Juvenile Gangs in America Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Juvenile Gangs in America - Term Paper Example Gangs are found in both urban and rural areas. Adult criminal offenders emanate from gangs at an early age and recruit their members from the gangs. Gangs should be diverted into constructive activities where they can positively utilize their energy and honestly make money instead of using criminal means. Juvenile Gangs in America The case of the young gang member is a sad one as instead of having a fruitful youth they waste themselves in burglary, muggings, robbery, gang wars, drug abuse and drug sale according to Franzese, Covey and Menard (2006). Both males and females engage in gang activities and may find themselves in juvenile jails at an early age owing to criminal activities in which they engage. This paper aims to study Juvenile gangs in America; types of Juvenile gangs, what causes them and the effect they have on society and the crimes they engage in, in the United States. The youth are constantly striving to seek for answers as to who they really are. They are looking to define their character, their objectives and pathways in life. This is probably the reason why gangs are constituted mainly of the youth; people lost looking to find their footing in life and in society. Law enforcers define gangs in a simple way as organized groups that join together for the common objective of committing criminal offences (Barrows and Huff, 2009). Barrows and Huff also state that gangs are strongly glued together, very organized, secretive and violent; a group that is a fast growing great threat to society. They also look to find where they feel safe and secure and a place where they feel dignified. Gangs offer this forum and make the young person feel comfortable and protected. The disadvantage with gangs, even as they offer this homely feel for the youth, is that they offer the wrong advice; a tool of menace instead of positive development. United States has experienced a rebirth of gangs and crimes perpetuated by gangs over the last twenty years (Katz and Webb, 2006). Johnson (2004) submits that there are various types of youth gangs in the streets of United States. Scavengers at times referred to as wanna-be gangs are mainly consisted of whites from the suburbs whose main purpose is to bully and threaten other youngsters. Hispanic gangs, on the other hand, named as territorial gangs gather respect. African American gangs and a few Hispanic gangs called hardcore gangs endeavor to generate money by all means and kick out rival groups through violent. Members of a particular gang share various things such as ambition, devoutness and even backgrounds. The juvenile gang menace is mistaken to be uniquely American but it is a characteristic of many other nations and continents too as state by Siegel and Welsh (2011). The UK is a good example of a state disturbed by juvenile gangs and specifically the capital, London. Though there are many kinds of Juvenile gangs in the US, they tend to share similar characteristics. Such characteristics are; th ey are made up of youths, they protect particular territories mainly in the streets and they are immersed in criminal activities of all sorts. Gangs in the United States exist in all cities and members of gangs tend to evolve into leaders of organized crime settings (Finley, 2007). Young juvenile gang members are often trained by adults and are taught many things among them particular ways of