The Effects Of Youth Gang Membership

Following recent studies, as of 2015 there are over one million adolescent gang members in the United States. Adolescent gang members can be between the ages of 5 and 17. There is an average of 2 percent of youth who are in a gang in the United States. Gang membership poses many risks for an individual. They are more likely to partake in criminal activities. They also have a higher chance of exposing themselves to risk factors such as drugs, violence, sexually transmitted diseases and even death.

An adolescent gang member is more likely to show signs of high levels of aggression and violence. An adolescent, being at such a young age, is very likely to still be living at home. It is probable for them to bring home all of these risk factors. It is also likely for them to bring home their aggression and violence and aim it towards their younger siblings. Gang membership can have a negative effect for not only the individual in the gang but their younger siblings too.

Adolescents who are apart of gangs can bring home many risk factors that can negatively affect and even harm their younger siblings. Youth gang members are more likely to express high levels of aggression and partake in violence. They would most likely bring this aggression home to their younger siblings, creating a negative environment for them. Youth gangs are the cause of cycles of violence in and around most communities. The youth gang members bring all of these dangers back home with them which also affect their home life and puts their siblings in harm's way.

A youth gang member has a strong likelihood of bringing home drugs or weapons. It could be easy for a child or younger sibling to get a hold of these things and accidentally harm themselves. If theses children aren’t harmed by the weapons or drugs their sibling bring in, their sibling can be the one to harm them. Youth gang members show more signs of high levels of violence and aggression than their non-gang affiliated youth counterparts. If a youth gang member were to get angry or impatient with their younger siblings, they can cause serious harm towards them. Younger children aren’t at fault because they are still young and their brains are still developing. They don’t know the difference from right and wrong or when to stop. These children are defenseless against their older, stronger, more aggressive siblings.

Younger children also tend to look up to their older siblings. An adolescent’s being in a gang can cause their younger siblings to want to follow in their footsteps. Younger kids are highly impressionable. They look up to their older siblings for guidance and acceptance. If that sibling is associated to a gang, there is a high chance of the younger sibling succeeding them and their behavior. There is a positive correlation to gang membership that was tied to youth surrounding themselves to deviant peers. Younger siblings are constantly around their older siblings making it easy for them to want to join a gang. These children also have easy access to the gang itself. Seeing their older sibling in a gang can cause them to think that joining a gang is harmless and beneficial.

For some youth a gang can offer the possibility of social, psychological and physical protection. Researchers found that high levels of empathy and parental support were associated with a lower likelihood of an adolescent’s involvement with a gang. So if an adolescent felt unsafe around their peers or in school, they had a higher chance of joining a gang. If a child’s older sibling was in a gang and showed signs of aggression towards them, they wouldn’t feel safe in their own home. If a child’s home life is toxic or unstable they may think that their best option for a safer and better life is with a gang. These children will look for other ways to find a sense of protection and safety.

It was concluded that the more empathy in an adolescent’s life the less of a chance there would be for them to join a gang. A young person may find a gang appealing because of the status it holds. It holds the promise of a better life for kids who have experienced a traumatic or unhealthy life. At such a young age in life some youth may feel that joining a gang is best for them and others may do it because of peer pressure. Because of a promise for such a life youth may feel that they would be cool if they were to join a gang. Although gangs hold a certain status to them, they can cause more harm than good.

Youth gang members are more likely to sexually harass others. If this adolescent has a younger sibling, they are an easy victim for them. Sexual harassment occurrences are more likely to happen when there is a gang presence and visible gang activity in the area. Sexually aggressive acts are commonly seen in gangs. A national study reports that sexual harassment rates 56% for females and 40% for males. There is a higher pressure for girls to give into sexual advances by a gang member. Males are often the perpetrator of sexual harassment while females are often the victims. Young girls are at risk of possibly having their older brother sexually harass them.

Sexual harassment in adolescence can be described as unwanted sexual commentary, the spreading of sexual rumors, and inappropriate touching. Middle school adolescents' involvement in gangs shows that they are more likely to engage in actions and behaviors that will victimize others, such as sexually harassing and homophobic teasing others. Gang membership has been associated as one of the peer-related predictors of youth violence. In some people there is a desire to exert power over others and that is similar for youths who are involved with gangs and for sexual violence perpetrators. Younger siblings are easy and accessible victims for these types of actions and behaviors.

In conclusion, younger siblings of youth gang members are at high risk of danger. Some of these dangers can be the accidental use of drugs and alcohol, aggression and violence targeted towards them and sexual harassment. Sexual harassment appears to be heightened when there is a gang presence and where there is visible gang activity. An adolescent gang member is more likely to show signs of high levels of aggression and violence. They also have a higher chance of exposing themselves to risk factors such as drugs, violence, sexually transmitted diseases and even death. The younger siblings of gang members also have a higher chance of succeeding the behavior of their older siblings by joining a gang too. An adolescent is most likely to become a member of a gang if they have delinquent peers or feel unsafe, unprotected and lonely.