Youth gang membership: demographics, motivations, and family factors

Gang involvement among teenagers is a well-researched topic of interest. Themes such as age of participation, reasons for gang involvement, demographics for gang relations, initiation rights, and family relations among gang members have all been studied and examined in current literature. This section will present an overall view of that literature, and will discuss those studies and their findings.

First, it is important to examine the scope of the gang problem. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's 2001 report "The Growth of Youth Gang

Problems in the United States: 1970-98," there was an eleven fold increase in the number of counties in the U.S. reporting gang problems within the study period. By the late 1990's, there were 3,700 identified locations within the United States that reported the problems of gang activity. While in the 1970's, only 19 states reported gang issues, this number had increased to 50 states by the late 90's. Approximately 60% of all major cities in the U.S. report serious issues with gangs. States reporting the highest number of gang issue included Texas, California, Florida, Ohio, and Illinois (OJJDP, 2001). By the year 2000, it was estimated that 24,500 gangs were active in the United States (OJJDP, 2002).

It is also important to recognize the demographics of gangs within the United States today. The National Youth Gang Survey of 2000 (OJJDP) reported that approximately 94% of gang members were male, and six percent were female. This was an increase of two percent since 1998. Additionally, the 2000 survey reported a lowering of the average age of gang members, with over 39% of gang members being under the age of 18. In 1999, 47% of gang members were reported to be Hispanic, 31% were African-American, 13% were Caucasian, seven percent were Asian, and two percent were listed as "other" (OJJDP, 2002).

Current research on gangs also lends some insight as to the reasons young men and women join these groups. According to Ruth (1996), one of the main reasons for youth to join gangs is the protection and structure offered by the group in lower income areas. In more traditional slum areas, trends show a consistent lack of adult support for youths. In these areas, youths find themselves lacking any sort of structure, and begin to seek out a group that gives them direction. In these lower income areas, "sets" tend to be established, which are localized pieces of a larger gang (Ruth, 1996).

Other studies have shown a relationship between a lack of male adult support and gang membership among young men. Bowker and Klein (1993) reported that male activities in gangs involved sexual conquests, fighting, substance abuse, and minor and major violent acts. These masculine ideas and concepts, typical for young men, are praised by other gang members. During the maturation process of males, there is a strong need for bonding and encouragement from the same sex. In lower income areas, male role models are often absent, so are not available to provide this needed bond. Thus, teenage boys turn to gangs for encouragement (Bowker and Klein, 1993).

Still further research has shown that school systems in lower income areas are also prime areas for teenage males to join gangs. Battin, Abbott, Catalano, and Hawkins (1998) found a strong relationship between school activities and gang involvement. According to these researchers, the school system is where youths being to identify their personal values and identities. These identities are at least marginally defined through peer associations. Battin and colleagues found that associations with delinquent peers are a gateway to gang involvement, and that the closer the association, the greater the risk of gang involvement (Battin, et al., 1998).

Part of the reason for this increase in involvement based on peer relations, according to Aumair (1995) is that gang members tend to seek out those youths already showing signs of delinquency. For existing gang members, recruiting a youth who already has the skills needed to be in a gang, such as fighting skills and intimidation, is far easier and more desirable than recruiting individuals with no criminal history (Aumair, 1995).

Arthur and Erickson (1992) found similar results when they identified four factors that are associated with gang involvement in schools. When youths experience a sense of isolation, they tend to seek others that can relate to them. Additionally, gang members tend to target these youths for membership. The isolated youths feel a need to gain control over their areas, especially in high population school systems, where there is more competition and less likelihood to stand out in sports or other school sponsored activities. In lower income areas, the lack of social structure within the school systems lends to the alienation of youths, and increases even further the likelihood of gang involvement (Arthur and Erickson, 1992).

Sahagan (1991) found a correlation between gang involvement and self -esteem. According to Sahagan's research, youths join gangs due to isolation, and a need to belong. Often, these feelings are tied with self-worth, and school systems that do not promote self-esteem among students have higher gang rates than those who do (Sahagan, 1991). The study notes that the need to belong is a basic human trait, and that, in larger school systems, belonging to a group which promotes self-esteem is much more difficult that in small schools, simply due to the higher competition (Sahagan, 1991). Lopez (1992) found similar results in 1992, when his team found that children form gangs due to the need for recognition, tradition, a sense of belonging and peer pressure. The study notes that all four issues are directly related to self-esteem (Lopez, 1992).

In addition, later research on the link between self-esteem and violence suggests that not only is low self-esteem an issue with gang involvement, but high self-esteem can also lead to gang participation, particularly in low-income areas. Baumeister (2001) found that those youths with overly high self-esteem are also likely to join gangs. Gangs are often associated with aggression, conflict, and judgment, and in male youths with inflated self-esteem, these traits are desirable. However, in low-income areas, there may be no socially acceptable way to exhibit these behaviors. Thus, the youths join gangs (Baumeister, 2001).

Research has also shown that involvement in gangs tends to be influenced by family members in gangs. Fleischer (1998) found that gang involvement tends to be part of the traditions in lower income areas, with as many as three generations involved. In a 2001 study of the gang problem in Texas, researchers found that most agencies reported "copy relatives," meaning that children in their areas joined gangs to copy their relatives, most often as the reasons for gang involvement in their areas (Texas Office of the Attorney General, 2001).

Still another reason for gang involvement has been shown to be that of economic advancement, particularly in low-income areas. A landmark survey of over 1000 gang members by the National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) in 1995 found numerous indications that economic factors were involved in the decision to join gangs. When asked why they joined the gang, approximately one-fourth of the respondents answered "to make money," topped only by those responding, "they just grew up in it" (38%). A later survey question asking again for the respondents to note one single reason they joined the gang showed 38% responding, "I wanted money and power" (NGCRC, 1995).

This study also examined the cross-influence of family socio-economic status and a desire to make money through gang activities. The researchers found that of the 1000 subjects, over 30% noted that their father did not have a regular job. One hundred of the subjects did not know who their father was. Additionally, a fourth of the subjects reported their mother did not have a regular job. Forty of the respondents reported their mother as deceased (NGCRC, 1995).

In the same study, respondents were asked if they themselves had ever held a part time position. Approximately 31% of the subject group had not. When combined and examined in relation with the above responses, the researchers found that those members whose parents held regular jobs had a higher belief in education, nice homes, and support of the family. Additionally, the researchers point out that, since many gangs reside in low income areas, this higher belief leads to anger and resentment, since the members value those qualities, but are unable to achieve them (NGCRC, 1995). This anger and want for money leads some into the gang lifestyle.

The study also reported respondents mentioned many ways in which the gang supplies them with available monetary funding. In general, each participating member in any money making venture was given a portion of the funds. Money making opportunities included drug trafficking, prostitution, robbery, and security for members. In some more organized gangs, money opportunities included legitimate activities, including politics, member dues, and charity fundraising (NGCRC, 1995).

This study also cross-referenced gang answers to questions about socio-economic status, and found a remarkable correlation. When asked about the economic status of their home, over 62% reported their families "sometimes used food stamps," 55% said they "sometimes received public welfare checks," 47% said their families "Sometimes had to do odd jobs to get by," 33% said their families "sometimes received food from local churches," 30% said their families "lived in public housing," and over 40% stated their family "sometimes had utilities disconnected due to inability to pay" (NGCRC, 1995).

To summarize, research on gangs has shown the gang problem to be increasing dramatically. Gang members list many reasons for joining a gang, including protection, peer pressure, economic needs, social needs, power, because relatives are members, a lack of parental or community support, and social status. According to the research, gangs tend to exist in greater numbers in low-income populations, and in single-parent households. Additionally, research has shown that while there certainly are Caucasian gang members, the majority are Hispanic or African-American.

Methods

The purpose of this study was to determine why teenage males join and participate in gang activities. The independent variables were socio-economic status, peer influence, lack of family support, self-esteem, and protection. The subjects studied were from a high population area near Houston, TX, where the majority of residents were of Hispanic decent. This study examined the relationship between gang activities and the independent variables. This section summarizes the methods and procedures used in this study.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that parental involvement, peer relations, economic status, self-esteem, and confidence in safety are negatively correlated with gang activity in junior high school students with previous delinquent behavior problems. As the independent variables decrease, gang activities increase. This study will attempt to show that gang activities are complex in nature, and can result from a vast list of reasons.

Research Methods

This study used an interview design. Youths were asked by the researcher about their involvement with gangs, their initiation into gangs, family participation in gangs, peer participation in gangs, reasons for joining gangs, opinions about gang involvement, and parental knowledge of gang involvement. The interview design was selected in order to ask for detailed information on gang involvement in a small sample of individuals over the span of a 4-week period.

Participants

Youths involved in this study were selected from students enrolled in a junior high school in the Houston, TX area. The school is predominately Hispanic, with 90% of students from Hispanic decent. Five percent of students are African-American, and five percent are Caucasian. The junior high school is large, with approximately 1000 students, with class sizes ranging from 18 to 25 students per instructor. The sample was chosen based on previous delinquent school behavior, such as school suspension, removal from classrooms for violence and disruption, or legal trouble. Addition criteria included grade reports, and subjects were selected based on cross-references of failing grades and class disruptions. Participation was voluntary, with permissions secured from parents of the subjects.

Sample

The sample in this study included six male students from a public junior high school in the Houston, TX areas. Students participating were in grades 6, 7 or 8. Participants were at least 12 years of age at the time of the study, and were at most 16 years of age. All participants in the study were male, and all six subjects were of Hispanic decent. The subjects were from low socio-economic backgrounds, and displayed failing grades and/or behavioral problems in school or outside of school.

Instrumentation

Interview questions were created to address specific purposed in this study. The questions were open ended to allow for expanded information on each topic. Each interview was conducted in hour-long increments over the course of 4 weeks. The interviews included the following questions:

How long have you been in a gang?

How did you get into the gang?

What was/were your initiation(s)?

Are any family members in the same gang?

Are any peers in the same gang?

Why did you want to join a gang?

Do you like being in a gang?

Do your parents know you are in a gang?

Each question was designed for a specific grouping purposed. The first set, questions 1 through 3, were designed to determine the level of participation in gang activities. The second set, questions 4 through 5, were deigned to establish peer pressure influences on gang activities. Questions 6 through 7 were designed to determine the subjects' beliefs on why they joined the gang, and to establish their opinions on gang activities. Finally, question 8 was designed to determine parental involvement in the activities of the subject.

Each subject was given an unlimited time to respond to each question. In this way, it was determined that the subject would be better able to expand on their answers, thus providing more information. Subjects were allowed to choose their own interview times, and choose how long each interview session lasted. When necessary, subjects were allowed to finish only part of the interview, and complete the rest at a later time.

Results

The purpose of this study was to determine reasons why junior high school males join gangs, and what factors influence their gang affiliations, as well as to determine indirect influences on gang affiliations. The following section will analyze the results of the interviews, and discuss the findings in this study.

Preliminary Data

Prior to determining the subjects that would participate, information was gathered about their school behaviors and grade information, as described in the Methods section. For the six subjects selected, the mean grade point average was 1.933 (see Table 1), with a standard deviation of.4273 (standard error,.1745).

Table 1: GPA of subjects

GPA for previous school year

Subject

Length of time in a gang

On average, the length of time the subjects in the study were involved in a gang was 14.67 months, with a standard deviation of 12.879 (standard error, 5.258). (See Table 2).

Table 2: Length of time in gang

Time in gang (months)

Subject

Access to gang membership

Subjects in the test group were most likely to have gotten into the gang by being approached to join by another gang member (50%). Thirty-three percent reported gaining admittance to the gang due to family members already in the gang, with half those subjects reporting their brother got them in, and the other half responding that their father got them in. Seventeen percent reported gaining access by approaching a known gang member, and asking for admission.

Initiations

Half of the subjects in the study reported, "timed beatings" as their initiation into the gang. The timed beatings were described as being between 5 minutes to 30 minutes, depending upon the subject. Beatings were administered via fists in all cases. Additionally, 17% of subjects reported initiation involving sex with multiple partners at the same time, 17% reported committing a robbery, and 17% reported no initiation was required.

Family members in gang

Half of the subjects in the study reported that some member of their immediate family was already in the gang, with two-thirds of those subjects reporting their brother or sister was in the gang, and one third reporting their father was in the gang. One-half of all subjects reported not having immediate family members already in the gang.

Friends in gang

An overwhelming majority of subjects reported having friends in the gang, with only 17% reporting no friends in the gang. Thirty-three percent of the subjects reported that the friends in the gang were friends, however, only after gang membership had been achieved.

Reasons for joining

Subjected listed a variety of reasons for joining gangs. Each response was coded to fit into the existing independent variables of socio-economic status, peer influence, lack of family support, self-esteem, and protection. Each subject was allowed to list multiple reasons for their gang membership (See Table 3).

Table 3: Reasons for gang membership

Economic

Peers

No Family support

Self-esteem

Protection of responses

It is interesting to note that over 35% of respondents reported that peer influence was the reason they joined a gang. This was followed by 23% reporting economic goals for gang membership. Fifteen percent reported a lack of family support as a reason for gang membership, and less than 10% reported self-esteem as a reason for gang membership. Fifteen percent responded that protection from other gang was also a factor in their decision to join a gang.

Opinion of gang membership

When asked if they enjoyed being in a gang, 83% responded that they did. Only one subject reported that he did not enjoy being in a gang.

Parental knowledge

When asked if their parents were aware of their gang activities, half of the respondents said their parents were aware, the other half responded that their parents were not aware.

Overall findings

While the subjects varied in their gang activities, and in the length of time they had been involved in a gang, many reported the same reasons for joining gangs, including money and peer pressure (See Table 4). The research revealed that many subjects listing family as an influence on gang activity also reported other family members as existing members of the gang. Those subjects who responded family members or their own attempts got them into gangs were less likely to have initiations involving beatings. Additionally, those in gangs for longer than one year were more likely to have families who knew of their gang membership. This suggests that as time goes on, the subjects may be more open about their gang affiliations.

Additionally, almost all subjects accessed gangs through either being approached by an existing member, or through a family member. Those same subjects reported peer pressure as one of the reasons they joined the gang. This information implies that peer relations with gang affiliations may place certain students at a higher risk to join a gang than those without peer gang relations.

Also interesting are that only those subjects who had existing members of family in gangs listed "protection" as a reason for gang membership. This implies that existing family gang memberships may cause a higher need for protection against rival gangs for other members of their immediate family.

Finally, money was a recurrent theme for gang membership, regardless of the other variables tested. This data implies that gang membership is about not only peer relations and status, but also a means for low-income teens to raise money.

Table 4: Results

Months in gang

Method for access

Initiation

Family in gang?

Peers in gang?

Reasons for membership

Opinion of gang

Parent Knowledge

Subject

Approached

Beating

Money, sex, peers

Like

Subject

Brother

Robbery

Protection

Like

Subject

Approached

Sex

Peer pressure, structure

Like

Subject

Approached

Beating

Peer pressure

Like

Subject

Sought out None

Money, friends, structure, protection

Dislike

Subject

Father

Beating

Money, peers

Like

Discussion

The data found in this study suggests that while there are a wide variety of reasons for teens to join gangs, there are some basic patterns. The most obvious pattern was the correlation between low-income teens and a desire for gang membership to obtain funds. This fits with the findings of the National Gang Crime Research center (1995). As low-income students struggle to find themselves in a school system, gang membership may be one of only a few alternatives to making money.

Also, it is important to note the correlation between family members in gangs and personal gang affiliation. All subjects in this study who reported as having family in gangs also reported that those family members were part of their reasoning for joining the gang. Additionally, those reporting family members in gangs were less likely to have negative initiations into the gang. These findings correlate to the previous studies of Fleischer (1998), and the Texas Office of the Attorney General (2001), in that subjects in this study as well as the two studies listed reported that family membership in gangs is a major influence in gang activity.

Another important trend found in this study is that of the way in which members are approached for gang membership. Aumair (1995) noted that teen gang members routinely approach students from low-income backgrounds that have a pre-existing tendency for gang related mindsets. Our study showed the same trend, with almost all of our subjects reporting being approached by an existing gang member.

Out of all the reasons for joining gangs, pressures form outside sources such as family and friends appears to be the strongest influence. In our study, either all subjects had friends or family in the gang, had been approached by friends or family to join the gang, or listed peer pressure as a reason for gang membership. As Sahagan (1991) and Lopez (1992) noted in their studies, self-esteem is an important part of teenage life. Self-esteem can come from a number of places, but as Sahagan pointed out, self-esteem is most often generated from family and peers in teenage years (Sahagan, 1991). Our findings support this idea, in that all subjects reported peer pressure as a major source of drive for gang membership.

Still further, there is at least a marginal correlation between self-esteem, grades, and gang membership. In our study, all subjects reported fairly low grade point averages. According to Arthur and Erickson (1992), students tend to join gangs when they are unable to compete in socially acceptable means. Our subjects were not at competition level with their grades, which could then have made them feel angry and isolated. As Arthur and Erickson pointed out, it is possibly this isolation that help drive the subjects to gang membership, where such attributes are not as valued (Arthur and Erickson, 1992).

Our findings concerning those members seeking protection are also supported by previous research. According to Baumeister (2001), gang membership is often associated with anger, violence and aggression. Those subjects in our study who joined a gang for protection were those subjects who had existing family members in gangs. While other subjects mentioned the benefits of protection after joining a gang, it is an important distinction. The data from Baumeister as well as in our study indicate that the need for protection from other gangs often only occurs after gang membership has already been established (Baumeister, 2001). Thus, family members in gangs would potentially create a more hazardous environment for their other family members, simply by association.

One trend found in this research study that was unanticipated was that of the apparent correlation between time involved in gang activities and parental knowledge of those activities. As noted in the Results section, the subjects who had been in gangs for longer than one year appeared less likely to hide their gang membership, as shown by their parents' knowledge of their gang activities. While there was no determination of why this correlation appeared to exist, it is possible that the gang members become more of an influence than families the longer the person is in the group.

There are some obvious limitations to this current study. First, due to the available subject pool, ethnic groups other than Hispanic were not studied. The sample size was extremely small, and the interview was not lengthy. These factors limit the probability that the results obtained can be generalized over much of the population. Additionally, since the study was non-experimental, no cause-and-effect relationships can be inferred from the data. Only correlation information and descriptive information can be obtained.

If I were to continue this research, I would advise that other schools in multiple areas be interviewed. Additionally, larger sample sizes and random sampling would improve the internal validity of the results, as well as allow for generalizability across populations. Also, using more narrow questions, and more questions, could further enhance the results by allowing subjects to answer detailed questions in a way that is easy for coding purposes.

The implications of this study for classroom use are encouraging. Since many teens list peer pressure and money as two of the driving forces behind gang membership, it is imperative that school systems intervene early on in the educational career of students. This intervention should include information about employment resources, school activities, and other areas which may boost the self-esteem of students. Additionally, since students with low grades in low-income areas appear to be targets of gang membership drives, it is imperative that instructors in these schools assist students in attaining their educational goals. It is only by intervening early to combat these reasons for gang membership that the number of gangs will decrease over time.