The Impact of Gang Activity on American Teens Today

Introduction

Our youth have gone from stealing hubcaps off vehicles and fist fighting to selling drugs and drive-by shootings. The growing of gang violence in our communities, in many instances, can be traced to the most secure prisons in our justice system. Youth can turn to crime or join youth gangs very quickly and there are some factors that can help in its prevention. Some of the major factors are socioeconomic deprivation, poverty and substandard housing. Moreover, living in public housing located in inner cities and disorganized communities also serve as factors that offend youth. Besides this, the techniques used by the parents to bring up their children, which includes poor supervision, harsh discipline, conflicts between parents or separation between parents are also the factors that enhance offensive behavior of the youth. Other factors include low intelligence because of which the child is not able to manipulate the concepts and to understand things.

Background

Gangs began as a way to identify with a group outside of the family where individuals "belonged". As our culture incorporated people who we perceived as "different" from ourselves, this social grouping became a way to emotionally or physically protect ourselves. The basics of this grouping are that each group perceives itself as better than the other, as being "right", as having an established "territory". All of these are actually defense mechanisms to strengthen the self-identity. Some of the groups can be identified by racial origin, ethnicity, language, religion, color, income, social status, source of income, etc.

Many children grow up surrounded by gangs. Sometimes the gang members are neighborhood heroes for their actions or spending money. Sometimes they are respected because they have been shot, spent time in jail, carry a gun, deal drugs or were victorious in fights. Always they defy the rules of being responsible and doing well in school. Gang members usually have difficulties in school (grades and skills as well as behavior) and see little to gain for identifying with school and school activities. Typically individuals make the decision to become gang members between the ages of 11 and 13. What they don't realize is the length of commitment they are making, because age and life span has little meaning to a pre-adolescent. Gangs today require members to be actively involved for their entire lives. Involvement means different requirements but essentially they boil down to defending the territory, source of income and individuals within the gang. Violence, "partying" with substance use and abuse and sexual activities become their way of life.

The Nature and Scope of Gangs in USA

The nature and scope of gangs vary from one community to another and within them. Research shows that some youth gangs engage in minor criminal activities, while others may commit criminal acts or serious violence. Some youth gangs draw graffiti and engage in hooliganism, while the others gangs are usually involved in crimes like robbery, drug trafficking, prostitution, extortion, vandalism, and money laundering. The smuggling of weapons and people is an activity that ...