Why Juveniles Join Gangs

Gang violence has been around for decades, and studies show that juveniles are joining gangs at an early age for a variety of reasons. The youth gang problem has been stubbornly persistent over the past decade, resulting in an estimated 29,900 gangs and 782,500 gang members, according to a 2011 National Youth Gang Survey. Law enforcement agencies regularly report a witnessed overlap of gangs and drugs, especially on street-level sales. Law enforcement agencies has a difficult task to address this growing and longstanding issue. As of 2008, law enforcement agencies reported that two out of every five gang members are under 18. Juveniles under the age of 18 are more prevalent in smaller cities and rural communities where gang problems are less recognized, compared to larger cities. …show more content…
I think for the most part, juveniles are left at home unsupervised for hours on end on a daily basis and look toward gangs to fill a void they are missing at home and to fellowship with others around the same age. To some juveniles, they see gang involvement as excitement, or get involved in gang activity because of peer pressure. Some juveniles have no choice, they join gangs for protection because they live in fear on daily basis and see gang activity as a solution to the problem. Whereas, other juveniles are born into the gang lifestyle and that is the only lifestyle they know. Some juveniles join gangs as protection from other gang rivals, or as a financial benefit and a way to make quick money by selling drugs, or committing other criminal acts. Some juveniles join gang activity to have a sense of belonging, or to reinforce their self-esteem. Others may join gangs for recognition that they are lacking from home or school, or even attend parties where gang activities are taken