Why people join gangs?
353398
Most of the time to feel secure with their pears. To show their inner circle of friends their limits. To share symbolic language (such as tattoos, etc), to learn from each other, to support each other even if some of them dont support other´s. \n\n Sometimes to have power, to have things and be protected in case someone needs help. To share similar feelings about life, to let other´s know that a group can do a lot of things -negative or positive-. Sometimes, to challenge authority and show them they can do whatever they want -too much freedom-.\n  \n  To learn to adapt and some wrong things to be accepted in their micro culture, in their micro society, so no one judges them or judges their actions, that makes them more powerful, sometimes the power of love and unification and sometimes the power of hate and racism.\n\n   A lot of them are good people, but using the wrong ways. Other´s do support civil rights and help people among them, they are not as bad as some people may think.
894280
They were never cool and never will be. The only people who want to be in gangs are losers who are not man enough to handle their own lives by themselves and have to rely on a group to protect them. Snoop Dogg is the biggest loser there ever was.
1015888
Because we start to identify with them apart from their crimes and want to see them succeed.\nOr, we think their crimes serve the greater good (e.g. Robin Hood).
357036
i would join a gang or escape
223106
In the USA gangs are gangs of people who are together for one reason or another. As long As YOU DO NOT COMMIT A CRIME what is their to fight about.\n\nIn other countries for instance in Central America, gangs kill, rape, steal etc from people all the time.\n\nThese people should be held accountable for their crimes. In Guatemala the police are afraid of them and they are just like mafia! What can be done about this problem. Kill them one by one until they become just gang members.
368901
the real answer is they do not. prison gangs thrive on drugs, killngs, and rape. Nothing they do is legal for the system. however, they do have jobs in their and by commiting crimes usa can keep the prisons budget. legally, they do nothing, illegally, they work best
360816
The mob is not nearly as efficient as Holllywood makes them out to be. With each successive generation the quality of gangsterism has declined considerably - to the point where they're now mostly ignorant thugs. It's also expensive to go after people. The fact is the mob gets very few informers these days. Gravano, Hill, etc., they're hiding in plain sight.
88885
Lifestyles are accrued by individuals in accordance with their needs such as a younster within a dysfunctional setting will opt to adopt the most available lifestyle. For instance if a neighborhood gang is accepting membership, most youngsters will be influenced by the lifestyles of the 'gangstas' and seek refuge in their group. Of course this desicision will certainly degrade a youngsters ability to make a better life and the opportunity to make their own lifestyles. Lifestyles are to be chosen not as alternatives to a problem but should be adopted and nurtured for a better individual future. Lifestyles are numerous but not all of them are proper. Jose
200632
They give more employment opportunities to those who need them. When people make money legitimately, they tend to not need to resort to crime.
663313
go to school get an education..stay away from gang members..You have your whole life don't waste it.
186049
Well, a good place to start is by picking an inner city community, which can stay anonymas of course, and see what types of activities are avialable for kids in the community. Also, look into the reason why gangs start in the first place, which is a lack of feeling they have a loving supportive "home", or that they need "protection" from other gangs who prey on any one not already in a gang and under that gangs "protection". Sadly, if you are not in  a gang, all gangs think of you as "fair game" and you get targeted by all the gangs, without any protection. Kids in inner city communities are at extreme risk these days. They have to be affiliated by the age of seven or eight or they are getting beat up and robbed on a daily basis, just walking to school or trying to play outside. \n\nIt is great you picked such a difficult issue to write about. However, this is a huge issue, so perhaps if you focused on just one portion of the issue instead of attempting to address the whole issue compleatly. Maybe talking about how it all starts with an unbroken home, where children receive love and attention, don't have to come home to an empty house due to both parents needing to work just to put food on the table, by talking about how our contries minimum wage does not even get a two parent working family out of poverity levels, and how child care is so expensive that one half or more of one parents wages go to paying for it. Talk about how organizing after school programs can provide a safe and educational as well as fun alternative for children to attend rather than going home to an empty house, and that affordable safe childcare would assist families in feeling OK in placiing their children in daycare and not have to worry about them being abused while they are at work. Talk about how drugs are ruining our children and their futures, how gang life does not really provide a "family" for those children from broken homes or abusive homes, that the gang members just want the new younger members to do crimes that the older members would be tried as adults for. talk about how our society is throwing away our children by trying ever younger children as adults, when any logical thinking person KNOWS a fifteen or sixteen or fourteen or thirteen or twelve year old is just NOT an adult, no matter the severity of their crime. That trying them as adults does not stop crime at all, nor is the death penalty a deterant to murder. It is only government sactioned murder in and of itself. \n\nAs you can see, you did indeed pick a huge issue here. However it is one that needs to be discussed and discussed some more, and then some more. We need to communicate that this IS not a civilized world, no matter how many people wish it were and get angry at anybody who dares to break their little bubble of deluded belief that it is. \n\nWhen seven and eight year olds HAVE to join a gang, just to find safety from the gangs in their communities or become victims of violence on a daily basis, then NO our society is not "civilized". Period. \n\nGood for you to want to bring awareness of this huge issue, and good luck in writing your paper and giving your presentation.
38342
The battle between being a good person and an evil person. When raised in an abusive environment one has to choose whether to beat them or join them. Instinct and years of programming makes you want to join them, but making a conscious effort to be a decent person is worth it.
645049
The fact that you are asking if you should become a gang member is telling me that you have doubts. It is better to save a life, than to take one. Gang life ends up in death, prison, or jail.  You have a purpose in life. Surround yourself with friends that are doing the right things. A friend is someone who is going to positively lift you up. Take care.
277237
They commit crimes because they are too lazy and/or too stupid to work for what they want.  They feel that they should have everything they want, and not have to wait to get it.  A gang of them with weapons will attack one person with no weapons, and they think that makes them tough.  People of any age that commit crimes are just low-lifes, and really should be treated that way.
387775
Maybe because some have political reasons they are fleeing ElSalvador. Maybe the MS-13 are tormenting them and they have to escape. MS-13 is one of the deadliest gangs os Central America.
714852
money, money, money, money, money. It's all driven by money. The gangster image is a front. They may have been punks (sorry, gangster) before they started rapping, but they certainly need the image to be successful.
541203
Gangs ,,its when you represent an other gangthan the one you are in ,  you will be false flaging