Gang Violence

During childhood and adolescence, the formation of groups or gangs is a normal part of the growing process. Playmates, school friends, Boy and Girl Scout troops are each examples of the natural inclination to form group attachments that provide a stable social outlet. However, gangs, as we now know...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of health care for the poor and underserved Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 198 - 203
Main Author Sigler, Robert T
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Johns Hopkins University Press 01.01.1995
Subjects
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Child
Crime
Delinquency Prevention
Gangs
Group Identity
Group Processes
Humans
Juvenile Delinquency
Peer Group
Preventive programmes
Street Drugs
United States
United States of America
Violence
Youth Organizations
United States
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:During childhood and adolescence, the formation of groups or gangs is a normal part of the growing process. Playmates, school friends, Boy and Girl Scout troops are each examples of the natural inclination to form group attachments that provide a stable social outlet. However, gangs, as we now know them, are part of the pathological process brought on by the inability to disassociate from adolescent groupings, and more frightening, the result of infiltration by criminal elements, such as drug dealers, who exert violent influence on impressionable youngsters, particularly in major urban areas. The transition of gangs from innocent to deadly is due in large part to society's failure to respond to the environment that causes their pathology. In order to reverse the process, society must engage in programs that reinforce the gang or group experience as a positive one by incorporating adult supervision and mentoring as essential elements.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:1049-2089
1548-6869
1548-6869
DOI:10.1353/hpu.2010.0631