Welcome to a new post on gang issues in education. I had recent contact with one of my readers who asked me a simple question pertaining to gang members. The question she posed to me was quite simply why? As in why would a child ever want to join a gang?
Her question was one that got me thinking about all the factors which would compel a child to contemplate being a part of a gang. Just to outline the many variables involved in quantifying the reasons would not suffice in an arena such as this. But I will attempt to at least outline a few of them. And I do understand that this question has been sufficiently studied for quite a while now, as to offer some common answers. And once I outline some of these I am certainly going to chime in on how I feel about this issue.
But before I do let us look at some of the commonalities that others’ research have answered, which I also concur with. I will attempt to outline some of these factors by what I believe is order of importance. With the first issue being the most relevant and so on down the line.
First and foremost is the issue of home life, or lack of in this case, which plays an overwhelming roll in the overall decision. Many times what happens in the home pushes the child into the gangster lifestyle. Next comes protection and safety, which sadly, in some gang infested neighborhoods almost makes membership mandatory for survival.
Another issue would be for socialization and acceptance, which the child may be lacking in other areas of their lives. And finally the lure of the danger and excitement often associated with being in a gang can also play a role in this decision. The way the gangster lifestyle is being portrayed now days in movies and music videos makes this lifestyle fascinating to many vulnerable children.
But I believe there is one issue that super-cedes the above and plays the most significant role in the decision process. And it is one of the simplest and most fundamental concepts inherent to all of us; money. If you can imagine a scenario in which a child is lacking the fundamentals for survival they will almost surely do whatever they can to aid in such survival.
And if the lure of gang membership and its money offers just such an alternative for the escape of poverty, then the opportunity to jump at that avenue is to be expected. Sadly many of the members I encountered and taught to were in a position where any chance to earn some money, no matter the means, was just too irresistible.
Although I realize I have only scraped the proverbial tip of the iceberg on this issue. You can get an in depth look at this and other problems pertaining to gang members in an educational setting by sending $19.95 plus $4.00 shipping and handling for a copy of my book, to P.O. Box 13591, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88013.
If you wish to discuss this or any other topic pertaining to gang members in your schools and classrooms you may contact me at: cabgil@aol.com.
Thank you and come again for another post on gang issues in education.
Gilbert Cabrera