family. Peer pressure plays into it as well: if a child's best friends are joining a gang, he may feel like the only way to continue that friendship is to join, too. Many forms of media glorify the gang lifestyle, promising money, status, belongings, a sense of identity, parties and sex.
Environmental If you can't beat them, join them," sums up the feeling many young people have regarding gang membership. Plenty of children feel threatened by local gangs, and if law enforcement is inadequate, the kids' only choice for protection is to join a gang. Likewise, if a child is being abused, being in a gang may make him feel tough enough to protect himself from his abuser. A feeling of lack of safety in a high-crime neighborhood, availability of
Environmental If you can't beat them, join them," sums up the feeling many young people have regarding gang membership. Plenty of children feel threatened by local gangs, and if law enforcement is inadequate, the kids' only choice for protection is to join a gang. Likewise, if a child is being abused, being in a gang may make him feel tough enough to protect himself from his abuser. A feeling of lack of safety in a high-crime neighborhood, availability of