Gang Membership Group Analysis
Chong Lee, Devyn Stephens, Gabriela Solis, Quanie Dilldine
CFS 143, Spring 2017
California State University, Fresno
Youth in Gangs
Gangs are organized groups of people who share common aspects like colors, signals, and engage in criminal activity (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). On average, youth join gangs at the age of twelve. Those at risk are typically male, with poor academic success, experience poverty, and belong to a minority. These youth grow up depending on their gangs, making it difficult to leave. Especially when joining the gang requires life long loyalty and commitment.
Youth are attracted to gangs because of the promise of family, income, survival, and social belonging (Capuzzi, Gross, …show more content…
One that effectively combats gang membership is the Street Smart program implemented as a year-round curriculum for select youth in the club. The program’s efforts reflect primary prevention. Primary prevention is defined as the proactive efforts to keep certain problems or crises from occurring (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). The program is primary because it targets youth who are at risk of becoming gang members at a time when they are most vulnerable. The Street Smart program is intended to provide youth an alternative to gangs and violence by teaching them to be positive members of the community (Health and Life Skills, 2017). Youth are given the opportunity to plan anti-gang activities and events while obtaining coping skills, positive connection to peers and belongingness. The program focuses on the age group most at risk of joining a gang, eleven to thirteen. The program aims to inform youth about the dangerous lifestyle gang members experience while also providing a safe, positive alternative to youth seeking social inclusion. It has been found that children choose better behavior when they are properly informed and gain skills to monitor their behavior (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). It is the goal of the program to promote prosocial behavior. The Street Smart program is tasked with not only educating the youth but also giving them opportunities to apply it. The program is effective in that …show more content…
This discourse causes society to ignore other factors such as where the youth grew up, their family life and their financial situation. This discourse causes a reluctance to help these children. It leads to them be labeled as troublemakers who simply want to do wrong in the world. Instead of believing the dominant discourse, society must become educated on the real reason youth join gangs. For example, some youth choose to be in a gang as a way of financial stability and income. If a child grows up in a home that does not have a stable flow of income, they may see joining a gang as the only way to provide for their family. Another example is that if a child grows up with little to no family they may join a gang to have a sense of support and belonging. Once society rejects the discourse and acknowledges the multiple marginalities youth face, then there is a chance to end gang
Chong Lee, Devyn Stephens, Gabriela Solis, Quanie Dilldine
CFS 143, Spring 2017
California State University, Fresno
Youth in Gangs
Gangs are organized groups of people who share common aspects like colors, signals, and engage in criminal activity (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). On average, youth join gangs at the age of twelve. Those at risk are typically male, with poor academic success, experience poverty, and belong to a minority. These youth grow up depending on their gangs, making it difficult to leave. Especially when joining the gang requires life long loyalty and commitment.
Youth are attracted to gangs because of the promise of family, income, survival, and social belonging (Capuzzi, Gross, …show more content…
One that effectively combats gang membership is the Street Smart program implemented as a year-round curriculum for select youth in the club. The program’s efforts reflect primary prevention. Primary prevention is defined as the proactive efforts to keep certain problems or crises from occurring (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). The program is primary because it targets youth who are at risk of becoming gang members at a time when they are most vulnerable. The Street Smart program is intended to provide youth an alternative to gangs and violence by teaching them to be positive members of the community (Health and Life Skills, 2017). Youth are given the opportunity to plan anti-gang activities and events while obtaining coping skills, positive connection to peers and belongingness. The program focuses on the age group most at risk of joining a gang, eleven to thirteen. The program aims to inform youth about the dangerous lifestyle gang members experience while also providing a safe, positive alternative to youth seeking social inclusion. It has been found that children choose better behavior when they are properly informed and gain skills to monitor their behavior (Capuzzi, Gross, 2014). It is the goal of the program to promote prosocial behavior. The Street Smart program is tasked with not only educating the youth but also giving them opportunities to apply it. The program is effective in that …show more content…
This discourse causes society to ignore other factors such as where the youth grew up, their family life and their financial situation. This discourse causes a reluctance to help these children. It leads to them be labeled as troublemakers who simply want to do wrong in the world. Instead of believing the dominant discourse, society must become educated on the real reason youth join gangs. For example, some youth choose to be in a gang as a way of financial stability and income. If a child grows up in a home that does not have a stable flow of income, they may see joining a gang as the only way to provide for their family. Another example is that if a child grows up with little to no family they may join a gang to have a sense of support and belonging. Once society rejects the discourse and acknowledges the multiple marginalities youth face, then there is a chance to end gang