YOUTH GANGS

Youth Gangs

Youth Gangs

The past 15 years have witnessed a dramatic resurgence in youth gang activity in the United States. One of several types of gangs (others include prison gangs, motorcycle gangs, hate groups, ideological gangs, and adult street gangs), youth gangs are not new to the American landscape (Lasley, 2009). Modern youth gangs, however, are more dangerous than their historical counterparts because of the growing drug economy, the decreasing availability of legitimate employment opportunities in urban areas, increased mobility due to the availability of automobiles, and greater access to more lethal weapons. Moreover, gangs are no longer limited to densely populated urban areas but have an increasing presence in suburbs, small cities, and rural towns (Curry, 2008).

An estimated 26,000 youth gangs 0 members exist in the United States. Delinquency generally distinguishes gangs from other youth organizations. Youth gangs participate in some illegal activities and regularly violate school policies. This entry describes the scope of gang activity in the United States and then reviews reasons why youth join gangs (Cummings, 2007).

There is a misconception that juveniles who join gangs are “bad.” Similar reasons why students join school organizations apply to why youth join gangs. Gang affiliation may be the student's way of making friends and gaining a sense of acceptance and worth. Similarly, many youth join gangs to feel like they have a voice and control where they may normally feel out of control and a sense of helplessness. Some youth join gangs to fulfill needs of power and leadership that are seen as otherwise unattainable in society because of their race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. When a system denies privilege (e.g., institutional racism that is prevalent in schools), this often results in deprivation of power, privileges, and resources, which may cause many youth to develop their own institutionalized organizations (Ball, ...