Youth Participation In Gangs Essay - 1141 Words

Youth participation in gangs actually decreased from 1996 to 2004, but the violence within these gangs has not. Homicides committed by youth gang members still remain as a monumental problem across the United States of America. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reported in its 2004 survey of youth gangs that there were an estimated 760,000 gang members that year. Many of the kids affiliated with gangs come from lower income, single parent homes; therefore, the youths of America often turn to gangs to fill the void of not being part of a â€Å"family†. To combat this problem and save our youth from a life of malfeasance, the people of the communities of America must take a stand against the negative influences that impact†¦show more content†¦Although there is no trend data that would prove that drug trafficking and gangs coincide with one another, there are numerous studies that show that gangs, such as the Chicago Vice Lords, have had substant ial involvement in the drug trade since the mid 1980’s (Decker Howell P2). To fully understand why the level of violence is so high amongst youth gangs, we must first understand what factors can be associated with joining a gang. According to Sue Titus Reid, â€Å"poverty, unstable living conditions, the availability of drugs and alcohol, parents who tolerate or commit violence, falling behind or failing in school, and ‘hanging out’ with delinquents† (Reid, 2008, p.375) are all factors that can contribute to joining a gang. Of course not all gang members fall under all of these categories. However, these are the main contributing factors. Among the factors listed, availability of drugs and/or alcohol and parents who tolerate or commit violence are the two most influential agents for a gang member to commit violence as well. In fact, a child who is exposed to violence in the home is 30-40% more likely to commit violence as they grow older themselves. After joining a gang that percentage increases to 60-70%. The other issue is the involvement of drugs. The drug trade often goes hand in hand with gang activity. There are multiple opinions and arguments as toShow MoreRelatedA Formal Description For A Youth Gang1503 Words   |  7 Pagesinto groups that society often refers to as gangs. It is accurate to say that gangs contribute immensely to crime and delinquency however, to say that this is the purpose of all gangs would be misleading. Gangs should instead be seen as existing on a continuum, some ranging from groups of peers who spend time together and may get into trouble, to others who participate in more serious crimes (Gorden, 2000, p. 4). In terms of a specific definition for a gang, there really is not one that has been fullyRead MoreThe Incarceration Of The United States1044 Words   |  5 Pagesincarcerated (World Prison Brief, 2016), of whom many are juveniles. It is well documented that youths who enter this system are more likely to suffer a host of negative health and lifest yle outcomes, such as alcohol/drug abuse, high school dropout, and mental health problems. Such phenomena occur in stark contrast with the aims of the US juvenile justice system, which supposedly intends to help offending youths re-assimilate back into society as productive citizens. As previously mentioned, incarcerationRead MoreEssay on Gang Reduction Program1407 Words   |  6 PagesIn 2003 as a response to communities with a large amount and growing number of youth gangs the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, initiated the Gang Reduction Program (GRP) (U.S. Department of Justice 2008). The formation of gangs is seen as a response to system failures and community dysfunction. As a result, one of OJJPD’s anti-gang initiatives is to make communities safer and have a pro-social environment (U.S. DepartmentRead MoreDisarmament, Demobilization, And Reintegration Of Rebel Groups1729 Words   |  7 Pagesur ges the international community to address the issue through Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR). To do so, the global community must shape the effectiveness and improvement of DDR, as well as specific types of rebel groups such as gangs and drug cartels. Jordan believes that by addressing these issues, the international community can assist Latin America in the restriction of the influence and proliferation of rebel groups. Although Jordan is not in close proximity with Latin AmericaRead MoreYouth Gang Membership : A Serious Problem Affecting Many Youths Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesYouth Gang membership is a serious problem affecting many youths in America. Per the National Youth Gang Survey by the U.S. Justice Department puts the number of youths in gangs at only about 302,000. But a 2015 study by G. Gately found that there are more than 1 million youth gang members. Many youth gang members join around 12 and 13 years old, peaking at 14 years of age (Tara Young, 2014). This review will detail the main reasons youths enter gangs, outreach programs that are making a differenceRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And Juvenile Delinquency1610 Words   |  7 PagesJuvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is participation in illegal behavior by minors8. A juvenile delinquent in the United States is a person who is typically under the age of 17 and commits an act that otherwise would have bee n charged as a crime if they were an adult. Depending on the type and severity of the offense committed, it is possible for persons under 18 to be charged and tried as adults. Juvenile crimes can range from status offenses (such as underage smoking), toRead MoreAn Increasing Crime Statistic In The United States Is A1120 Words   |  5 PagesStates is a lot of violence by young gangs. In this case, young gangs tend to kill other young people in a large percentage of incidents these juvenile killers belong to young gangs. Young gangs band together for various reasons and get into trouble with the law are certainly not new in America. Young gangs have been around since the early 1800’s it was formed young kids of low-income immigrants who felt that society held no place for them . The earliest gangs, which flourished in new England, NewRead MoreThe Violence Of Gangs And Gangs1377 Words   |  6 PagesGangs have become one of the nation’s fastest growing problems within recent history. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs with about 2.4 million members are criminally active in the U.S. today. They use violence to control neighborhoods and boost their illegal moneymaking activities, which include but are not limited to: robbery, drug and gun trafficking, fraud, extortion, and prostitute rings. With as much researchRead MoreCanadian Gangs Essay1330 Words   |  6 Pagesthe definition of a youth gang member. Partnered with the Montreal Police Service, Statistics Canada was able to generate the definition of a gang member: An organized group of adolescents and/or young adults who rely on group intimidation and violence, and commit criminal acts in order to gain power and recognition and/or control certain areas of unlawful activity [2] (Statistics Canada, 2008). Gangs have been around for many years; the founders of some of the original gangs in the United StatesRead MoreHigh Risk Youth : A Public Health Approach By Doctor Dawn Delfin Mcdaniels1368 Words   |  6 PagesFrom 2002 to 206, 20% of all homicides in Urban areas could be attributed to gang violence (McDaniels, 2012). One notable characteristic of gang membership in the United States, is that youth who join gangs are more likely to engage in assault, robbery, felony theft, and breaking and entering, than their non-gang peers (Hill, et al., 2001). The lack of proper parental supervision in communities with high risk factors such as high poverty rates, is closely associated with delinquent behaviors in