The Reality of Gangs (page 3)

What’s the Deal With Gangs?

Gangs are neither just a big city or inner city problem, nor are they a problem of a particular race or culture. Gangs cross all ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, gender, and geographic boundaries. They bring fear and violence to neighborhoods, traffic in drugs, destroy property, involve youth in crime, and drive out businesses. Gangs pull teens away from school and home into a life of violence.

One of the scariest aspects of gang violence is it’s often indiscriminate and unpredictable. Gang members have been known to kick, punch, hit, or even kill their victims. People get hurt if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. If gangs or gang members are in your school or neighborhood, you know it.

Learn About Gangs

• Gangs can be organized around race or ethnic group, money making activities, or territory.
• Gangs usually claim a particular area of town which they call their “turf.” They spend much of their time fighting rival gangs to keep them out of this territory.
• Most gang members are males ranging in age from 8 to 22 years old.
• Females, especially Asian and Hispanic, are moving away from the traditional role of being merely girlfriends of gang members and are forming their own gangs.
• Gangs wear particular items, styles, brands, or colors of clothing. Some gangs wear bandannas of a certain color or baseball caps of a specific team. Some gangs mark their bodies with tattoos with their gang symbol or name.
• Gangs often use special hands signs or handshakes to tell others the gang to which they belong.
• “Gangsta” rap paints a realistic picture of daily gang activity. The lyrics glorify violence, abuse of women, and disrespect for authority, especially the police. Contrary to what you may think, gangs are not around to help you. These groups of young people break the law, beat up people, and murder.

Why Do Young People Join Gangs?

What causes some teens to join gangs? Among the most common reasons are to

• belong to a group
• receive protection
• earn money
• end boredom and seek more excitement
• be with friends and be more popular. For some it is even a family tradition.

None of these reasons are good reasons to belong to a gang. Most of the other kids who don’t belong to a gang will be afraid of you and won’t hang out with you. If you think you will be safer joining a gang, you’re wrong. Most likely, you will increase your chances of being injured or killed. Think you’ll be rich? Not likely. Over a lifetime, gang members make far less money than those who are not in gangs. And by joining you usually don’t end up with a good education, making it hard to find a good job.