What Attracts People to Gangs?

Reasons for joining gangs are numerous and varied. Not only do they have to do with personal choices, but sometimes they are related to environment, race and fear. Understanding the reasons behind gang recruitment can go a long way in preventing people from joining gangs.

Significance

Many people join gangs not out of personal choice but because this seems to be the safest alternative. For those who live in crime-ridden neighborhoods, gangs may provide a safety net, either against other gangs or against the general environment. Teenagers or kids who are bullied are also likely to join gangs as a way to look for protection.

Function

Gangs are attractive to many because they provide a way to fit in. For those living in mixed neighborhoods, joining a gang (which often have common characteristics such as race, religion and political views) can provide a feeling of familiarity that is otherwise missing from these people's lives. In neighborhoods where gangs are a way of life, it may even feel natural to join one rather than stay on your own.

Effects

Gangs provide a sense of family to those who lack a stable family environment. In fact, experts point out that children from single-parent homes are twice more likely to join gangs than those with a steady family life. Family abuse, recent divorces or the frequent absence of a parent from the home are also reasons that attract teens to gangs, where they can feel a sense of belonging that may be missing in their personal lives.

Considerations

Adults are often attracted to gangs because of the material benefits they offer. Criminal activity is often inherent to gangs' functions, which means that gang members have access to "easy money" or to business transactions that allow them to make a profit without the need for a steady job. For adults, gangs may also offer a way into a life of partying, drugs and sex.

Geography

Geographical location also plays a role in who joins a gang. In certain neighborhoods, gangs are a way of life, and those who don't join a specific one may be exposed to violence from both sides. Other people join gangs as a way to protect their own families, especially if family members are also involved in a gang, in which case they may be obligated to follow in their relatives' footsteps.