Also, there is also an evaluation of gang prevention programs for female youth gang members. This evaluation showed that gang membership has shown as much disparity for young females as it did for men. (Maxson, 282)
Quite often communities with poverty contain high amounts of different groups of gangs. Although some suburban areas contain a small amount of gang members, compared to other communities with poverty, it’s a very small number. In cities like LA and Chicago the gang and poverty rates are both extremely high because they have equally the same issues and demographics. According to CrimeSolutions.gov, it is said “commonly identified community risk factors for gang membership include poverty, presence of gangs, availability of drugs, perceived lack of safety, low neighborhood attachment, high community arrest rates, and availability of firearms.” The reason that gangs exist so much in poor communities is because poverty has a tendency to cause deprived conditions such as, increased unemployment rates, poor housing, and heavy drug usage. Having such a depressed environment it’s no wonder why a large number of youth join gangs. Having a neighborhood lacking resources is one of the many main causes for a formation of a gang. Without the proper resources in a community it plays a serious role in the well being of society. The lack of resources can be tied back to poverty, or, in other words, lack of funding. By not having the finances to create community programs it holds back healthy youth to have the ability to be a positive part of the community, and therefore leaves them with very little options other than to be a gang member and join in local gang activities. Insufficient education means more than not achieving a high school diploma. In many countries, a lot of people may be lucky if they obtain an education level equivalent to that of a high school diploma. A lot current gang members come from generations of family members that have low education levels. Poor schooling prevents youth from the education that is needed and well deserved in order to prevent gang prevention. This can be the program taught, the state of the building, supplies, and the educators available and willing. We hear quite often that knowledge is power and this can’t be more true. By not offering satisfactory education our country is holding back our youth from having a future other than being a gang member.
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There are many core causes to form a gang, however there are not as many solutions in order to resolve gangs. By different communities creating counseling centers would help deter those who have been looking for self-destruction in gangs: by teaching coping skills for problems at home, such as, drug addiction in their home, past abuse and issues that might cause youth to pick the gang route. According to Luis Rodriguez in Always Running, “I’m sure it feels good to get messed up once in a while,” he said. “To let it all go. But the fight for a better life won’t stop because you aren’t ready. What we’re doing is not something you decide to do when you feel like it. Whether you’re ready or not, this struggle will go on. But you have to make a choice now. Either the craziness and violence-or here, learning and preparing for world in which none of this is necessary” (Rodriguez, 2013) A lot of adolescent do not want to really join gangs, it is just their way of dealing with the most difficult and often hard to face reality. Also, by having the finances to create a counseling program it would prevent quite a few of youth from going down the wrong path. Giving these youth counseling is not the only solution to an overwhelming epidemic; there are solutions to be created. Community centers and sports programs are another way to reach future and prevent gang youth members, in addition to current gang youth. Some community centers and programs also serve the needs of gang members, friends, and their families. A few of the centers offer high school dropout programs, help with welfare, job placements, day care for single teen mothers, and a places for the younger youth to hang out. By us having these community centers and also youth centers, it gives the youth the chance to have the same sense of being important and or wanted as you would as if you were a member of a gang, or would have had by joining a gang. Community centers and recreation types of programs also give the youth the opportunity to take away free time that would be spent on negative gang activity by high risk youth, and also by still offering them fun activities where they can get rid of lots of built up energy and emotions energy that they could have used towards criminal activities.
An additional response to gang formation is that the government be more involved in the finance aspect towards the prevention of gangs. They always seem to have a plan set on the war against gangs, however they never seem to have any plans of preventing gangs. Through providing funding towards job training and placement, improved educational settings, in addition to recreational and sports programs and also having community centers they could help with this epidemic. By providing job training and improved educational environments it would give youth the skills and understanding in order to be successful. Having a sense of accomplishment is sought by everyone throughout the world. Not one person wants to freely be ineffective. By not having the proper tools and resources to be successful is the problem to blame in most cases.
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