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, 1990a, pp. 244 249). One of the most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person is a loss of self esteem (Ogata, 1990, pp. 1008 1013). Abuse, and the hopelessness and depression that often stems from abuse, frequently leads to a loss of self esteem (Madonna, 1991, pp. 46 49). The loss of self esteem leads many adolescents to consider suicide (Sanders and Giolas, 1991, pp. 50 54). Other adolescents, however, react in different ways. Some strike out at the society around them, while others seek acceptance and status in street gangs (Goldstein, 1991, pp. 219 220). The cycle of abuse, hopelessness, depression, the loss of self esteem, and suicide ideation, striking back at society, and seeking a new place in life through street gang affiliation involves such factors as a failure to develop effective interpersonal skills, ineffective social integration, and dysfunctional families (Jean Gilles and Crittenden, 1990, pp. 323 329). Statement of the Problem
Street gang activity most certainly has adverse effects on the broader society, neighborhoods, and families (Barden, 1990, pp. 8 20). To state that gang activity necessarily has adverse effects on gang members, however, requires the perspective of one outside of a street gang, as opposed to the perspective of an individual within a gang organization (Bing, 1989, pp. 51 60). For the individual in a street gang, the psychological effects are often perceived as being superior to life outside the gang (Taylor, 1990, pp. 32 39).
Neighborhoods with significant levels of street gang activity become virtual hostages to the street gangs (Huff, 1990, pp. 188 206). Such neighborhoods may, to a great extent, be ...