The term “Youth Gang” has evolved to become a common term in the generation we live in. It is a term that is covered in most media outlets on an almost daily basis. In order to fully understand the weight of the influence of youth gangs in our communities, we must make an attempt to look at how various scholars define it.
There seems to be no clear-cut definition for the term “youth gang” because different communities have their own perception on what they refer to as a “youth gang”. Various researchers agree that defining, recognizing and identifying youth gangs is perplexed by inappropriate labelling of youth social groups by outsiders (Mathews, 1993; Gordon, 2000; Church Council on Justice and Corrections, 1995). There is also insufficient …show more content…
in 2005 was based on the situational factors of geographical location, distinct communities and individuals (Brian et al., 2005). This framework highlights the five different types of youth gangs that exist in Canada. This framework allows movement between the different groups of gangs. However there is no literature to support advancement of the youth from petty crime gangs to organized adult crime gangs. Youth in these different gangs however continue to stay as long as their gang remain unchallenged, and they receive protection, power, financial support and identity (Mathews, 1999:10; Richter-White, 2003: 17). The above factors, and others such as racial divisions, isolation and limited access to socially acceptable and legitimate opportunities serve as the main motivation for why the youth join one or more of these different gangs (Begin, 1994). For example, some students tend to join gangs in order to receive social recognition, and to be perceived as powerful among their peers. Other vulnerable youth also join gangs in their schools and communities in order to feel protected and safe from other gangs. Such people are more likely to join an image-based gang rather than a gang that is involved in criminal acts (Brian et al, 2005: …show more content…
12 youths, consisting of 11 males and 1 female, and 21 adults comprising of police officers, school officials, social workers and parents were interviewed for the purpose of this research. Though the 12 youths interviewed form a minute proportion of the youth population in Canada, the information gathered was very useful in understanding the recruitment and operation of most youth gangs in Canada. The findings were therefore deemed as “a modest beginning” to understanding the occurrence of youth gangs in