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Why Do Youths Join Gangs

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Why Youths Join Gangs and How to Prevent it from Happening
Reaver J Childers
Liberty University
CJUS 310-B02
Professor Godwin

Abstract
Have you ever been watching the news and heard the news reporter say, “A young man was shot and killed outside of a corner store. It has been reported that he was a part of a known gang, referred to as the Crips. He was shot by a rivalry gang member.” Do you ever wonder what provokes a juvenile to want to join a gang? There are a lot of parents who ask this question after hearing about someone else’s child or their own child becoming a part of something so horrible. There are so many parents in the world who are losing their children to gangs. The gangs are coming into the communities and praying on what is considered to be the “weak ones.” The “weak-ones” are the ones who seems to be lacking something in their lives, and the only way they know how to fill that void or to get what they are looking for is by joining a gang. The gang gives them status, love, trust, attention, and most of all, it gives them an opportunity to have all the things that they think are important. They find all that they are missing without thinking about the consequences of being affiliated with such groups. This isn’t new to our society; youth gangs have been around for more than 150 years. The youth gangs have grown larger and bolder since the beginning of their time. This paper will discuss why so many youths join gangs? And why has it become such an “it” thing to do in the 20th century? Not only will this paper focus on those two area, it will also give alternatives. What can a juvenile do to redirect their attention away from gang involvement?

Why Youths Join Gangs and How to Prevent it from Happening
Youth gangs have been in existence for a long period of time. Youth gangs are define

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