I.
Introduction
a. Ask a question!
i. Are gangs really a problem in our society?
ii. Should we be worried about their presence in our communities?
iii. Do we need to take immediate actions in this threat?
b. Gangs have many negative effects on our society.
c. We need to spend more resources to figure out why kids join
gangs and what we can do to end gangs.
II.
Negative Affects
Thesis
Topic sentence
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Own Words
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III.
a. There are many negative effects related to gangs
i. Gang violence causes fear and changes how kids behave
in school
ii. In a poll of 2,000 teenagers, “the respondents reported
that their fears of violence often affect how they behave
and perform in school.” (Teens’ Fears, pg 1).
iii. This demonstrates that fear of gang violence affects their
learning
iv. “About 13% said that they had performed poorly in
school because of their concerns about crime and
violence.” (“Teens’ Fears”, 1).
v. This shows that many teens fear gangs.
Negative Affects
a. Leads to innocent deaths from shootings
i. “Many victims of gang-related violence are innocent
bystanders” (Everything You Need to Know about Street
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Gangs, pg 19).
ii. This means that innocent people are affected by gang Own Words
violence
iii. Leads to felony convictions and lead to an increase of
crime and drug runs
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iv. “As a member, Shelia was used for drug runs” (All You
Need to Know about Street Gangs, pg 46).
v. This shows that members of a gang are manipulated andOwn Words
encouraged or forced to commit crimes.
Topic sentence
IV.
Why Kids Join Gangs
a. Poor Parenting
i. “Children need to feel loved and accepted by their
parents. When parents do not respect their children and
physically abuse or ignore them, the children may look
for love and respect and attention elsewhere. One place
they can turn to for the respect they do not get at home is
a gang” (All You Need to Know about Street Gangs, pg
36).
ii. This means that they join gangs for the love, attention
and respect that their parents may not give them.
iii. “Youths from more affluent areas feel dislocated from
society and are turning to gangs. Many are thrill seekers
from unstable homes” (What is A Gang, pg 1).
iv. This means that some kids feel like they don’t belong in
society and go out to find a place to belong.
V.
Why Kids Join Gangs
a. Peer Pressure
i. “If I don’t do what they’re doing, my friends won’t like
me” (All You Need to Know about Street Gangs, pg 38).
ii. This means that some kids join gangs to feel accepted by
their friends and peers
VI.
Why kids join gangs
a. Respect
i. “I thought I would get respect if I joined” (All You Need
to Know about Street Gangs, pg 46).
ii. This means that some kids join gangs to feel respected by
other people in their age group.
iii. “More than half of teens from high-crime areas said that
entering a gang was ‘like having a family that will
always be there’” (Teens’ Fears, pg 1).
iv. This means that some kids join gangs for the feeling of
having a family that will always be with them.
VII. What can be done
a. After School Programs
i. “Thirty-one percent of parents in the Newsweek poll said
that the best way to protect children would be more after
school programs” (Teens’ Fears, pg 1).
ii. This means that kids will have more time to be busy and
away from the influence of gangs.
iii. “Eight percent said that better drug and alcohol treatment
programs would be the best measure for protecting youth
in their communities” (Teens’ Fears, pg 1).
iv. This means that the programs will educate and aware
kids of the dangers of gangs and drug use.
VIII. What can be done
a. Boost Self-Esteem
i. “Those who support tracking often claim that tracking
can improve low-achieving students’ self-esteem, by
placing them in classes where they are surrounded by
students with similar abilities” (Tracking and SelfEsteem, pg 1).
ii. This means that students won’t feel left out or
challenged by the knowledge they may not know.
iii. “On the other hand, supporters of tracking say, placing
low-achieving students in classes with peers of similar
academic abilities creates a comfortable environment in
which students can grow and gain self-confidence”
(Tracking and Self-Esteem, pg 1).
iv. This means that students will feel comfortable and will
be comfortable enough to gain confidence.
v. “After-school recreation programs and programs that
seek to discourage gangs and drug- and tobacco use all
have components designed to bolster students’ selfesteem” (Tracking and Self-Esteem, pg 1).
vi. This means that some after-school programs will help
boost students’ self-esteem and will help steer them
away from drug use.
IX.
What can be done
a. School Uniforms
i. “The wearing of certain items of fashionable clothing,
such as expensive sneakers or leather jackets, can also
lead to violence in and around schools.” (School
Uniforms, pg 1).
ii. This shows that school uniforms may lead to a decrease
of gang violence in and around most schools.
iii. “They say that students will act more responsibly if they
know that they are seen as school representatives”
(School Uniforms, pg 2).
iv. This shows that some kids will act more responsibly and
may stay out of gangs.
X.
Conclusion
a. Punch!
b. Research shows gangs have many negative effects on our
society. We need to spend more resources to figure out why
kids join gangs and take any necessary steps we can to end
gangs.