Gangs
are groups of people who hang around to support one another’s antisocial actions. Belonging to a gang offers a member companionship, protection, excitement, and a circle of friends. The person’s performance in these initiations indicates to the gang whether that person has the qualities that the group values (strength, bravery, loyalty, and lack of compassion). (Hawkes, 2001, page 120)
Factors that influence youth joining a gang
- Low self esteem with a sense of helplessness
- Peer pressure from family gang members
- Parental neglect
- Poverty/substandard housing – Living in high-risk neighborhoods
- Substance abuse in and outside the home
- School dropout or truant
- Friends/family members with criminal backgrounds
- Antisocial, hostile or aggressive behaviors towards people in authority
- Social deprivation or isolation behaviors
- Feel the need for personal protection
- Perceived lack of employment opportunities
- Lack of positive role models
- Unaware of the consequences of gang involvement
- Lack of unemployment opportunities
- Domestic violent/physical and sexual abuse
They generally identify themselves by a name derived from:
A street,
Neighborhood
Housing project
Rock band or
Cult
Gang Facts
· Youth gangs are often to as street gangs
· Police consider the word youth to described people between the ages of 14 to 30 ( however , most young gang members are between the ages of 16 and 18)
· Youth gangs are often involved in low-level crime combine with a high incidence of violent behaviour.
· The gang must have a name and a sign
· People outside the gang must regard the gang as a distinct group .
(CBC News in review, November 2008)
General Composition of Canadian Youth gangs
Ø African-Canadian/Black- 25% of youth gang members; mostly active in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia
Ø Aboriginal/First Nations-21% of youth gang members; mostly active in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
Ø Caucasian/White-12% of youth gang members; active across Canada
Ø Asian- member’s numbers unavailable; mostly active in British Columbia.
(RCMP, Feature focus 2006)
Comparison of Youth Gangs in Canada and the United States
U.S (2000) | Canada ( 2001) | |
Population | 281, 421 906 | 30, 007 094 |
Percentage of jurisdiction reporting youth gang activity | 40% | 23.7% |
Estimated number of youth Gangs | 24, 500 | 434 |
Estimated number of gang members | 772, 500 | 7,071 |
Density per 1000 population | 2.75 | 0.24 |
Research conducted by the Astwood Strategy Corporation (2004)
Why do youth's join gangs? (Psychological Perspective)
Ø The gang becomes a family; they feel cared for and noticed, things they may feel they’re
Ø Most have some real or imagined problems at home that make them prefer the streets
Ø Some are looking for power, respect and status.
Ø Poverty
Ø Peer pressure is a big part of the problem; youths are desperate to be accepted by their peers.
Ø A lot of youth that joins gangs are from the ghetto and don’t have a lot of money.
Money
•“I like it for the money. We made lots of money sellin drugs and stealin and ripping people off. I got to buy stuff I could not get with no job at Macdonalds. In this world ya got to have some bling”(male 21 years).
•“Obviously I do it for the cash. If there weren’t no money in it I’d be gone. But the cash is good man. Bought me a car, some clothes, gave me money for the club, got me money to get women, gave me money to help my moms ( Male 20 years)
Money and Respect
•“It’s like the only jobs they got for poor black people is like Macdonalds or Wendy’s or other bullshit like that. Low, low pay, no respect. You basically just a slave, just a punk while some fat owner gets rich. I’m not going down like that. I’m my own boss, make way more money and don’t sell myself out to shit like that. I’d rather die than embarrass myself like that”(male 23 years old)
Social Support and Companionship
•“The gang is like my family man. They got my back. When you need something like some clothes or some food or some money or a place to crash they are there. When you need to talk they are there. When you got a beef they got your back. I love these guys man. They are my blood, my heart” ( male, 22 years old)
Social Alienation and Defiance
•“What chance has a guy like me got in the real world. A poor black guy? Schools are shit, teachers don’t think you can do the work. Nobody’s gonna give me a job. So I’ll get paid and live in another way, in another world where I can get respect and nobody cares what I look like or where I come from. I know I’ll probably die young or go to jail, but what other chance is there? “ ( Male, 22)
Business-Related Violence
•Like if somebody jumped you or ripped you off you gotta come back strong. Mainly business, like in the drug business people man, they will rip you off cause you know, you can’t really call the cops. Can’t take them to court or nothin. So basically ya got to stand for yourself and make sure nobody rip you off.
References:
(www.cbc.ca/newsinreview) – Copyright November 2008
Hawkes, C. ( 2001). Images of Society. Toronto: Mcgraw-hill
RCMP, "Feature focus 2006. Youth gangs and guns" (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/)
Public Safety Canada," Youth gangs in Canada: What do we know?'' (www.publicsafety.gc.ca)
Scot Wortley Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto Justice Domain Leader --CERIS
http://policyresearch.gc.ca/doclib/PS_YOUTH_Wortley_200612_e.pdf
