Gangs
Quips and Quotes
“Within the gang you’re a somebody, people respect
you; you’ve got a name.”
Gangs often represent the most aggressive, violent and
antisocial form of group behaviour. This lesson
addresses the “dark side” of collective behaviours.
Anonymous
Lesson Objectives




What is the definition of a gang?
Why do people join gangs?
What is the relationship between risk-taking behaviours and gang involvement?
Are there gender differences in terms of gangs and gang activity?
Suggested
Instructional
Strategies

Research/Discussion: Gang membership and belonging
o Why do people join gangs?
o How are gangs similar to, or different from, teams and other close knit
groups?
o Are there gender differences in gang membership and behaviours?
Research: Gangs and trends in juvenile violence
o Using the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention website
listed below, research the National Survey data relating to gangs and
youth.
Discussion: Gangs
o Are gangs an issue in our school/community? Why or why not?
o What are the positive and negative influences of each of the systems of
support (microsystem/exosystem/macrosystem) that either promote or
help to prevent the development of gangs in your community?
o Are gang behaviours related to age? Were you in a gang when you were
younger?
Literature Study: “On the sidewalk bleeding”
o Read the short story, “On the sidewalk bleeding”.
o Based on the story, what attributes or symbols define a gang?





Direct
Independent
Interactive
Indirect
Experiential



o
o
o
What stereotypical attitudes were demonstrated by the various people in
the story?
What role and importance do gangs play? What examples can you find in
the story to support your position?
Why did Andy join the Royals?
Making Connections

Research biker gangs, violence and bombings in Quebec.
Resources



Literature: “On the sidewalk, bleeding.”
Interactions : Dear Pat, “Asking in Allan”
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency prevention, U.S. Department of
Justice
Lesson 4.4.2: Teacher Information
What is the definition of a gang?
The California Council on Criminal Justice has defined a gang as “a group of people who interact at a high rate among themselves to
the exclusion of other groups. A gang has a group name, claims a neighbourhood or other territory, and engages in criminal or other
antisocial behaviour on a regular basis” (Barden, 1989, p. 9).
Why do people join gangs?
One reason is very clear to those who have worked with young people in gangs: security. In a time when, as many people believe,
most of our culture’s institutions – church, family, school – have crumbled, the gang remains a powerful force. “Within the gang
you’re a somebody,” one gang counselor observes. “People respect you; you’ve got a name. Most of the kids I see are from oneparent or no-parent families. Nobody notices them, nobody really cares about them, and nobody has time for them. But the gang has
time for them. It’s as simple as that (Stewart, 1997, p. 11).
Boys and girls join gangs for many reasons. They may feel a need to belong to a peer group or a “substitute family.” They may need
protection from an abusive family, or from other gangs. They may want a feeling of pride in their culture, their language, or their
neighbourhood. Some people join gangs because they want money and power. Others join because a gang is an outlet for hostility,
where crime and fighting are praised. Still others join because they need someone to lead them. They have a weak sense of identity
(Webb, 1990, p. 164).
Findings show that maltreatment increases the probability of gang involvement, independent of demographic factors. When youth are
physically and sexually abused their odds of gang involvement are four times higher than those who do not experience maltreatment
(Thompson and Braaten-Antrim, 1998, p. 328).
A major research study examined female delinquency and gang membership in 122 black female juveniles using data from the
1960s. The report concluded that racism, sexism, poverty, and limited opportunity are more important predictors of delinquency than
personality and family relationships. Relationships with girl friends were more significant predictors than heterosexual relationships
(Bowker, 1993, p. 750).
What is the relationship between risk-taking behaviours and gang involvement?
The Rochester (New York) Youth Development Study (RYDS) concerning the contributions of youth gang membership to
delinquency started with a sample of 1 000 boys and girls in the 7th and 8th grades of the Rochester public schools. The sample
included more youth from high-crime areas and fewer from low-crime areas. About 30 percent of the youth in the study reported
being a member of a street gang at some point. Results clearly indicate that gang members were responsible for most of the
delinquent acts reported. Although gang members were only one-third of the RYDS respondents, they were responsible for 86 percent
of the serious delinquent acts, 69 percent of the violent acts, and 70 percent of the drug sales (Thornberry and Burch, 1997, p. 2).
Are there gender differences in terms of gangs and gang activity?
The number of girls in gangs has skyrocketed, not just in inner cities, but in surburban areas. They join gangs for the same reasons
males do: friendship, a sense of belonging and security. And they run the very same, unglamourous risks: prison time, drug
addiction, injury or death (Dunham, 1995, p. 52).