Adolescent Gang Involvement

Gang Membership among the Adolescents Name: Institution: Course: Date: Introduction The society is a complex web of interactions between the different factions. At the very basic level is the family unit and in this case the nuclear family unit. The social connection between family members is the basic connection that the rest of the society uses to stay together. This is a cohesion that can be considered to have adhesive elements of the various people in the society. Ideally, there is an insatiable need in human being to be part of something bigger than themselves. As such the connection at the family level and to loved ones provides the attachment that people require to feel safe and secure. It is thus common for people to tend to look for that element of connection if the family unit does not provide for the same (Publicsafety.gc.ca, 2016). Adolescents are largely at a stage where they are trying to establish their values relative to what their environment dictates. As such, they tend to be easily carried away by whatever their environment presents. Some of them end up getting initiated into gangs. This is a common element especially for those who come from the poor communities in the society. This common trend has also been established to be one of the main reasons that young adolescents and adults are being initiated into the terrorist activities across the globe. The absence of quality family relations and social structure collapse, provides a fertile ground for the gangs to introduce the same connection but with corrupt motives. This is thus an aspect that also connects to the mental health of the adolescents, as in most of the cases this also tends to affect their adult life from the choices that they make at the younger ages (Gilman, Hill, & Hawkins, 2014). Factors that Contribute to Youth Gang Involvement There are quite a number theories that have been suggested as part of the push-pull factors which bring about the relevant conditions supportive of the youths joining the gangs. Of the many factors that lead the adolescents to consider joining the gangs is the environment in which they live. If the youths in question live in neighborhoods that have gangs in the area with preexisting elements of drug use, peddling, and fire arms that are readily available, there are chances that the youths in the area are going to be attracted to these activities (Publicsafety.gc.ca, 2016). If the youths are exposed to environments that do not have many positive activities and favorable hobbies such that they have too much leisure time, there are chances that they will use much of their time contemplating vile activities. In a connection to the element of having gang related activities in the area, such adolescents are likely to be sucked into the murk of gang life. In some of the cases, some of the adolescents that are involved in delinquent behavior, are likely to be drawn into the life of crime and the gangs present the best platform for the same. This is further tied to activities such as drug and alcohol abuse (Publicsafety.gc.ca, 2016). If the adolescents do not get the right education background and support, they are also likely to take on other activities that they feel represent their interests and can easily be drawn to join gangs. However one of the most crucial factor and one that the paper tries to elaborate on is the need to belong to a group with the right connections that mimic health relationships. This strategically ties in with elements of having problems at home. If the adolescents do not feel the attachment from home, they are likely to be attracted to what gangs offer as an alternative. Where children do not have the right kind of supervision when growing up and therefore feel detached and unprotected from those in their family; the gangs offer the level of connection and protection that these adolescents will be seeking. According to Mike Carlie, the absence of family unconditional love, positive role models and the proper discipline tends to be some of most important factors leading gangs' growth. Ideally this means that, most of the adolescents that join the gangs tend to so for the lack of the connection that they seek from their families (Carlie, 2016). As such the gangs tend to fill in the social needs of the adolescents. When the youths fee that they are being alienated and neglected at the...