What are gangs? Gangs are groups of people who form an allegiance for a common purpose to commit violence or other unlawful criminal activties. Today's street gangs may claim control over a certain territory in their community, and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation there. Gangs are frequently involved with the distribution, dealing, and even use of narcotics; this is often a main source of income for members.
Gang members generally range in age from 13-21 years old, but can be as young as 9 years old. Those who join gangs often have low self-esteem, feel unloved at home, do poorly in school, and have a hard time making decisions or communicating with others. Many come from single-parent homes. Most gang members are boys, but a growing number of girls are becoming involved with gangs.
Kids join for many reasons, and each case is individual. However, reasons include: a desire for excitement and fun, a sense of belonging or family, companionship, peer pressure, attention or status, financial gain, intimidation, protection, and a failure to realize what being in a gang means. Living in a gang-infested area or having a family member in a gang increases the possiblility of a child joining one.
lack of adequate community youth support systems
too much unsupervised time for the youth
poverty
lack of self-worth
poor decision-making and communciation skills
domestic violence
media that glorifies violence
parent denial of gang problem
form of survival in gang-infested area
and many more risk factors lead to gang involvement
the development of a drug habit
lengthy arrest records that damage employment possibilities
jail/prison time
injury or death
risk of injury or other dangers to gang members family
poor education, possibility of becoming a dropout
and many more dangers of gang involvement
Networking has enabled gangs to diffuse into various cities and smaller communities throughout the country. Also, gang members often recruit young children to commit the more dangerous acts (drug dealing, shooting).
Stay informed, involved, and aware. Talk to your children about this issue. Encourage them and help build their self-esteem, so that they can avoid the mindstate that leads to joining a gang. Stay abreast of what is happening in their lives (what crowd they're with, etc.).
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