The Reasons Why People Join Gangs

Gangs have been a part of popular culture ever since the dawn of time. Everyone can agree that any gang-related activities and crimes are against the law, but people still join it regardless with various reasons. From researching, People join gangs because they need a desire for protection. Adding on to that, they join gangs for financial gain. Lastly individual join gangs for a sense of family. At this point, a handful of individuals join gangs for protection.

People often join gangs to get a protection from others. People struggle to live every day because of a high crime rate and low income and mainly in the ghetto, where most of the gangs were originated. When a female/male decides to join a gang, it would be the only way for them to live safely because they seek to protect one another. In a community, joining a gang with several gangs offers considerable protection from violence and attack from rival gangs.

The tough neighborhoods that suffer from a high level of criminal activity often see teens and youths joining gangs to gain protection. (Why do youth join gangs, 2017) People who grow up in neighborhoods where drugs are promptly available are more likely to join gangs, just before they even reach puberty. Members of a gang look at it as It’s either gaining a sense of power and support from the gang or being left out in the open, vulnerable and unprotected. (Why do people join gangs,2015) Most members sense a gang guarantees support in case of attack and retaliation for transgressions. A free spirit joins a gang seeking monetary protection, societal protection, and self-esteem protection.

Young people are seeking personal safety from a number of various sources. People seek refuge and safety from other gangs and think that joining a gang will provide safety from them. Or they seek safety from individuals and bullies. For instance, an individual might have committed a crime and are seeking refuge in the numbers of a gang.

Many people joining gangs are poor or without a steady source of income. They join gangs for monetary protection as they can get easy and fast money. They either deal drugs or participate in other criminal activities like stealing to get large amounts of money in a little time. If a person feels abandon, he/she has no aim and direction in their life and no purpose, they turn to get membership in a gang to fulfill their life and protect their self-esteem. A member of a gang gains life purpose and protects their self-esteem from being bruised when they join a gang. (young people joining gangs, 2015) Equally important, individuals join gangs to gain a sense of family. They feel that they don’t receive enough support or attention at home. A Family breakdown and a lack of father figure play a big role in people joining gangs. Children as young as nine are being drawn into organized crime for protection and to gain a “sense of belonging” because of the lack of positive role models at home. Gangs are sought for social security where gangs are a part of the community and provide a place for the youth to belong where they come from drug ridden places like Mexico many children come from broken or unstable homes and don’t get the kind of attention and care that they need. They feel that gangs are their surrogate families. (young people joining gangs,2015) A gang is seen as a group of people who are trying to break the law and cause chaos in the community. However, the relationship between a gang and their community is a very crucial one. The gang members and the gang as a whole try to establish strong ties with their community for four different reasons. (Paton,2008)

For many young people, the decision to shed blood on the streets rather than spend time with shared blood at home is not a real choice. According to the report, one out of three young people thinks that their parents are not worthy of respect. (Paton,2008) Many kids’ parents walk out on them, some suffer from addictions, some are violent.

A number of parents are never at home because They’re out working two jobs to pay the bills. For instance, Dark Side Massive, a gang of young black guys who used to rule a common room at school. They were a gang of males that would strut about playing bad garage remixes at lunchtime, stealing from a tuck shop and dealing knives. These young males were raised by a family, whose parents never turned up for parents’ evening; they were the ones who didn’t go home. They had to create a community of their own. Kids are coming together in the streets because They’re suffering the same problems. The gang brings them closer, even though it doesn’t help create a solution. These young males are trying to figure out what it means to be an adult and cope with the problems of growing up without guidance. In gangs, there are no men to follow, just boys to imitate. (Davis,2008) The love needs as a yearning for a sense of belonging and friendship in both groups and one-on-one; both romantically and platonically. Gang involvement is an attractive means of fulfilling love needs as it allows the youth to have a sense of belonging to a group. Research shows that many gang-involved youths lack close ties with their families, friends, and schools.

Within families, for instance, a lack of parental support is directly related to gang membership Numerous gang-involved youth come from single-parent households, with the mother often being the sole caretaker. This correlation exists because the single parent is the family’s only source of income and may have less time to spend with the child. Additionally, low family involvement, poor communication, and low parental monitoring are all found to be risk factors of gang involvement. These factors are indicative of a family relationship in which an individual does not feel a sense of love and belonging, and thus the youth may seek other ways to satisfy the need for familial connections, such as with peers.

If a youth can find love or belong among peers in school, he or she will be less likely to be involved in a gang. Adult communities disappear, resulting in young people seeking alternatives of their own. (Gang involvement as a means to satisfy basic needs,2015) Lastly, a handful of people join gangs for financial gain.

They believe it would increase the chances of making money. Gang members use their affiliation to make a profit through illegal activities such as selling drugs and auto theft. Young people love the gang life because they feel rich at a young age. Many think they are going to become gang famous. Lots of youths join gangs to make fast money. Young people who are not financially stable yet because of reasons such as struggling to find a job or trying to help their parents would consider getting into a gang because it is fast and easy money that can help support themselves and their family. Financially disadvantaged young people would also rather look for a fast way to earn money. In the gang life, they can participate in things like one drug deal and make enough money to get materialistic items such as clothes and sneakers than actually having a real job that would take a full month’s earnings. The appeal of obtaining money fast can be overwhelming for children and gangs are involved in drugs and other criminal activities that give children opportunities to get money quickly. (why teen join gangs,2012) Most young males and females believe being in a gang, is a way to obtain money or possessions.

According to the Los Angeles School Police Department, many youths join a gang to satisfy the need of belonging. Gang membership will provide the recognition, the identity, the attention, the support, the acceptance, of their peers. Many gang youth will join the gang to satisfy the need of belonging. It has been found that kids who join gangs generally come from poor or broken homes. This seems to suggest that they get the support and structure they need from gang life. They join gangs to fill their basic needs which usually are not being met at home and at school. (Lapd,2018)

Works Cited

1. Davis, S. (2008). Life Without a Father: In Search of Gang Culture’s Origins. The Guardian.
2. Gang involvement as a means to satisfy basic needs. (2015). National Gang Center Bulletin. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/SPT/1/Gang-Involvement-as-a-Means-to-Satisfy-Basic-Needs.pdf
3. Lapd. (2018). Why Do People Join Gangs? Los Angeles School Police Department. Retrieved from https://lapdonline.org/youth_services_division/content_basic_view/56640
4. Paton, S. (2008). Why do young people join gangs? BBC News.
5. Why do people join gangs? (2015). Inside Time.
6. Why do teen join gangs? (2012). National Gang Center Bulletin. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/SPT/1/Why-Do-Teens-Join-Gangs.pdf
7. Why do youth join gangs? (2017). University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice.