Why do people join gangs?

Question

Okay I know my thoughts on why people join gangs. What are your thoughts of why they join them? How do you feel about gangs?

When i was younger most of the people that I knew in a gang would tell you its about being a family and having respect. Not to look tough or cool. Most of them had no fathers in the home and the mother was having it hard so they joined a gang and had the family that they where looking for.

Answer 1

The feeling and need to belong to "something". Most people have a real need to belong to something, anything; a family, a church group, a sports team, most anything that will identify their belonging in the world. This goes double for the periods of time when we are younger.

Gangs appeal to young men and women who are looking for that belonging. Maybe their family does not fit their needs. Maybe sports isn't their bag and they can't seem to get motivated about religion. Gangs prey on these young people to keep their gang growing, sort of like the moonies at the airport.

Gangs are controlled by older people that recruit young people to build their organization. Not all gangs are bad, but some are. That is only a reflection of the older folks that run it. The Guardian Angels Group is nothing more then a gang that has different goals then a gang that let's say deals drugs.

I can't condomn gangs as a whole, again some have good intentions. I can only condem the actions of gangs that are run by dishonest people that use them for self serving purposes and illegal activities. This is where the "turf wars" and drive by shootings come from. The illicit gangs fighting for resources.

Good Question,
Tom

Answer 2

We learned about this in my psychology class and the whole wanting to be cool thing is totally bogus but it makes up about 1/16th of it. Most people that are in gangs are from broken homes. They do not experience love or basically completeness in their homes and they go out and find it in gangs. They feel "love" from the gangs because they are basically being accepted, and then they start having to give up everything for the gang. Whether its school, good friends, girlfriends, family, etc. They have to give it up for the gang because anything and anyone outside of that gang is not trusted. There is more to it but i lost my psychology book so thats just from what i remember.

Answer 3

I think they need a feeling of belonging to something, and they come from either broken homes, where one parent can't keep track of them all the time, or families who don't know or care about what to do with them. Gangs have become a new form of family to them, and once some of their friends have joined, it's cool and welcoming.

Answer 4

As the leader of a local gang, the Sharks, I can tell you that I joined my gang as a way to express myself. Our outfits are color-coordinated and make us look tough.

Answer 5

they join for security! A gang is just a group of scared individuals with 1 thing in common.

Answer 6

i know sum guys in sum gangs n i think they just wanna be part of sumthin, to be cool n stuff. u kinda get an identity, u know? in ur neighborhood, or at least in mine, people respect u more n dont wanna mess with u if ur in a gang. n sometimes when thats all u grew up around, u just do it too cuz everybody else did.

Answer 7

most ppl join them to fit in with others i think they are wrong cauz ppl die or get hurt over gangs

Answer 8

i was in a gang a couple months back and it is about respect for other members but not for anybody else.but i got out.i was in the bloods

Answer 9

People are homosapien.
Homosapien's decended from apes.
Apes are herd animals. The live in tribes. A solitary ape tends to die soon.

Its just nature.

Answer 10

Usually to gain acceptance of some sort. They usually have poor family structure.

The sharks??!! LOL!!!! ooooo will I be seeing them on COPS?