The Influence Of Youth Gangs

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There are several factors that play into youths joining gangs. These factors are a big deal and can easily be fixed to lower the youth gang rate. For my research paper I will be writing about youth gangs and how factors in a childs life pertains to why they join gangs. I will research why youths get involved with gangs and how it affects the communities. I will explain what types of gangs are out there and what kids get involved in what gang. I will also explain what a gang is and how to know if someone is gang affiliated. I will also research in ways we can come together to put a stop to youth gangs. I will compare the lifestyles of these children who end up in gangs compared to the children who don’t end up being in gangs as youths. I will …show more content…

"In 2012, there was an estimated, 30,700 gangs (an increase from 29,900 in 2011) and 850,000 gang members (an increase from 782,500 in 2011) throughout 3,100 jurisdictions with gang problems (down from 3,300 in 2011) " (http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248025.pdf). This is not just youth gangs, this is all gangs in general. Just think how many youths are getting sucked into that lifestyle. Children who get into gangs need to feel safe and feel like they have a family. This is one of the biggest reasons why youths get into gangs. They feel neglected or they need a purpose. As youths grow up through their adolescent stage they lean towards groups of people who support, assure, protect and direct. (Siegel and Welsh pg. 215) Others who are in gangs show these kids who feel neglected the qualities they need to see. When you are in a gang you and your other gang members have each others back. Loyalty means so much to people in gangs. This is a big reason why youths get into gangs. They feel safe and they feel like they are part of a family. They can depend on the ones in their gang. There are several factors that play into youths joining gangs. These factors are a big deal and can easily be fixed to lower the youth gang …show more content…

A lot of gang members come from a lower-class life. Even though low class or bad neighborhoods is where most gang members come from these gangs in these types of communities don’t last long. According to the juvenile justice textbook it says that "They find that neighborhood disadvantage does promote gang membership, but that the association in not linear: at extreme levels of structural disadvantage gang membership begins to decline." (Siegel and Welsh pg. 231) A child who comes from a low-class community or a bad neighborhood is more likely to get into a gang than other kids who are from a

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