Gangs are a concern many parents have in relation to their teen. While a gang is a group of people who band together to protect their own interests, gangs that consist of teenagers and young adults often have sinister intentions. These interests may be illegal, and gangs frequently use violence to defend their territories and so-called business. Joining a gang is sometimes considered a status symbol among young people, but many teens who are involved in gangs find themselves either dead, on the run or in jail. The FBI estimates that there are around 33,000 gangs in the United States.
Gang Violence
Gang warfare often means violence, and this occurs when two or more gangs try to expand their territories or push into new businesses. A common feature of gang warfare is public violence. This is when gang members attempt to maim and kill members of the opposing gangs. It can only take one shot to end your life, and you might not even be the one who gets hit. Being convicted of murder ensures you will waste most of your life in prison and always be stigmatized in mainstream society.
Gang members who are involved in other criminal activities that use violence frequently risk their freedom and their lives. Armed robberies, assaults and rapes are all forms of violence that can lead to hefty prison sentences or an armed police response. Being involved in a shootout with the police is a great way to end up on a slab in the coroner’s office.
Gangs and Drugs
Drugs often play a central role within a gang. Some gang members are addicted to drugs, whereas others simply sell them. Those who use their merchandise may find they have less and less control over how much they take, as their roles in the gangs ensure they always have access to these drugs. In addition, some teens will become addicted to drugs; if you are taking heroin or cocaine, you are at serious risk of becoming more and more violent as the drugs strip away your sense of morality and self-esteem.
If you are addicted to heroin or any other drugs or alcohol and wish to change your life and get away from a gang, call us at 1-888-388-5605 to talk to a trained advisor who can discuss your options with you. While drugs are dangerous, being a in a gang only amplifies that danger, so you need to get out while you are still alive.
Being in a gang encourages violence, and teens who have an uncontrolled craving for a substance may become desperate for another fix. If you do not get your cravings under control, you may end up doing something you seriously regret.
Gangs and Depression
Some teens suffer from mental disorders that cause depression, anxiety or violence. An antisocial disorder or bipolar disorder may mean that you do not identify with your family or friends very well, and that may lead to violence. Consequently, this can lead to accusations of assault and further reliance on the gang as your means of support. This can lead to a vicious circle where acts of violence estrange you from those who could be a moral guiding light, causing feelings of alienation that lead to increased drug use.
Some teens suffer from depression and this can be made worse by bullying. When a teenager is a target of bullying, it drives the teenager further into the arms of antisocial gangs.
While gangs may claim to give teenagers respect, all they are doing is perpetuating their own interests, often at the expense of the teens involved. Being feared is not the way to go, and if you join a gang or are part of a gang, you need to escape while you are still alive.
