Gangs and Gang Violence

Over the last 20 years in the city of Los Angeles at least 10,000 African American and Latino young men have died due to gang activity and gang warfare (Vigil, 2002). As large as that figure is it is still only a portion of the deaths attributable to gang violence in the United States. Although several studies have been done on the nature of gangs and gang warfare, few have been done on the various reasons that teenagers and children join gangs. This paper will review and critique five studies on gangs and gang violence in light of the question: What causes a teenager or child to join a gang.

In reading over the five studies included for this paper at least three of the researchers pointed out that entrance into a gang started between the ages of 9-11 years old (Knox, 2002; Hill, Howell, Hawkins & Battin-Pearson, 1999; Sirpal, 1997). These same studies also pointed to a need for children and teenagers to feel as if they belonged somewhere. Belonging to a gang helped to fulfill this need, especially if the gang members belonged to families that neglected, abused, or ignored them. In particular, it seemed that those least at risk for joining a gang had two parents living at home who were consistently involved in their family, church and community. Additionally, being a victim of bullying, which leads to being a bully, was also a factor a child or teen joined a gang (Knox, 2002; Hill, et al.,1999; Sirpal, 1997).

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information gathered from historical published and unpublished data. This researcher felt that the historical information added context to the data he had gathered through interviews of cooperative current and former gang members (Knox, 2002). These studies also ranged in sample size from 30 participants taken from two facilities using open-ended questionnaires while being audiotaped (previously mentioned) to a study that used 3,489 participants taken from seven states and 22 correctional facilities using anonymous, closed-question surveys (NGCRC, 2002; Robinson, 2002). Yet, while these other studies were able to claim a larger sample for research, they also had to pare this sample down by a little over 500 subjects in their efforts to validate the data. Ultimately, however, in all these cases an interview process of some sort was the main form of gathering data for these studies. Critique While the interview process is an appropriate method for gathering data the type of interview process used and methods employed may add or subtract to a study. For example, the study done by both Robinson (2002) on methamphetamine use and the NGCRC (2002) on bomb and arson use by gangs, while allowing for a large sample of the population to

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