Why People Join Gangs

Numerous explanations have been produced as to why young people join street gangs. In my opinion the best explanation would be that many of these kids come from broken homes. Poverty and drug abuse in the home can cause young people to want to earn an income to support themselves and possibly their siblings because there is no food or other necessary items to survive on provided by the parents. These adolescents believe they cannot earn an income any other way so they decide to join a gang to make easy money to support themselves. Similarly, youths who have difficulties conforming to society often do not do well in school and a lot of the time end up on the streets during the day consequently, introduced to older gang members that take

advantage and pursuit them into joining a gang. Sadly, they fail to realize that their new found wealth has consequences that get them in trouble with law enforcement or worse.

Another explanation, but connected to my previous statements, are that they are looking for the family aspect in these older gang members. Children with parent’s who have dependency issues, lack the parental guidance needed at a young age, which can cause kids to seek the family aspect from gang members, visualizing these individuals as role models. Characteristics of gang crimes vary in subject matter. These young people recruited tend to perpetrate these crimes within their own neighborhoods which include drug dealing, extortion, shootings and murder amongst many other crimes. Gang crimes are violent as a means of the member establishing an image for themselves. The logic of today’s gangs is seen as the greater extent of violence, the more respect you will receive from senior members.

Although gang crime may never completely go away, law enforcement agencies are working together across the country to help put an end to the violence they pose to their communities. By working together, they can learn the early warning signs of what makes a person want to join a gang and possibly deter young people from the lifestyle. Setting restrictions by imposing gang injunctions can address these issues by targeting older members and keeping them away from adolescents. Unfortunately, many people have a change of heart when it is too late in their lives to realize that lifestyle brings nothing but trouble.