POLICY

Youth and Gangs in Low Income Areas

This assignment is based on Burgess concentric model, which divides urban centers into five zones that differ by income levels and distance from the central business district (Allen et al., 2005). Gang activity is more prominent in the loop (the CBD), the transition zone, which is characterized by low incomes and slum conditions, and the factory zone, which is dominated by factories and few residential units, thus producing a conducive environment for gangs to operate.

Section 1: The Problem, its Importance, and Causes

Data from the US Department of Justice (DoJ) points to sharp rise in gang violence in the United States over the last decade (Department of Justice, 2020). Gang activity is mostly concentrated in the countrys largest cities (Department of Justice, 2020). In its most recent Youth Gang Survey, the National Gang Center (NGC) identified around 30,000 gangs with a membership of 850,000 operating in the US (National Gang Center, 2019). Over 80 percent of gang activity is concentrated in suburban counties and larger cities, with rural counties accounting for less than 5 percent (National Gang Center, 2019). The estimate of 30,000 gangs is the highest since 1998 and represents an increase of 15 percent from 2005 (National Gang Center, 2019).

Unfortunately, gang activity increases the risk of crime. The National Gang Center (2019) estimates that 13 percent of homicides in the US annually are committed by gangs. In the cities of Los Angeles and Chicago, the cities with the largest numbers of gangs in the US, gangs account for approximately 50 percent of homicides (National Gang Center, 2019). The two cities account for close to 30 percent of all gang-related homicides in the country, while rural counties with fewer or no reported gangs report less than 5 percent of gang-related homicides (National Gang Center, 2019). At the same time, gangs are heavily involved in the sale and illegal distribution of drugs and other controlled substances, increasing the risk of drug-related crime. The National Gang Center (as cited in Barnes et al., 2010), estimates that gang members account for approximately 43 percent of illegal drug sales in the US. This conclusively shows a positive association between gang activity and crime levels.

At the individual level, gang involvement negatively impacts the development and behavior of adolescents and youth. They provide a platform for young people to learn violent and antisocial behavior, which increases the risk of involvement in delinquency (Augustyn et al., 2014). Studies have also shown that youth involved in gangs are less likely than those who are not gang members, to complete high school and are more vulnerable to teenage pregnancies (Augustyn et al., 2014). Other studies have focused on the long-term impact and found that gang involvement increased the risk of crime-involvement and maladaptive parenting behaviour in adulthood (Leeb et al., 2008; Augustyn et al., 2014).

Given the negative impact of gangs on the social fabric of society as well as public safety, it is beneficial to develop programs and interventions that minimize the risk of gang affiliation among the youth. The first step is to identify the causes or risk factors for youth involvement in gangs. Few interventions have been implemented to address the problem, and these are rarely subjected to effective policy evaluation, which breeds ineffectiveness.

Causes of Youth Involvement in Gangs

A lot of literature exists on the risk factors for youth involvement in gangs. A review of the available literature was conducted to identify the most common causes of gang membership among the youth. Studies used as sources of information were based in the US and published in credible peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed studies have been subjected to thorough scrutiny by experts to ensure their quality and validity, which makes them credible sources of information. In addition, the study also obtained expert opinion on the subject matter from Dr. Christopher Edward and Dr. Edmund McGarrell, both professors at Michigan State University, with research interests in the areas of youth violent, street gangs, adolescent development, and crime. The URL links to their academic profiles are provided in the references section of this text.

The literature review and discussions with experts classified the causes of youth involvement in gangs into five: individual factors, family factors, school-related factors, peer-related factors, and community factors.

Higginson et al. (2018) found a positive correlation between gang involvement and prior delinquency, alcohol and substance use, and victimization in childhood and adolescence. According to Higginson et al. (2018), prior delinquency and use of substances interfered with an individuals belief in moral order, making it easier for them to be develop gang affiliation. At the same time, victimization affects how an individual perceives themselves and others, making them less likely to align with other peoples feelings or show empathy. Lenzi et al. (2014) found that gang affiliation positively correlated with gang affiliation among individuals across the lifespan. Adolescents who have suffered victimization may also join gangs as a means to gain the respect of their peers through intimidation and to satisfy their need to feel loved and accepted (Taylor, 2013).

Lenzi et al. (2014) found that negative family environments were also a cause of gang affiliation among youth and adolescents. A negative family environment is indicated by poor supervision, poor parental management, lack of parental support, gang affiliation among parents, and family dysfunction resulting from divorce and separation that leads to single-parent homes. Poor parental management and lack of strog parent-child bonds increases the risk of consistent indiscipline, particularly when adolescents have nobody to talk to or go unpunished because the parents are too busy or the father is absent. In this case, adolescents join gangs as a means to release frustrations and temporarily act out or escape the frustrations they suffer at home (Taylor, 2013). In women-led single parent homes, boys may join gangs as a way of defying the mothers authority and enhancing their masculinity (Taylor, 2013). In low-income settings, financial difficulties in the family pushes adolescents to join gangs so as to make quick money and satisfy their esteem needs by buying cars and winning the attention of peers (Taylor, 2013).

Studies have also found a strong relationship between gang affiliation and school-related factors such as academic failure, lack of prosocial involvement opportunities, low school attachment, and negative labelling by teachers and schoolmates (James, 1998; Lenzi et al., 2014). According to Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, poor relations...…in low-income areas may not be acceptable to elected officials, particularly if the programs to be defunded are part of the leaders primary agenda.

The school-based afterschool program dominates the community-based volunteer program in 4 of the 7 criteria. This alternative policy option ranks better in two criteria: liberty/freedom and political feasibility. This finding makes school-based afterschool program the optimum policy for addressing the youth gang affiliation problem in low-income areas.

Section 5: Equity Impact Assessment/Analysis

A racial equity impact assessment is one of the requirements for public subsidies and federal funding (Race Forward, n.d.). It is an examination of how different ethnic and racial groups will be affected by a proposed policy or decision (Race Forward, n.d.). The aim of the equity impact assessment is to remedy long-standing inequities and prevent institutional racism (Race Forward, n.d.). As part of the equity impact assessment to assess the possible effects of the policy on different racial groups, the analyst will take the following steps. First, stakeholders will be accurately identified to determine the racial groups that are most affected by the identified problem. Secondly, the analyst will take steps to engage stakeholders from different ethnic groups, particularly those widely affected by the gang problem, in developing and assessing the policy proposals (Race Forward, n.d.). By engaging stakeholders across the ethnic divide, the analyst will ensure that the program contributes towards reducing disparities and discrimination.

Section 6: Method of Identifying Potential Implementation Problems and Unintended Effects

The analyst will determine potential implementation problems and unintended consequences of policy implementation through discussions with experts and reviews of relevant literature on other afterschool programs founded on a similar model. The data gathered will be coded and analyzed using relevant software to provide insights into possible implementation problems and unintended effects, even before the policy is implemented. A report will then be prepared summarizing key implementation challenges, unintended effects, and possible solutions.

One of the primary challenges expected from implementation is difficulties in monitoring and assessing the degree of behavioral change in youth participating in the program. A self-assessment behavioral tool will be administered to participants at intervals to check for possible changes in behavior. However, the challenge will be ascertaining that change is primarily due to attending the after-school program and not other factors. The analyst also foresees a lack of political will as the program is fully dependent on funds from the federal and state governments. The possible consequence of both factors is that the program may not be sustainable in the long-run.

To address the identified challenges, the analyst plans to implement several strategies. First, a set of evidence-based assessment tools and practices will be employed in assessing behavioral change among participants. The evidence-based tools will be developed from peer-reviewed studies analysing the effectiveness of similar after-school programs in the US. Further, to ensure that the program does not suffer the negative effects of lack of political will, the analyst will put in place strategies to make the plan sustainable by obtaining alternative sources of funds such as donor funding and subsidized parent contributions moving forward. This will ensure that the afterschool program is not entirely dependent on state and federal funding in the long-run. The analyst expects…