Generally speaking, young people have a euphoric feeling and appreciation of belonging to the community and a family environment. As illustrated by Wyn and Wright (2013: 139) that "youth participation" through "social networking", employment, family and the community "contribute to a sense of belonging" (:254). This sense of belonging is a common occurrence among young people as it serves as a means of acceptance, whether it is simply getting likes on Facebook or gratification on Twitter and Instagram or other social media outlets. Additionally, it sets the framework that belonging to a family or community boosts the health and wellbeing of youth as it focuses on the point that they are not alone, and helps them understand their place in the world. Subsequently, those that struggle …show more content…
This can be seen in Van Ngo's experiment where he explains that when young people are exposed to "gradual, cumulative disintegration in their relationships with family, school and community (2015: 76) they are more likely to turn to something similar that caters to those needs of belonging that they are not receiving from societal norms. For some youth, gangs become a substitute family as youth may come from an unstable neighbourhood that lacks "strong social infrastructure" further "exacerbated by socioeconomic conditions" (:76). For instance, an independent writer for the NZ Herald states that gangs "were an escape route, offering status, protection, even a career - selling drugs" (2011). This is common for many young people with a low economic background as it creates a sense of connection. It generates a framework for young individuals to experience the missed opportunities such as family, friends and employment. However, these aspects are also perceived as an anti-social form of
Even though gang violence is not a new phenomenon there has been a noticeable lack of Canadian based research done on this topic (Gordon, 2000; Varma-Joshi, Baker, and Tanaka, 2004). Although there is limited knowledge about gang violence, research shows that males are more likely to engage in gang activities (Gordon, 2000; Jemmott, B., Jemmott, S., Hines, and Fong, 2001). There are several factors that contribute to why many youths become involved in gangs. One of the main reasons why visible minority youth become submerged in gangs is because they are searching for a sense of identity and belonging (Gordon, 2000; Meloff and Silverman, 1992; Nodwell and Guppy, 1992; Fantino and Colak, 2001). Gordon (2000) finds that, “they want to belong to a friendly, supportive group that include their friends or close relatives and this includes a desire to be with individuals from the same cultural and ethnic group; gang members felt ethnically marginalized” (pg. 51). The reason why minorities are attracted to gangs is because they create a family setting which embraces their differences as opposed to being judged on their differences by mainstream society.
The root of gang violence all begins at home and then spreads. A troubled teen may be lacking the love and attention from their parent whether it is because they work too much, or simply do not care. Then, the teen will result attending school and will begin to find that comfort in places that they can feel stability. According to Ramsey, Rust, and Sobel “girls tend to become involved in gangs for prosocial reasons […] [such as] robbery, […] shoplifting, and prostitution [while] male gang members tend to be involved in activities such as drug dealing and fighting.” Most people involved in gang activities can feed off a person’s vulnerability and use that to convince a person that it is ok to commit crimes. Finally, that teen will remain in that life style and probably involve others or can get out, but surely be affected by the past for the rest of their lives.
Did you know that there are approximately 27,900 gangs across the United States? Many people have dropped out of school for the fact that they have joined a gang. Think about it there is about 774,000 people in all these different gangs imagine how many of those kids and teens have dropped out of school. Many people that have been in gangs and are now trying to put their lives back on track, haven’t been even been able to get a job because of their bad background. This affects many people especially the ones trying to clean up their act. They try to go back to school to try and succeed in life. Kids or teens usually start joining gangs at the age of 11 or 10 because of the neighborhood they live in.
There are many theories that explain why people join gangs. There are also many contributing factors to include when explaining why people join gangs, especially adolescents. A few theories that support why adolescents join gangs are: the strain theory, the general strain theory, the social control theory, the differential association theory, the labeling theory, the rational choice theory, the social learning theory, and the routine activity theory. (Delinquency in Society)
With many sources that attempt to explain why youth join gangs, studies based on empirical research are optimal to reveal the critical factors. This paper will focus on the key sources that are based on empirical methodologies as the base for comprehending why youth join gangs. The research has a pattern that reveals youth join gangs because of pre-existing delinquency, homophily, and low socio-economic status.
Teens’ feelings of loneliness spiked in 2013 and have remained high since”(page 64). She has a Ph.D. in psychology which helped her establish Ethos. Twenge then collects data and performs interviews in order to form logos. She then appeals to human emotions by explaining how smartphones can drive families apart and cause mental illness in teenagers.
Echoing the structural strain theory is the differential opportunity theory, which states that learning environments and opportunities are not equally distributed in the social system and gender, class and ethnicity affects conformity and deviance (Deutschmann, 2007). Taking both theories into account, those susceptible to joining gangs would be people that are deprived of opportunities and resources to succeed, mainly people of the lower class and racial minorities as exemplified by the high volume of emergence of racially exclusive gangs in the past. In the 1970’s, the United States of America lifted its quota on immigration based on nationality and this saw the influx of immigrants from Asia and the West Indies coming into the USA in hopes of getting rich or simply to flee from their war torn native lands. Instead of assimilating into the American culture, these immigrants brought along their own cultural practices and religions, which were rejected by the Americans and resulted in resentment between both parties. Racial discrimination was rampant and these once hopeful immigrants soon found themselves being isolated in the outskirts, jobless and helpless. Members of racial minority groups like the majority aspire to possess material success in life but are void of the means to achieve those (McNulty & Bellair, 2003). The same can be said of the lower class, whose low socio-economic status limit their opportunities for tertiary education which could potentially be imperative in securing lucrative jobs (Curry & Spergel, 1988). Therefore, to satisfy their appetite for success, these people adapt to strain by treading the path of innovators- using illegitimate means to actualise their positively valued goals. Moreover, with global...
Lack of Jobs, Poverty, Domestic violence, Negative peer networks, Lack of parental supervision and early academic failure. Although there are all these risk factors gangs are still expanding. Most young people join because they need a sense of family. They might not get enough support at home of feel like they don't get support so they leave home for companionship. They are trying to escape a negative home life, or they may be looking for a father figure to guide them. Gangs often make promises to give unconditional support, and to become the "family" they never had. Gangs often present themselves as a way to survive everyday life to those who lack basic essentials such as food, clothing and shelter. Gangs members use their affiliation to make money through illegal activities, like selling drugs and auto theft. Communities with high gang activity usually see younger kids join gangs to survive. It is often easier to join the gang than to remain to yourself, as this is a sign of vulnerability. One of the biggest reasons why kids join gangs is because of peer pressure. Kids face a constant pressure to fit in, they may not have the support they need to avoid the pressure of gangs.Some young people get a rush out of defying authority, or committing crimes. Currently gangs offer a brand new life style. Gang members usually have the newest clothes, the best cars, and throw the best
Kids that get into gangs are seeking identity and recognition. a gang
In Austin McCann's Impact of Social Media on Teens articles he raises that "social networking is turning out to be more than a piece of their reality, its turning into their reality." Teens grumble about always being pushed with homework, however perhaps homework isn't the fundamental wellspring of the anxiety. Ordinary Health magazine expresses that, on insights, a young person who invests more energy open air is for the most part a more content and healthier child. Be that as it may, since 2000, the time adolescents spend outside has diminished altogether bringing on more despondency and heftiness. Not just does it influence wellbeing, social networking denies folks from having an intensive discussion with their youngsters without them checking their telephone. Despite the fact that the constructive outcome of having an online networking profile is to correspond with companions/family, they don't even have the respectability to lift their head and take part in a discussion. Appreciating the easily overlooked details around them turns into a troublesome errand to the normal adolescent when they're excessively caught up with tweeting about it. The repudiating impacts of it goes to demonstrate that social networking is not all it is talked up to
Additionally, the need for the young people to have a sense of protection mainly drives them to join gangs. Many societies with high reported cases of mob activities frequently see youths link with a bunch of criminals just for endurance. For many, it is better to connect with the mob that to stay vulnerable and defenseless in their localities (Klein & Maxson, 2006). For many being connected to mob guarantees sustenance in case of assault and retaliation for wrongdoings. While the young people with a good family unit often feel protected hence they desire not to link with
Millennials desire and seek a sense of belonging within their environment. This emotional connection can be described through the use of several different terms: sense of place, sense of community, placemaking and place attachment. As a cohort, these young adults wish to identify with their surroundings, and feel like a member of their community because it provides emotional safety, personal connection and encourages personal relationships.
How the social networking influents young people’s psychological well-being? Since the World Wide Web appeared in the world in the year of 1991, the internet has significantly changed people’s life on almost every level. Especially when the social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, became popular during the last decade, people’s lifestyles have greatly changed by this form of communication, which consequently brings many psychological effects on the young people. As the result, according to the recent researches, the teenagers and the young adults in this era are bearing many mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and addiction, due to the social
One of the reasons young people join street gangs is because of neighborhood disadvantages. A theory that can contribute to why young people might join street gangs is Social Disorganization Theory. Social Disorganization theory assumes that “delinquency emerges in neighborhoods where neighborhood relation and social institutions have broken down and can no longer maintain effective social controls (Bell, 2007).” Social Disorganization contributes to residential instability and poverty, which affects interpersonal relationships within the community and opens opportunities for crimes to be committed. The break down of neighborhood relation and social institutions create a higher likely hood that young people will affiliate with deviant peers and get involved in gangs. When there is lack of social controls within a neighborhood the opportunity to commit deviance increases and the exposure to deviant groups such as street gangs increase. Which causes an increase in the chances of young people joining street gangs. If social controls are strong remain strong within a neighborhood and/or community the chances of young people committing crime and joining gangs decreases.
Most common among young adults and teens, social networking plays a significant role in the social lives of adolescents. The teenage years are “a time of identity formation and role development” (Pew Internet and American Life Project 11). Online identity among friends and peers has now become as significant as one’s own personal identity, in that online information can be seen by many and online interactions have become a primary source of communication. As a result, teens tend to concentrate greatly on social life and now a majority use social networking sites and other social media as an outlet for this personal growth.