Dysfunctional families
The massive breakdown of a “normal” family structure In the United States, especially in inner city neighborhoods, has led to a breeding ground of gang activity. Many psychologists agree that children descending from a dysfunctional family are much more likely to join a gang. Moreover, the number of dysfunctional families in this country is at almost fifty percent of American families. This, in turn, does not deem well for anti-gang advocates. (Conley 81) However what draws one child from a dysfunctional family into a gang but not another has not been solidly determined. Could it be the psychological benefits of a gang will draw in those who are in need of intimacy and attention that they don’t get at home, while those with a more individual spirit do not see the attractio? (German)
Psychological
The family that these youths strive to obtain through the pseudo family given through gangs closely resembles that of a “normal” family. These pseudo families possess a definite hierarchy that instills rules, support, and discipline in its members. As a result, many youths join gangs to obtain a sense of family and belonging to something special. In turn for this sense of belonging, youths will often fight, kill, rob, steal or sell drugs to support the family. (Conley 87)
Financial
The next draw to a gang lifestyle is the financial aspect of gangs. Gangs, without a doubt, provide a substantial base for obtaining money for a group of young people that may otherwise have problems earning money. Money is namely earned through stealing, prostitution, and drug sales. Teens who would normally be making fifty to sixty dollars a week at a part time job can rake in as much as a thousand dollars per week by stealing or selling drugs in a gang setting. In fact, many gang members claim to “join and stay in gangs for financial reasons”(Spergel 94). The attraction to gang life is obvious when looked at from that standpoint.. While prostitution and drug sales are on the rise in gang activities, theft is on the decline. This decline is mainly due to the fact that it is risky and no longer as lucrative a trade as the prostitution or sales of drugs. As a result of all of this money making, most gang members ignore other “responsibilities” such as school. (Spergel 96)
Physical
The final attraction to gang life is the protection that the gang provides. In many inner city neighborhoods and schools, in order to avoid being bullied one must join a gang or suffer the consequences. These consequences are, namely, harassment, beatings, robberies, or even murder. In order to avoid these fates, kids often will join a gang. While joining a gang may even heighten the threat of attack from rival gangs, many feel the trade off is better than the fate of not joining a gang. Moreover, the safety in numbers that is provided by gangs is much greater than chancing it on ones own in the ghetto. (Conley, 98)
What do actual members say about Gangs?
According to Sgt. Howell of the Racine Co. Police Dept., most gang members cite a lack of jobs and other resources as a major reason for joining gangs. A large portion also say that camaraderie and a sense of belonging were reasons for joining a gang. Many of those polled indicated that if given a viable option, gang life would not be their primary choice. The ex-gang member that I spoke with indicated it was the camaraderie and sense of belonging that pulled him in. Being somewhat of an outcast at school and having an unbalanced family background, the close ties and acceptace offered by the gang drew him in. (German)
Alternative thoughts
There are, of course, other reasons to join a gang. Many theorists believe that the close proximity of kids in the inner city lead to the embryonic stages of gang activity, also the new anti social structure of cities effects the ease in which a boy/girl can join a gang. " The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is facilitated by the same lack of community among parents. The parents do not know what their children are doing for two reasons: First, much of the parents' lives is outside the local community, while the children's lives are lived almost totally within it. Second, in a fully developed community, the network of relations gives every parent, in a sense, a community of sentries who can keep him informed of his child's activities. In modern living-places (city or suburban), where such a network is attenuated, he no longer has
such sentries." (Spergel 71). This, could explain the explosion of gang activity in affluent suburbs, however, the breakdown of family structure certainly must occur as well , which would be the main reason for the rapid formation of gangs. Financial and physical reasons are soon to follow. After all, everyone loves to earn money. Likewise, gangs can provide money rather readily. Everybody loves to feel a sense of security as well. This is especially true in such dangerous areas like the ghettos of the inner city. Gangs, without a doubt, provide protection from other gangs as well. As long as gangs provide protection and monetary rewards and a sense of belonging not found at home they will continue to draw in kids who seek that these basic needs be met.
Potential Solutions…
Attempting to find potential solutions to the gang problem is quite a challenge, as there are multiple issues that need to be addressed and corrected in order to eliminate the desire or need that is fulfilled by gang affiliation. The combination of issues however, could be addressed entirely by correcting one problem:
Dysfunctional Family Structures
The majority of needs that are fulfilled by a gang are those that traditionally would be corrected by a healthy family unit. (Huff 36) A recap of those needs are:
- Emotional support and a sense of belonging
- Financial security and ability to meet basic needs
- Personal safety and physical support
It is easy to view the subject objectively and state that the solution rests with correcting the child’s home life and family environment, however this is not necessarily an area where outsiders can easily intervene and make improvements happen. Frequently many factors contribute to dysfunctional family structures and it would be very difficult to truly identify and correct them all not only as an outsider, but even as one of the “inside” family members as well. Therefore I feel the best solutions that can be afforded at present are those initiated by the schools and as outlined by the National Education Association (NEA).
Essentially, NEA programs aimed at reducing or eliminating gang problems have focused on prevention, intervention, and suppression. (NEA 46)
- Prevention strategies attempt to prevent gang behavior and problems before they start. However, these strategies are mostly used when gang problems are emerging or when youth who are at risk of becoming gang members may be receptive to redirection.
- Education about the pitfalls and dangers of gangs beginning in the elementary schools. One program hangs posters such as: "Joining a Gang Is a Dead End," "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" (in a cemetery), and "This (a mug shot) is the last picture we have of my brother." Each starkly conveys a reason to avoid gang membership.
- Intervention strategies, which are used in emerging and chronic gang situations, attempt to prevent an existing problem from getting worse. The strategies take the form of barriers or mediation efforts that prevent gang members or potential gang members from following the wrong path.
- After-school recreation, work-study programs, or programs aimed at improving academic achievement are considered intervention strategies because they attempt to redirect certain kinds of behavior.
- Prohibiting the wearing of “colors” on the school grounds and at community centers.
- Suppression strategies, which tend to deal with gang problems swiftly and efficiently, are excellent short-term strategies. Even though they can be harsh, involving incarceration, probation, and police surveillance, suppression strategies are reactive. And, as they certainly have neither eradicated gang problems nor deterred youth from joining gangs, it is not clear whether or not they are effective in the long run. (NEA 46)
Solution Overview
The most important thing to understand is that everyone has an important part in preventing and reducing street gangs. It’s not just the job of police or government. Individuals, residential groups, churches, businesses—we all have a critical role in building our neighborhoods to address the problems that contribute to gang formation and growth. This is because the street gang itself is not the problem, it is the symptom. The underlying problems concern the social, cultural, economic, and political spheres we all share. Everyone has a stake in the problem, and therefore the development of solutions.
Every neighborhood must take stock of itself—really work to understand its strengths and weaknesses, particularly learning where it is most vulnerable to losing disenfranchised kids to the lure of street gangs. Then each neighborhood must capitalize upon its strengths in order to overcome its weaknesses. To do that, everybody must get involved. Keep watch over a neighbor’s home. Volunteer to work with youth. Donate your time and talent to neighborhood projects. Do something to contribute to your neighborhood’s capacity for providing youth with opportunities to become productive, law-abiding members of civil society. Everyone must enlist themselves and each other in the unceasing and unyielding effort to steward youth into a promising future.
Conclusion:
Kids joining gangs is a difficult problem and not one readily solved with an easy solution. There are many reasons kids join gangs, primarily all of them are due to a lack of basic emotional, financial, and physical support at home and from within the community. While I personally agree with the outline of programs as established by the NEA, which encourage programs geared at prevention, intervention, and suppression, I cannot honestly say that I am confident of their success in great enough numbers to make a significant impact. However, while it is easy for me to be a critic, I personally cannot recommend a solution that is superior to that of the NEA other than resolving family issues and increasing community involvement and support both of which are not easily achieved.
Bibliography
Conly, Catherine H., et al. Street Gangs: Current Knowledge and Strategies. Washington: Dept. of Justice. Office of Justice Programs and National institute of Justice, 1999.
Decker, Scott H., and Berik Van Winkle. Life in the Gang: Family Friends and Violence. New York: Cambridge Up, 1996.
Dickersen, Debra. “Cease Fire in Simple City.” U.S. News and World Report 16 Mar. 1998: 22-25.
Korem, Dan. Suburban Gangs: The Affluent Rebels. Texas: International Focus Press, 1994.
Sanders, William B. Gangbangs and Drivebys: Grounded Culture and Juvenile Gang Violence. New York: Walter de Gruyter Inc, 1994.
Sergeant Art Howell, Racine Police Department, 730 Center St., Racine, WI 53403 Phone: (414) 635-7722.
Spergel, Irving A. The youth Gang Problem: A Community Approach. New York: Oxford Up, 1998.
Trump, K. S. Youth Gangs and School: The Need for Intervention and Prevention Strategies. Cleveland: Urban Child Research Center, 1998.
National Education Association Safe Schools – Youth Avoidance of Gang Membership. 1998
Huff, C.R. 1993. Gangs in the United States. In The gang intervention handbook, ed. A.P. Goldstein and C.R. Huff, 3-20. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
Jankowski, M.S. 1991. Islands in the street: gangs and American urban society. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Ron German, OHSU Respiratory Care, Former gang member, Los Angeles & Seattle. 503-494-8175
