Assignment
Make a chart titled “Personal Involvement in
Groups”
 Divide a page into 4 sections, and in each,
write the name of a group to which you belong
 For each, write:
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How long have you been a part of this group?
What needs does the group meet? (why are you
still a member?)
What is your role in the group?
What are the groups norms?
What sanctions does the group use to ensure
conformity?
Cliques and Gangs
Groups, Crowds and Cliques Part III
Cliques

An exclusive group that includes a small
number of chosen members
Friends, not family
 Usually 2-12 people
 Generally same age/sex
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Cliques
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Like any group, they have their own
norms
Music
 Dress
 Leisure activities

Why be part of a clique?
Shared values, ideas, activities
 Form close friendships
 Meet social/esteem needs
 But…
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Cliques change over time
 Think about who you hang out with now, vs.
Grade 9, vs. primary school
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Cliques at OTHS?
What are the different cliques you can
think of here?
 How do members identify themselves?
 What sort of activities do they do?
 Pick one group and develop a logo, flag,
or symbol that represents it

Gangs
Group of individuals, usually male and
between the ages of 11-25
 Operate under some sort of leadership
 Claim a territory/turf
 Usually have a name with identfiying
colours and logo
 Commit spontaneous crimes or more
organized criminal enterprises

Gangs
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Similar to cliques in many ways
Exclusive group
 Emotional bond
 Common goals
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Some key differences
More controlling (harsher sanctions)
 Territorial
 Delinquent/criminal/violent behaviour
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Some statistics (Toronto)
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Mostly Male (82%).
70% were born in Canada.
61% from single-parent backgrounds; 11%
raised under child-protection; 23% come from
two-parent families; and 5% were raised by
other relatives (mainly grandparents).
41% of all respondents self-identified as black,
37% are white, 9% are Hispanic, 7% are
Native, 3% are Asian and 3% are South Asian.
60% were raised in public housing projects.
Some statistics (Toronto)
96% of respondents said that their gang
had a name.
 93% said that their gang had distinctive
symbols, colours or tags.
 72% said that new gang members had to
be initiated.
 88% said that their gang had a specific
territory or turf.

Some statistics (Toronto)
Mean age of first gang involvement=14
years.
 Mean age of gang exiting=20.5 years.
 Minimum gang size: 5
 Maximum gang size: 10,000
 Minimum age of gang members: 10
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Reasons for Joining and Remaining
Involved in Gangs
Why did you first become involved in a
gang?
 Why do you think you stayed in the gang
for so long?
 In your opinion, what are the good things
about being a gang member? What are
the benefits?
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Power and Respect
“It’s like people in my neighbourhood give you
respect when you is in the gang. They know
who you are and they don’t mess. Nobody
knew me before I got involved. Now I’m
famous in my area. People know me
now”(male, 22 years).
 “I like the respect. I like the power. You walk
into a place with your boys and people notice
you, ladies notice you. Ya got status, you can
swagger. People know you ain’t no
punk”(male, 19 years).
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Money
“I like it for the money. We made lots of money
sellin drugs and stealin and ripping people off.
I got to buy stuff I could not get with no job at
Macdonalds. In this world ya got to have some
bling”(male 21 years).
 “Obviously I do it for the cash. If there weren’t
no money in it I’d be gone. But the cash is
good man. Bought me a car, some clothes,
gave me money for the club, got me money to
get women, gave me money to help my
moms”(male 20 years).
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Money and Respect
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I’m not workin at Macdonalds or some place
like that. That’s slavery. They pay you shit and
make you dress like a goof and have some
punk manager order you around. Nobody
respects some guy flippin burgers or wearing
some stupid ref shirt at Foot Locker. I make
real cheddar in the gang, we are our own
bosses, and we get plenty more respect from
people cause of the money we got and
because we never sell out”(male 22 years).
Money and Respect
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“It’s like the only jobs they got for poor black
people is like Macdonalds or Wendy’s or other
bullshit like that. Low, low pay, no respect. You
basically just a slave, just a punk while some
fat owner gets rich. I’m not going down like
that. I’m my own boss, make way more money
and don’t sell myself out to shit like that. I’d
rather die than embarrass myself like
that”(male 23 years).
Protection
“In my area, man, if you ain’t with a gang your
gonna get punked and jumped all the time. If
ya can’t beat em join em. The gang got your
back and people don’t mess with you cause
they know you got backup”(female 19).
 “Hey, one of the reasons I joined is because I
was scared. Got beat up a couple of times, got
jumped and had my walkman stolen and my
money. I needed backup cause I can’t fight
these guys on my own”(male 18).
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Social Support and Companionship
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“The gang is like my family man. They
got my back. When you need something
like some clothes or some food or some
money or a place to crash they are there.
When you need to talk they are there.
When you got a beef they got your back.
I love these guys man. They are my
blood, my heart”(male 22 years).
Social Support and Companionship
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The guys in my gang, we are all from the
same neighbourhood. The projects. We
grew up together from small. They are
family. It is like us against the world. We
respect each other, support each other.
Nobody in the outside world helps, or
cares, so it is up to us. That’s it man.
Family”(male 20 years).
Social Alienation and Defiance
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“What chance has a guy like me got in the real
world. A poor black guy? Schools are shit,
teachers don’t think you can do the work.
Nobody’s gonna give me a job. So I’ll get paid
and live in another way, in another world
where I can get respect and nobody cares
what I look like or where I come from. I know
I’ll probably die young or go to jail, but what
other chance is there?”(male 22).
Social Alienation and Defiance

“I’m poor and white. Poor whites get nothin in
Canada. I can’t claim racism, can’t get no
special programming or special help in school.
I’m no refugee. Your white and a guy so
nobody gives you any sympathy. They just
expect you to be okay. Immigrants get all the
jobs and breaks. So I just give up and will do
the crime thing. At least you have fun, get
respect from your friends. When you don’t give
a shit you stop worrying and it’s not so bad.
Drugs and drinking help to”(male 19).
Social Alienation and Defiance

“If I thought I could get out and get a real job
that pays good I would. But I’m not some
spoiled kid. My daddy ain’t gonna give me a
car when I graduate and send me to Europe
for a vacation. Some white kids in my high
school just got that shit. It’s like they expected
it. My mom don’t have no money to send me
to university. See –I got no chance. So I do
what I have to do. At least I have my pride. I
can be brave and fight and make some
money….but really I’ve just kinda given
up”(male 24 years).
Homework
Explain why people join gangs using
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
 See “Why do gangs form?” on page 175
and answer questions 1-3
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