangs have a chance to corrupt them.
ReplyDeleteI spent a year working with "at risk" high school youth who were identified as either already involved in gang behavior or at risk for involvement. It was so interesting to see the parallels between my high school experience and theirs; particularly with respect to the reasons for their behavior. I went to a small, sheltered school with in a low crime area. I played football and had social groups for acceptance and while we occasionally went out and did some bad things, it was nothing on the level of the activities that gang youth engage in. However the kids that I mentored seemed to be interested in the same things that I was such as acceptance and earning the respect of a social group. I am a strong supporter of providing youths with meaningful activities to engage them in an effort to deter gang behavior. Unfortunately some communities lack the resources for this...
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