Assignment Question

 After watching the videos provided below,answer the following questions: ONLY use both videos as sources, NO OUTSIDE SOURCES! What are some of the key reasons young join gangs? After the fact, did it appear that the gangs provided youth with what they were wanting? How does the concept of loyalty shift from their time on the street to the time of and after conviction and/or incarceration? https://nationalgangcenter.ojp.gov/video

Assignment Answer

Introduction

n the video “Why Youth Join Gangs,” experts and former gang members shed light on the intricate factors that lead young individuals to join gangs (National Gang Center, 2014). This comprehensive analysis explores the pushes and pulls that contribute to this decision, delving into individual, family, school, peer, and community risk factors.

Understanding the reasons behind youth gang involvement is crucial for designing effective prevention and intervention strategies. Gang joining is not a simple choice; rather, it’s a complex decision influenced by a multitude of factors that either “push” youth into gangs or “pull” them towards perceived positive opportunities within the gang environment.

Introduction to Pushes and Pulls

The video introduces the concept of pushes and pulls, emphasizing that gang joining is a multifaceted decision influenced by negative conditions that “push” youth into gangs and perceived positive opportunities that “pull” them in (National Gang Center, 2014). It is essential to recognize that these risk factors are interconnected and often present simultaneously in the lives of at-risk youth.

The understanding of these risk factors forms the foundation for effective gang prevention and intervention strategies. By identifying and addressing the specific pushes and pulls that impact youth, communities and policymakers can create targeted programs to steer young individuals away from the allure of gang life.

 Individual Risk Factors

In the individual domain, risk factors such as problem behavior, antisocial beliefs, and negative life events are identified (National Gang Center, 2014). Former gang members share personal experiences, revealing how early problem behaviors and justifications for rule-breaking contribute to the decision to join a gang.

Individual risk factors play a pivotal role in shaping a young person’s trajectory toward or away from gang involvement. Early signs of problem behavior, such as impulsivity, aggressiveness, and reactivity, serve as strong predictors of potential gang membership during adolescence (National Gang Center, 2014). Understanding these signs enables educators, parents, and community members to intervene early and provide targeted support.

Moreover, the attitudes and reasoning behind certain behaviors during elementary school and adolescence are crucial indicators of vulnerability to gang influence (National Gang Center, 2014). Youth who justify or make excuses for actions like stealing, cheating, or causing harm to others may be more susceptible to the allure of gang life, where such behaviors may be normalized and even rewarded.

Family Risk Factors

Family disruptions, inconsistent parenting, and lack of emotional support are identified as risk factors in the family domain (National Gang Center, 2014). The impact of negative life events, such as parental death or incarceration, is explored, emphasizing their lasting effects on a youth’s vulnerability to gang involvement.

Family plays a central role in a young person’s development, and disruptions within the family structure can significantly impact their susceptibility to gang involvement. The loss of a parent due to death, incarceration, or divorce has profound effects on a child, influencing their feelings of safety and stability (National Gang Center, 2014). The long-term consequences of these disruptions can extend into adolescence and contribute to the risk of gang joining.

In addition to specific life events, inconsistent and disengaged parenting emerges as a significant risk factor (National Gang Center, 2014). Parents who fail to provide clear and consistent rules, emotional support, and supervision contribute to conditions conducive to youth engaging in negative and risky behaviors. The lack of a stable and supportive family environment can leave young people vulnerable to the influence of gangs as an alternative source of support and belonging.

School Risk Factors

The school domain highlights how poor school performance, low academic aspirations, and negative school environments contribute to a young person’s risk of joining a gang (National Gang Center, 2014). The consequences of school suspension and expulsion are discussed, emphasizing their potential long-term academic impact.

The school environment is a critical factor in shaping a young person’s future, and several risk factors within this domain increase the likelihood of gang involvement. Poor school performance and low academic aspirations create a fertile ground for at-risk youth to consider gangs as an alternative path (National Gang Center, 2014). Understanding the interconnectedness of these factors is essential for educators and policymakers to develop effective strategies that address the root causes of academic disengagement.

Moreover, students labeled as special-needs or slow learners face increased vulnerability to risk factors within the school domain (National Gang Center, 2014). These students often experience more behavior problems at school, leading to decreased attachment to the educational environment. The negative consequences of this disconnection can extend beyond academic performance and contribute to the risk of gang involvement.

While it may be necessary to expel or suspend a student for negative behavior, school suspension or expulsion is a negative life event that can disrupt a young person’s academic performance and lessen his or her bond to the school. It also can have long-term academic consequences (National Gang Center, 2014). In these videos, Karlo, Iris, and Raúl describe being suspended and expelled from school.

Peer Risk Factors

During adolescence, peer influence becomes a significant risk factor (National Gang Center, 2014). The video explores how associations with delinquent peers normalize antisocial beliefs, detaching youth from positive influences. Former gang members discuss the impact of peer influences on their decisions to join a gang.

The influence of peers during adolescence cannot be overstated, as it often shapes a young person’s beliefs, behaviors, and overall worldview. Associations with delinquent peers normalize antisocial beliefs and attitudes, increasing a young person’s involvement in antisocial behavior (National Gang Center, 2014). This normalization can further detach teens from positive mainstream peers and activities, creating an environment conducive to gang involvement.

Former gang members in the videos, including Dustin, Raúl, and Iris, provide insights into the powerful influence that peer groups had on their decision-making during their adolescent years. Understanding the dynamics of peer influence is crucial for developing targeted interventions that address the root causes of association with delinquent peers.

Moreover, the videos highlight how close friends or family members involved in a gang can pull a youth toward gang membership (National Gang Center, 2014). The familial or peer connection to a gang member can create a sense of loyalty and belonging, making it more challenging for a young person to resist the pull of gang life. Recognizing these dynamics is essential for developing strategies that address both individual and peer-level risk factors.

Community Risk Factors

Young people can also be exposed to risk factors within their communities (National Gang Center, 2014). Community risk factors include poverty and neighborhood disorganization.

While poverty does not cause individuals to join gangs, high levels of poverty in the community can strain institutions such as families, schools, churches, and other organizations that provide support and protection for young people as they grow up.

Neighborhood disorganization is the term used to describe fraying of the social fabric of the community from rapid population shifts and the breakdown of social institutions. Indications of neighborhood disorganization are poor housing, lack of quality schools and recreational facilities, inadequate availability of social services, and a weakened infrastructure. Neighborhood disorganization can also be caused by rapid population shifts into or out of the community, such as those caused by major job losses or gains in a particular industry.

In these neighborhoods, crime rates tend to be higher, and conflicts between residents can be caused by competition for scarce resources, lack of understanding between existing populations and new arrivals, and racial and economic segregation and marginalization.

In these videos, Iris, Marion, and Karlo describe conditions in the neighborhoods where they grew up (National Gang Center, 2014).

How Pushes and Pulls Affect the Decision to Join a Gang

The combination of pushes and pulls from various domains is discussed, debunking the misconception that youth are forced into gangs (National Gang Center, 2014). Former gang members share their experiences, detailing how the gang seemed to offer alternatives to deficits in their homes, schools, and peer groups.

Understanding the intricate interplay of pushes and pulls is crucial for dispelling common misconceptions about youth gang involvement. Many adults believe that youth are forced to join gangs, but the reality is far more nuanced. The combination of risk factors in multiple domains, experienced over a young person’s life, can make the youth more vulnerable to gangs and can affect his or her decisions about gangs and other negative behaviors (National Gang Center, 2014).

Youth who are failing to find safety and success in their homes, schools, neighborhoods, and peer groups may be simultaneously pushed and pulled toward gangs. The gang seems to provide alternatives to these deficits. For many young people, gang membership is seen as a way to obtain safety, protection, fun, respect, support, love, excitement, and access to resources such as money or drugs. Youth also may be pulled into gangs because a close friend or family member is involved in the gang.

In these videos, Dustin, Raúl, Karlo, and Marion describe the combinations of pushes and pulls that led to their decisions to join a gang (National Gang Center, 2014).

 Conclusion

This presentation has provided an overview of the factors that may play a role in a youth’s decision to join a gang (National Gang Center, 2014). Gang joining is a complex decision that involves multiple negative conditions that push youth into gangs, as well as perceived positive opportunities that pull youth into gangs.

There are three important points to recognize in consideration of youth and gang involvement:

Youth who experience an accumulation of risk factors in multiple domains are the most vulnerable to later gang involvement (National Gang Center, 2014).

Most youth are not forced into gangs. Their decisions to join are based in part on their perceptions of positive opportunities offered by the gang that pull them towards the gang (National Gang Center, 2014).

Joining a gang is not a permanent decision.

Being aware of these risk factors and gang attractions can help you identify youth who would benefit most from prevention and intervention programs and can also help you respond more effectively to their individual needs (National Gang Center, 2014).

This comprehensive analysis provides an in-depth understanding of the multifaceted reasons behind youth gang involvement. By examining the pushes and pulls in various domains, we gain insights into how these factors shape a young person’s decision to join a gang. Acknowledging these complexities is essential for developing targeted strategies to prevent and intervene in gang-related activities.

Understanding the intricate interplay of individual, family, school, peer, and community factors enables communities and policymakers to address the root causes of gang involvement. Early intervention, targeted support, and community engagement are crucial components of a comprehensive approach to preventing youth from entering the cycle of gang life.

References

National Gang Center. (2014). Narration Text for Why Youth Join Gangs Video. Retrieved from http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Video/Transcript

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the key reasons explored in the content for youth joining gangs?

The content delves into a comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted factors influencing youth gang involvement, examining individual, family, school, peer, and community risk factors. It emphasizes the interplay of “pushes” and “pulls” that contribute to a young person’s decision to join a gang.

2. How does the content address the misconception that youth are forced into gangs?

The content highlights that youth are rarely forced into gangs but are influenced by a combination of risk factors in multiple domains, shaping their vulnerability to gang involvement. Former gang members share experiences, illustrating how the gang provides perceived alternatives to deficits in their homes, schools, and peer groups.

3. What role do individual risk factors play in the context of youth gang involvement?

Individual risk factors, such as early problem behaviors, antisocial beliefs, and negative life events, significantly contribute to the decision to join a gang. The content explores how these factors, if present in a young person’s life, increase the likelihood of gang membership and shape their attitudes and reasoning.

4. How do family disruptions and inconsistent parenting contribute to the risk of gang involvement?

Family disruptions, including the loss of a parent due to death, incarceration, or divorce, impact a child’s feelings of safety and stability. Inconsistent and disengaged parenting, lacking clear rules and emotional support, creates conditions for youth to be drawn into negative behaviors. The content details how these family risk factors elevate susceptibility to gang influence.

5. What insights does the content provide regarding the role of peer influences in youth gang joining?

During adolescence, peer influence becomes a significant risk factor, normalizing antisocial beliefs and behaviors. The content explores how associating with delinquent peers detaches youth from positive influences, making them more vulnerable to gang involvement. Former gang members share their experiences, highlighting the powerful impact of peer groups on decision-making.