Why Kids Join Gangs

 
There are several reasons children will join gangs.

Peer pressure is probably the most common reason a kid will join a gang. Kids want to belong and don’t want to be considered “outsiders.”

Sometimes gang membership is a family tradition. Kids may follow an older brother or sister into joining a gang.

The third and least understood reason is for protection. Kids who are targets of gang recruitment may find themselves in a lose/lose situation. They may not want to join the gang, but if they refuse to do so, they may be victimized by the gang that was attempting to recruit them. Or they may be fearful of other gangs in the area and may join a rival gang in an effort to have “back-up” in the event another gang attempts to victimize a kid.