Youth Gangs Push and Pull Factors - 1899 Words

Youth Gangs Push and Pull Factors Arjun Sharma SOC101Y Friday, November 23, 2012 Ms. Fulton Youth Gangs Push and Pull factors in America What influences youth to join and leave gangs in America? This essay strives to seek and inquire an answer or explanation to this question. I will try to approach the answer to this question by analyzing the biggest factors of it such as the influence of social institutions, psychological behaviour, media and many more to determine the push and pull factors of a gang. Understanding that the dynamics of gang membership can be separated into formation amp; joining which will allow theories amp; methods of gang-related research to be refined. My first scholarly source â€Å"Understanding Youth Street†¦show more content†¦Surveys of youth and/or young adults (hereafter, surveys of youth) also assess parameters of gang phenomena. Estimates of prevalence rates of gang membership ranging from 5% to 25% have been reported from major projects initiated by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Also by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (the National Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training; Bjerregaard amp; Smith, 1993). Gang and non-gang comparisons, primarily of at-risk minority youth drawn from institutionalized and non- institutionalized settings, consistently reveal an association between admitted gang membership and self-reported crime or delinquency. Although female youth are shown to be relatively underrepresented in gangs and gang activity, they self-report gang membership at a rate up to 4 ½ times higher (20% to 46%) than typically indicated in surveys of law enforcement (Esbensen amp; Huizinga, 1993). Qualitative descriptions suggest that, for many, gang membership represents 104 Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice / May 2005an opportunity to enhance social capital as a means to cope with a multitude of problems. Although on balance gang life appears to be neither very rewarding nor satisfying (Hagedorn, 1988), identification with the gang is solidified in response to conflict—often with other gangs—as members pursue their individual and collective interests. Many youthShow MoreRelatedResearch On Disengagement From Gangs779 Words   |  4 PagesDesistance Research on disengagement from gangs has not been widely looked at, yet most research conducted has been so from within the United States (Gormally, S. 2015). The common term utilized throughout research on this topic is ‘desistance’. According to Kazemian (2009), desistance generally defines the cessation or termination of offending or other delinquent behavior. Two types of desistance occur, both primary desistance and secondary desistance. Furthermore a suggestion in upcoming researchRead MoreA Research Study At Hand Aimed1737 Words   |  7 PagesThe study at hand aimed to investigate the aspects that lead individuals to join a gang, the reasons as to why they decided to part ways with it, and the consequences that resulted from their affiliation. Through the analysis of interviews and observations, several themes were noticeable such as the initiation to the gang, desistance, consequences, and services offered to help reintegrate into society. 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The development of gangs globally, especially in New Zealand, exhibits the f act that there are significant influences pushing people towards becoming a gang member. There is a range of social and psychological factors that underpin the dynamics of a gang’s structure in which they help outsiders gain insight into how gang involvement is evoked. Research has established that there are push and pullRead MoreThe Chicago Tribune By James Howell3111 Words   |  13 Pagesdown on gang recruitment by supporting legislation that specifically targets those who try to recruit students. The Chicago Tribune (2015) explains, â€Å"Kifowit s House Bill 247 would extend the areas where individuals can be charged with street gang recruitment beyond school grounds to include areas within 1,000 feet of school buses, school bus stops, and public parks†. The emphasis is on prevention and how important it is to stop recruitment of students who are vulnerable to joining gangs. 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With just a few insightful lyrics, these songs underscore the reality of war. People die