A gang may be defined as a group of three or more individuals involved in criminal behavior that instills fear and intimidation in the community. The group may claim a geographic area and/or an economic or criminal enterprise.

A gang is a group of people with a common identity. What distinguishes a gang from a legitimate group (e.g. a baseball team) is that gangs will engage in criminal activity in the name of the group.

Membership in a gang often creates rivalries that would not have otherwise existed.

Gang members may be required to fight or become involved in assaults with rival gang members.

Gang members are also known to use weapons. Kids who have never handled razors, knives, or guns may now be exposed to such items.

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.