c population groups; however, other population groups also engage in gang activities.
Criminal justice experts place the blame for increased antisocial behaviors by young persons on a number of social forces present in Canadian society (Fulton and Fisher, 1992, p. 35). Some experts contend that individuals tend to sort themselves out into innocents, desisters, and persisters at an early age (Blumstein, Farrington, and Moitra, 1985, p. 57). This sorting out process occurs between the ages of 10 and 12 according to some research; however, other researchers think that the process continues into young adulthood. Innocents never engage in antisocial activity, while both desisters and persisters experiment with criminal activity, until the sorting out process is complete. Subsequent to this point, the desisters no longer engage in criminal behaviors.
Researchers think that the greatest single motivators for desisters is apprehension by the police, without being charged for a crime. Researchers also contend that, by the time antisocial behavior has progressed to the point where an individual should be charged, it is usually to late to divert that individual to the desister group. Early intervention, thus, is indicated.
A variety of reasons underlie the disaffection of young people from their society and their families. One of these factors is abuse--both physical and psychological--perpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority in the life of a young person (Howing, 1990, pp. 244-249). One of the most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person is a loss of self-esteem that, in turn, frequently leads to delinquent behavior (Ogata, 1990, pp. 1008-1013). The cycle of abuse, hopelessness, depression, the loss of self-esteem, and delinquent behavior involves such factors as a failure to develop effective interpersonal skills, ineffective social integration, and dysfunct...