Why do Teens Join gangs

Gangs exist to fulfill some needs people feel are lacking in their lives.

First is belonging. Usually the typical gang member is either an outcast of the community, or sometimes someone alienated from or by his/her family. They join a gang to achieve togetherness, and they find comfort in this group.

Second is financial. There is money to be made in the gang, usually through sales of illegal drugs, but sometimes through auto theft, extortion, prostitution, arson, or general thefts. And as the person works harder for the gang, the profit realized is increased as well.

Finally, there is strength, either real or perceived. Ther is no doubt strength in numbers, and that is what the gangs rely on for intimidation, networking of ther goods (ie drugs, stolen auto parts, etc.), and notoriety. When you hear a gang member say he/she does not like the attention, you know THAT one is lying! Ever see this guys on TV? Mugging it up, talking a mile a minute, but usually having their faces covered by the correct colored bandana.

 Some people join gangs because they what to feel wanted if they dont get what they want from other sourse they will go to the worst places to find it and that is a gang

Usually out of fear. Young people tend to recognize at an emotional level that they are truly incapable of dealing with the world and feel as though they would be empowered if they belong to something larger. Sometimes their "friends" invite them to become a member of a gang and there can be some intimidation, which plays right into their emotional feeling of weakness.

Once they grow up a little, emotionally that is, many of the former gang members recognize that it's not a good idea and they try to leave. At that point, some gangs have a "no exit" policy and life gets difficult.

It really is unfortunate that so many of them believe in the rhetoric of the gang members. It's partially a result of the warehousing practices of the public school system that end up not teaching anything of value leaving these kids to learn nonsense from other kids.

 Nothing symbolizes gang members' commitment to their gangs more forcefully than the gang tattoo. These symbols proclaim the individual's allegiance to the group in a way that is both permanent and deeply personal--being written on the body itself. But in recent years, thanks to a combination of social and technological changes, the significance and the permanence of gang tattoos are both being challenged. As a result, it appears that the power of these signifiers has begun to erode.

Children and teens globally are known to be fond of joining gangs. Normally, it does not take a lot of convincing for them to consider entering a group especially when they know that by doing so, they will gain popularity and they can get to do something different.

Common Reasons Why Children Join Gangs

Joining a gang or entering a certain group is common for young children and teens. Some find it a necessity in order to gain recognition and fame whether in school or in other circles that they belong to. Others find joining a group "cool" while some feel the need to belong, especially those who lack attention or lack close human interaction with family members.

The young generation often craves for attention simply because they want to feel that what they do is given importance. These kids are still in their formative years and are still trying to search for their true identities. Sometimes, joining a gang gives them a chance to find out more about themselves because they are given an opportunity to showcase what they can do. For other teens, joining a gang is a form of rebellion. In other cases, some enter a gang because they have nothing else to do, are forced by other kids, or simply out of curiosity.

When Joining a Gang Becomes Destructive

It is relatively okay for parents to allow their kids to join a certain group as long as there is nothing destructive about it. When the group that children are into encourages them and brings out the best in them, then it is perfectly healthy for them to stay with that group.

The only time that parents need to worry is when they notice that the gang that their kids are into is beginning to have a negative influence on them. When the children start to show a change in their behavior, become indifferent, and begin to break rules, this is a sign that parents or family members should start to intervene.

Joining a gang is sometimes too much to handle for teens with unstable characters. Vices such as smoking, drinking, and taking drugs can later be developed if the gang that the kids get into spells BAD NEWS.

When children and teens are well-taken care of and feel loved, there is less chance for them to feel the need to look for a particular group that will accept them. The young generation of today needs all the support and understanding that they can get from the people who are important to them so that they will no longer find a need to seek the company of others.

 Gangs are a problem because their street fights cost innocent onlookers their lives. They also beat up random people for no reason. They're also a public nuisance. In short terms, they can cause worse violence than what we are used to.

 There are many different ways that gangs initiate recruits into the gang.
The following are some examples of how gang members get initiated:
Rolled in - ( Jumped in, Quoted, Lined in) This ritual usually consists
of the recruit having to fight 3 or more members of the gang for a
specified amount of time. The time limit is different from gang to gang,
but usually last somewhere between 15 seconds and 1 minute. The
reason for the beating is to see how tough the recruit is and if he is a
fighter. Lined in is slightly different in that the gang has two lines of its members and the recruit
has to go between the line as the gang members beat him or her. Often times officers are called to
new gang members homes at the request of the parent to take Assault reports. The child is often
uncooperative and unwilling to tell the officer or his parent who his assailants are because he has
just joined a gang. This is the most common initiation into the gang.
Courted in - Sometimes an individual is asked to join a gang without going through any
initiation. The individual usually has some type of special talent that the gang wants to learn or
take advantage of. The individual may have a good connection for drugs, is good at stealing
cars, or has some other criminal talent. It may also be that the individual has a car that the gang
needs to commit criminal activity or just to get around town in.
Walked In - Some gangs have no formal initiation and may just be asked to join the gang.
Sexed In - Sometimes female recruits are required to roll 2 dice. Whatever number is thrown is
the number of gang members that the recruit has to have sex with. There have also been stories
of gang recruits required to have sex with HIV positive people. This information has never been
verified and still remains only a story.
Commit Crimes - Some gangs require that a recruit commit a crime or a series of crimes to
prove that they are good candidates for the gangs. Often times, gangs that specialize in a
particular crime such as auto theft, will require the recruit to steal a car or commit the crime that
they specialize in. Some gangs have point systems for the crimes and the recruit has to have so
many points. The crimes required to be committed can be as violent as drive-by shootings or
murder

 The average age of gang members is from 14 to 21 years of age.
Gang members, however, can be as young as 8 years old or as old as
into their mid 30’s. Recruitment into the gang usually starts in the
middle school where the age group is between 10 and 13. Some recruitment has also been seen in
elementary school and into the early years of high school. Most gangs target youth that are easily
talked into doing work for the gang.

The origin of the Crips affiliation of gangs can be traced to Los Angeles,
California around 1969. This affiliation grew from existing gangs in Los
Angeles and is now a nationwide problem. Historically, the Crips were
originally comprised of African American gangs. This has changed over
the years and Crip gangs are now seen that are racially mixed or have no
black members in the gang. Crip gangs are referred to as sets by the
gang members and this word is often used in their language. The
structure of the Crips sets is very loose knit and membership is usually
not well defined. This differs from set to set based on the ethnic and
racial makeup of that particular set. The breakup of the gang is usually
by age groups, with the younger groups (cliks) in the gang looking to the
older group for guidance and advice. The following terms are used to
describe what age group the gang members fall into.
O.G. - Original Gangster //// Older members of the gang
G - Gangster ///// Younger teenagers in the gang
Y.G. - Young Gangster //// Youngest members of the gang
Also referred to as Tiny Gangster or Little Gangsters
Currently the Crips are aligned with the Folk Nation and are enemies of Bloods and People gangs.
Colors - Blue, Purple (Grape Street Watts)

 Shortly after the formation of the Crips, many of the gangs not
associated with Crips formed their own alliance. The original
gang was the Piru Street gang from Compton, California. Most of
the original gangs that formed the Bloods went to Centennial High
School in Compton, California. The gangs adopted the school
color which is red. From the red came the term Blood which is
still used to identify this alliance. Many Blood sets will also use
the word Piru to identify themselves. Bloods have grown into a
nationwide affiliation much like the Crips. This group also started
as an African-American gang , but has many different culture and
racial groups that have formed Blood sets. The Blood structure is
much like the Crips and they use the same terms to describe their age groups. Nationally the
Crips outnumber the Bloods by 2 ½ to 1 and are enemies. Currently the Bloods are aligned with
People Nation gangs.
Colors - Red, Black, Green (Limehood Piru)

 In being criminal organizations, the use of weapons of all types is
inherent in street gangs. Currently the most popular gun being
bought is the Norinco SKS assault rifle. This gun is
manufactured in China and imported into the U.S. The price and
availability of this weapon makes it easily obtainable. The gun
can be purchased for about 100 dollars. The use of shotguns is
also popular, as are the cheaper handguns often called “Saturday
Night Specials”. Knives, brass knuckles, bats, explosives, and
other weapons have also been confiscated from gang members.
The gang members obtain their weapons in many different ways.
One method is known as a “straw purchase”. A straw purchase is where a person buys the gun
legally and then gives the gun to someone who is not allowed by law to have the weapon. The
person buying the gun usually receives a fee for purchasing the weapon. Gun shows, pawn shops,
and flea markets are popular places to purchase weapons. Some weapons are being stolen in
burglaries of residence or robberies of gun dealers.

 It should be noted that gang members often wear clothing that is currently popular amongst
juveniles in general. The wearing of the clothing that is described in this section does not
automatically make that person a gang member. However, a combination of the clothing worn,
along with a certain color scheme or the manner in which the clothing is worn can indicate
membership in a gang. As gang members find out what clothing is becoming too noticeable to
people, they may change what they wear. What is fashionable today, may not be tomorrow and
gang members like to be fashionable.