What Do You Know About Gangs?

Steve Nawojczyk, a leading gang researcher and educator, defines a gang as a loosely organized group of individuals who get together for social reasons. Today’s gangs now get together for anti-social reasons.

Gangs generally have a leader or group of leaders who issue orders and reap the fruits of the gang’s activities. A gang may also wear their “colors”, wear certain types of clothing, tattoos, brands, or likewise imprint their gang’s name, logo, or other identifying marks on their bodies. Many gangs also adopt certain types of hairstyles and communicate through the use of hand signals and graffiti on walls, streets, school work, and school property. Many gangs of today, especially youthful gangs, break the law to provide funding for gang activities or to further the gang’s reputation on the streets.

Why Do Kids Join Gangs?

Sociologists as well as actual gang members have identified the following reasons for joining a street gang:

• Identity
• Discipline
• Recognition
• Love
• Belonging
• Money

In addition, many kids are intimidated into gangs to avoid continued harassment .
Gangs provide their members and family members with protection from other gangs as well as any other perceived threats. Feelings of fear, hatred, bigotry, poverty, and the general breakdown of social values are also considered motivations for joining a street group.

Gangs are serious organizations that should be avoided at all costs. It may seem tempting to “belong” to a group and have a set bunch of friends. But keep in mind that groups that may have started out as a delinquent band of neighborhood toughs have now turned into a violent drug gang, some of whom belong to the gang for enforcement, collection, or other reasons. Joining a group known to have a reputation, good or bad, gives a kid looking for a purpose something to belong to. Participants have said the mere interaction of members, listening to each others problems and sharing the other trials and tribulations today’s teens are faced with are the drawing card for them to become a “banger”. Gang members also claim to enjoy the respect or fear others exhibit around them. Then, they say, the money begins flowing, and with that comes all of the things associated with material wealth that is usually beyond the reach of these adolescents without the criminal activity of being involved in a gang.

Once a kid gets into a gang, over and over they are told there is no way out. They fear serious reprisals from fellow gang members if a defection is suspected. Some are told they will be killed if they try to get out. The best advice is to stay away from gang activities no matter what.

Check out Violence for more on that topic. The ‘Anger‘ page has some very good links on it too.