There are all kinds of reasons for joining a gang, but like most youth activities, whether criminal or otherwise, most young males and females join gangs for companionship and a sense of belonging to something. The desire to belong to a gang may stem from a variety of motives, but the one thing all gangs have in common is a claim on turf, or territory. A gang's turf may be one block, a neighborhood, or an entire area of the city. Members wear the gang's colors, or a particular style of clothing and symbols, which many times may indicate luxury or power in a particular neighborhood. Certain social behavior, such as association with gang members and knowledge of gang signs, may also be a matter of survival. Being aware of these characteristics is essential for preparing yourself to deal with gang-related activity.

Life in a Gang

Many young males have to make peace with local gangs to go to school, work or merely walk down a street in their neighborhood. Each gang has a leader, and sometimes other officers. Drug gangs are different from other kinds of gangs. They are much more organized, and much more dangerous. They are responsible for the distribution of illegal drugs, from marijuana and cocaine to heroin and methamphetamines. Gang members are usually required to sell drugs, carry and transport drugs and large amounts of cash and to protect dealers and other gang members from police or rival gangs.

The Realities of Gangs & Common Misconceptions

One of the biggest misconceptions for youths is that joining a gang will make them rich. Some young people think all gang members are rich, drive expensive cars, and don't have to go to work. In reality, very few gang members get rich. Most of their money goes in one hand and out the other to support flash and style rather than day to day living. 

Most drug dealers and gang members like to brag about their 'life on the street.' The truth is that gangs and drug trading are anything but glamorous. Life on the streets is harsh and dangerous and lower-level drug dealers do not drive BMWs, wear gold jewelry or get rich quick. They work around the clock, six or seven days a week, for low wages, continually faced with the threat of violence. They must always be on guard, either watching for police or rival gang members. Their time is not their own and they are constantly in danger of being killed. The odds of surviving are not in their favor. 

Gang Practices

Murders are committed in order to realize the gang's goals of increasing profits, controlling renegade members, protecting existing territories and markets, and terrorizing competitors. The more cunning and brutal the gang, the better its chances of success. Their activities are not localized; they span cities, towns and in some cases, states. 

Most dealers have a pager so that people who want to 'make a buy' can get in touch with them at any time. For this reason, it is a good idea to question suspects and arrestees who are found with a pager, as it may be an indication of gang or drug activity.

Today the use of guns is quite common in gangs. Most gang shootings involve other gang members. But recently more and more innocent bystanders have been killed by gang shootings. A gang's main duty is usually to protect its turf. Simply wearing one gang's colors on another's turf is reason enough to be killed. The killing of a gang member usually provokes a revenge killing, which in turn provokes a revenge killing, and so on and so on. Sometimes gangs go 'wilding,' which means to go on a rampage breaking windows, looting, attacking by-standers, committing rape, and even murder. 

Honor and Gang Code of Ethics

One of the more attractive things about gangs is the loyalty the members all have for each other. They seem to value the other members of their gang more than themselves. Gangs provide an instant group of best friends. The bad side of this loyalty is that gang members can rarely have friends outside the gang. They spend all their time with the gang, and must do whatever the gang leader tells them to do. They lose their freedom when they join a gang.

Gang Initiation

In order to join a gang, you have to prove you are worthy by going through a process of initiation. In some gangs, initiation involves committing some kind of crime. In others, new members have to 'walk the line,' that is, walk along a line of members while each member beats him, and he is ordered not to fight back. Most female gang members are either 'beat in' or 'sexed in.' Initiations are generally very brutal.

Consequences

Someone who makes the choice to join a gang usually sets his life up to end in one of two ways. . . jail or death. Gangs can make you feel important, can make you feel that you belong and can even make you feel rich. But is the choice to join a gang worth the destruction caused in the gang members' lives and in the community? 

According to the American Jail Association Jail Operations Bulletin . . . 
 

Generally formed along racial and ethnic lines, most inmate gangs originated on the street. Inmates become gang members because they feel the need for power or protection or because they believe in the racial theme or philosophy of the gang. Inmates who accept favors or protection from gang members are then obligated to the gang to repay the favors in some way, such as performing a criminal act or joining the gang.

Most gangs have a strictly hierarchical command structure. Some are organized along paramilitary lines, with presidents, vice presidents, and generals. Among youth gangs, members can be broken down into three categories. The 'wannabees' are peripheral individuals who walk, talk and act like gang members, but are not official members of the gang. 'Wannabees' will go to great extremes in order to be recognized and accepted by the gang and they can therefore be violent. 'Associates' are gang members, the foot soldiers who follow the rules of the leaders. The activities of associates can be erratic; they are not involved in the planning of gang activities, but simply follow their leaders' orders. Gang leaders, or 'hardcore' gang members, direct the gang's day-to-day activities.

Learn More . . . 

To learn more about why kids join gangs, and what you can do to stop the threat of gangs in your community, contact:

Michael McKinney, a certified Gang Crime Specialist/Instructor who conducts Gang Awareness, Prevention and Intervention training to law enforcement agencies, corrections officers, schools and community agencies on a regular basis. McKinney has more than twenty years of law enforcement experience and is active in several state, national and international criminal justice associations. He is an active member of the American Correctional Association National Task Force on Violence and is a participant on Illinois Governor Edgar's Statewide Commission on Gangs.

To do so, send an email to: 
John Earls, Vice President 
GWC, Inc. 
E-mail: JohnEarls@att.net