Why Gangs Form and Cause Anarchy
By: Martha Cruz
Violent Crime In Chicago
Kid being Bullied
Police: Do Not Cross Line
Does It Have To Do With Their Childhood?
When the people who join the gangs, were young they could have been bullied and now that they’re older and responsible for their own lives they decide to join a gang and feel in charge or feel as if they have power and hurt other people by committing anarchy.
To feel powerful "I've always been the kid that's picked on and made fun of. I started hanging out with this really tough group of girls. They're mean, and now people are afraid of me. They don't pick on me anymore." To feel a sense of belonging "I've always been called a 'troublemaker.' My parents even tell me I’m no good. When I first started hanging out with a gang, it was the first time I felt like I belonged, like I mattered." People think differently which may give them a different point of view on their life. Life experiences or tragic events are dependents that make up the persons' choice of joining a gang or not.
Finding the easy way out of their life.
A big part of gang creation is wanting to skip step in life and doing it the "easy way". They think of it as, stealing instead of working, fighting instead of money earning, threatening people instead of asking. Gangs feel like it's easier to make their own rules instead of following the legal rules.
Gangs are one of those groups of people that tend to get in trouble in one way or another. The problem that a lot of people have is they are going to have to overcome the issues of why do people join gangs if they know that joining a gang is bad for them. Even when people do know why do teens join gangs, they are often going to try to figure out what kind of changes they need to make to help keep the teens and other people out of the gangs, but also know why they are joining. When armed with this information it is easy for people to get the right type of intervention in place before the teens or other adults turn to a gang to get the sense of feeling they want to have, but also help educate the people about the dangers a gang can present. This is all going to stem from learning why do people join gangs.
Robbing/Stealing so they won’t have to work.
Desire for protection - Communities with high gang activity often see young people join a gang just to survive. It is often easier to join the gang than to remain vulnerable and unprotected in their neighborhoods.
Shooting Caused By Gangs
No More Gangs
Gangs Committing Crimes
Overall Reason To Gang Joining.
- Need for food or money - Gangs may present themselves as a means of survival to youth who lack basic essentials such as food, clothing and shelter. More and more, gang members use their affiliation to make a profit through illegal activities, such as selling drugs and auto theft.
- Excitement - Some young people get a rush out of defying authority, or committing crimes. They may be attracted to the gang lifestyle, as it lives outside the law and participates in many illicit behaviors.
- Peer Pressure - Kids and teens face constant pressure to fit in, and they may not have the support they need to avoid the pressures to join a gang. Peer pressure can come in the form of intimidation, coercion, a dare, harassment, friendly persuasion, or repetitious begging.
There is many reasons that people join gangs, it’s a chain of reasons that could keep on going on and on. It mostly involves their way of thinking such as opinions and experiences they once went through.
Citations ♡
Guarino, Mark. "Senator Wants Entire Chicago Gang Arrested. Would That Work?." Christian Science Monitor. 30 May 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Sep. 2014.
Guarino, Mark. "Behind Chicago's High-Crime Summer: Persistent Street Gang Violence." Christian Science Monitor. 30 Aug. 2010: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Sep. 2014.
Gingrich, Newt. "What About Gangs, Mr. President?." Chicago Tribune. 14 Feb. 2013: 23. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Sep. 2014.
Zimring, F.E. 1996. Kids, guns, and homicide: Policy notes on an age-specific epidemic. Law and Contemporary Problems 59:25-38. Special Issue.