Why Do Female Youths Join Gangs Essay

Why Do Female Youths Join Gangs. Essay, Research Paper

Why Do Female Youths Join Gangs.

Female youths join street gangs on the basis of gender conflict, lack of family support and

violence in their lives. Through adolescence young females have a much harder time than young

males dealing with family, sexuality and the harsh reality of living in the urban ghetto. Young

females who must endure these facets of life have little opportunity to succeed. Consequently,

these young women turn to a replacement family, a place where they feel they are needed and

loved and can escape reality, even if momentarily. This type of place is in the common street

gang.

Presently, inner city minorities are hopelessly discriminated and isolated from economic

opportunity. Young females see society as having nothing to offer young minority women.

Neglected communities with high crime and a lack of resources force young females to turn to

others in the same situation for support. Thus, they develop an exaggerated sense of belonging

and gain excitement lacking in their lives (Chesney-Lind 53).

According to Thornberry there are three types of models that account for gang

membership: selection model, social facilitation model and enhancement model. Female

membership seems to fall into the selection model. The selection model states that gangs only

recruit or associate with already delinquent persons (Dukes, Martinez, Stein 143). In 1994

.females accounted for 24% of all juvenile arrests. (Chesney-Lind 11). Also, female gang

members show higher levels of delinquency than non gang members (Curry 12). However, they

do not necessarily influence members once in the gang. Such as many researchers have found;

once in a gang, female members are not expected to involve themselves in delinquency.

Recent estimates of female gang involvement have shown a tremendous increase in

female membership. These increases have become great enough to turn researchers attention to

female gang members. Studies have shown that ten to thirty eight percent of gang members are

female (qtd. in Miller 431). Miller has recognized two different types of female gangs. First, the

independent female gang. The independent female gang is completely separate of the male gang.

The females make their own set of rules and have decision making powers. Miller.s studies have

shown that less than ten percent of female gangs are independent (qtd. in Chesney-Lind 46).

Second, the auxiliary gang (qtd. in Curry 105). The auxiliary female gang is the most common

and one in which the females are separate from the males in the gang, but are still apart of the

whole gang. The males make all the decisions and essentially control the females. These type of

female gang groups are, .an expression of the gender relations and boundaries of society. (qtd. in

Laidler, Hunt 150). According to Lauderback, Hansen, and Waldorf independent female gangs

show they have less interest in status and reputation, but more interest in making money in a

.bleak environment with no legitimate opportunities and lack of support. (qtd. in Laidler, Hunt

150).

Gang members tend to have identity problems, no self esteem, little confidence in their

academic abilities, low feeling of purpose in their life and weak attachments to their own ethnic

group. This proves there is a complete lack of social bonds throughout their life. Psychosocial

theory by Hirschi states that internal control is the mechanism for explaining conformity and

delinquency. Socialization is shown to help individuals develop a strong conscience and sense of

morality that prevents delinquent behavior. Therefore, detachment from socialization breeds

delinquent behavior. Youths growing up in the urban ghetto lack this socialization, because of

growing up in a one parent or no parent household where family relationships are absent and

there is a failure to attend school. Consequently, these delinquents turn to other delinquents for

support (Dukes, Martinez, Stein 142-143).

Gaining insight into the family lives of these female gang members will demonstrate the

lack of socialization, gender bias and violence inherent in these youths lives. Therefore,

establishing why these female youths turn to street gangs. A self identified study was conducted

by Laidler and Hunt where sixty five female gang members were interviewed face to face. Of

these sixty five females, fifty one were Hispanic, ten were African American and four were

Samoan (152).

The African American females described their family homelife as impoverished. Their

fathers were reported as being unskilled laborers or unemployed. The females had little or no

contact with their fathers, because the fathers were living on the streets addicted to drugs and

alcohol. Only half of the mothers were employed in the service industry, the other half

unemployed. Several of the females severed contact with their mothers, because of their sever

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать