Intro:

THESIS:
Youth gangs have a problematic definition as many “communities and jurisdictions across
Canada differ in their perception of what constitutes a youth gang’ 5p1. For the purpose of this
paper, youth gangs are defined as a group of adolescents who are perceived as aggressors by
different groups and have participated in a significant number of unlawful activities (1p3). The
Social Disorganization Theory emphasizes that youth gang involvement is primarily driven by
socioeconomic disparities, family instability, and a lack of support from educational and
community systems, which create environments fostering crime and alienation. Addressing these
issues requires comprehensive social interventions, targeted programs, and systemic reforms to
provide marginalized youth with safety, inclusion, and opportunities for a positive future.

Reasons how individuals end up in gangs:

Point 1: Social Disorganization Theory

Individuals engage in many forms of criminal activities such as theft, drug trafficking and

other forms of violence. These activities are usually a response to their environments. The

Social Disorganization Theory entails that society, and our environments are the determining

factors that lead us to commit crime. In this theory, it “proposes that poverty… poor housing…

and high rates of unemployment foster crime”. 1 p20. Other factors include single-parent

households. A strong family structure is required to “teach their children socially acceptable

behaviour” (t2, p5420). Without a strong parental influence or even any form of positive

influence, there will be “a lack of discipline, presence, supervision, affection and attachment in a

family reduces the self-control of children… (which in turn) increases the likelihood of criminal

activity during youth and adulthood” (t2,520). This theory places an importance that family

instability plays a role in fostering crime and delinquency (t1,110) and according to this theory

“a well-developed family and community structure is a pre-condition for low crime rates”

(t2,519)
Point 2: Socioeconomic Factors

Socioeconomic status is one of the most significant factors contributing to gang

involvement. Individuals involved in crime often come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds

that are shaped by poverty, lack of opportunities, and systematic inequalities. These challenges

that individuals face create environments that push individuals to criminal activities. In

underdeveloped or low-income neighborhoods, there are barriers that youth face. In fact, there is

research found that “the particular combination of extreme poverty with specific geographical

location may render housing projects ideal breeding grounds for youth gangs” (3.p33). In

addition, “studies indicate that, in general, youth gangs are more likely to flourish in poor, inner-

city neighbourhoods where financial resources and legitimate economic opportunities are scarce”

(3.p33). To further extend the factor of poor socioeconomic status leading to gang involvement,

Tanner and Wortley (2006) found that 18% of students who identified their family as "poor"

reported being active members of a criminal gang, whereas only 3% of students from families

with "above average" income reported the same (P33).

Young people living in housing projects often experience feelings of stigma, isolation,

and disconnection from the broader society, leading them to perceive that they are systematically

denied access to legitimate opportunities. 3p33. The stigma or feelings of isolation or even

disconnection from society stems from negative perceptions of their communities “using

negative terms such as ‘ghetto’ and ‘crack head town’ to describe their neighbourhoods. They

asserted a view that the municipal government had overlooked their communities in terms of

socioeconomic development” r1p72. These stigmatization leads to “uneducated, underemployed

young males (to) turn to the illegal economies enhanced by gang membership” 1.p21.
Point 3: Desire for belonging

Another contributing factor to youth gang involvement is adolescents' inherent desire for

a sense of belonging. Adolescence is the peak formative years for an individual’s development,

during these impressionable years, teens look to be heard, seen, and to find a sense of belonging.

When individuals are not able to find these needs from a safe environment, more often than not,

they will turn to gang involvement to fulfil this need. It is found “that young racial minorities

with socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds sought to escape from exceedingly difficult

family lives and became involved in street gang activity to achieve a sense of belonging in a

supportive, intra-ethnic social network” (r1p65). Youth who often find themselves alienated or

disconnected from society “are more likely to seek solace in gang membership” (3p34). Youth

gang membership is a form of finding a sense of community, and in “some youth (they) become

involved in criminal gang activity as a result of an unravelling of their self-concept, sense of

citizenship and ethnic identity” (r1p76).

These peak formative years for adolescents are often supported by the education system.

Unfortunately, schools often fail to provide the safe haven they are meant to provide. This often

leads adolescents with no support elsewhere to find safety from the protection of gangs. “It has

been argued that under-achieving students are more likely to drift into youth gangs in an effort to

obtain the social respect and sense of belonging that they do not receive within the formal

educational system” (3.p34). The implications that schools are not providing a safe place for

youth could be from a result of an addition to stricter school rules with the presence of police on

school grounds. Increasing this surveillance in schools raises concerns about where the line lays

between the institution being a public school or prisons as there are “increased connections

between schools and prisons” (c2, 125). This factor is crucial because racialized youth often fear
over-policing in their neighborhoods, which has contributed to the disproportionate rates of

incarceration they face and “it is quite possible that racialized youth do not experience a rupture

between their governance in their neighbourhood, school, and prison” (c2,138).

POINT 4: Family and Community Deficits

An additional influence contributing to youth gang initiation or gang involvement is a

family and community deficit. Young individuals need support which is usually fostered by

schools, family, or positive influences. Often, individuals involved in gang affiliated activities

are products of their own environment. For example, family structure is an important predictor of

gang activity. Youth involved in gangs are those “who come from single parent households (and)

are more than twice as likely to report current membership in a criminal gang than youth who

live with both parents” (3p33). While it is much less common for youth with both parents in the

home (lower class or upper class) to get involved in criminal activities it is feasible “that low

levels of overall supervision – and perhaps a lack of a male role model within the household”

(3p33) are contributing factors to gang activity.

To expand on this point, gang involvement often results from negative influences within

the family, particularly from parents and siblings (R1p69). It was found that youth respondents

“grew up in families characterized by serious domestic violence. They were subjected to severe

physical and verbal abuse. They also witnessed verbal spats between their parents and physical

aggression of their fathers against their mothers and other siblings. These individuals

experienced deep anxiety, anger and trauma that they connected to family strife and violence. in

criminal gangs” (r1p69). Other individuals “revealed that their parents had struggled with mental

health challenges” (r1p69), a common factor with youth involved in gangs. This poor mental
health “affected their caregiving ability and parent-child relationships” (r1p69). Poor sibling

influences was another common factor found amongst youth involved in gangs. Many

individuals “looked up to their older siblings and aspired to emulate their lifestyles and

behaviour as early as age 5. They indicated that their older siblings had progressively introduced

them to fighting, alcohol and drug use and criminal activity” (r1.p69).

(MAYBE ELABORATE MORE ON THIS POINT IF YOU HAVE SPACE

Consequences:

Youth involved in gangs face significant risks, including incarceration, continued

violence, and long-term difficulties in reintegrating into society. While gang membership is often

associated with violent crime, it can also involve non-violent offenses, and in some cases,

individuals may not engage in criminal activities at all. With that being said, non-violent offenses

can lead to more serious life changing offenses. These offenses can range from simple forms of

graffiti all the way to rape or even homicide (1p4). In result, gang membership can have

consequences that are both short-term and long-term, such as “incarceration (or risk of

incarceration), injury and/or violent death, (and) non-transition to normal adult lifestyle” (1p4).

Additionally, the violent lifestyle of gang dynamics can “perpetuate a cycle of violence and

victimization” r3,2 which can result in a traumatic cycle leading to mental health consequences.

To further the negative impact of youth gang involvement, there are trends “of significant public

health concern, given that participation in gangs has been associated with serious adverse health

and social outcomes, including delinquency, substance use, traumatic stress symptoms” (2p74).

Furthermore, female risk factors from being involved in youth gangs can include “poverty,

helplessness, growing up in a violent and dysfunctional environment, poor academic

achievement, emotional, physical and sexual abuse by family members with severe alcohol or

drug addictions, and some with gang involvement” (1p16).

The Role of Community and Government & Path Forward

Current community and government programs often lack the resources and targeted strategies

needed to prevent youth gang involvement effectively. This inadequacy underscores the urgency

of strengthening community-based and school-based support systems. Programs need to target

their efforts with “legitimate alternative for fulfilling their (youth gang members) basic needs

such as love, discipline, structure, belonging, personal safety and protection” (1p6). Government

officials need to address the systematic issues, such as racism and school safety, that exist in our

communities leading to youth crime. This issue should be regarded as a social issue and not a

criminal issue (1p58). Understanding the complexities of youth gang involvement is crucial to

developing holistic and impactful programs. By promoting safety, inclusion, and meaningful

opportunities, communities can redirect at-risk youth toward positive pathways, ultimately

fostering a safer and more equitable society.

Discussion + Own Reflection

In the discussion section, you are asked to assess how your social positioning may influence
your approach to the research as well as your appraisal of the empirical evidence. You
are also asked to explicitly consider the ways in which systemic inequities and your own
biases may influence how you ultimately believe one might support young people in
relation to their chosen topic/theme

My social positioning influences my approach to research on this matter. I am aware how me as

an outsider and a researcher can easily draw conclusions of reasons youth gang exist and
possible interventions only through research on the matter without any first-hand knowledge or
experience in this matter. This creates a limitation to the research; not enough knowledge was
conducted to uncover the deep root causes of youth gangs in Canada. This approach is superficial
and only highlights information that can be conducted and retrieved over limited resources. My
social positioning on this issue has also brought knowledge and awareness of my own biases I
hold on this matter. The support for youth involved in gangs proposed in this paper is an outsider
approach without empirical evidence of real hand accounts with individuals in this demographic
which sets a limit to the knowledge of what these individuals need and want in their
communities.

The privileges I hold, such as access to housing and education, while also being aware of the
disparities around them. Living near a safe injection site, the author reflects on the visible issues
of homelessness, drug addiction, and mental health in their neighborhood, often questioning why
these issues exist in such a prominent area. This awareness triggers thoughts of empathy and
reflection on their own upbringing, recognizing the privileges of having a supportive family and
a more sheltered experience. The author critiques the Ford government's decision to close safe
injection sites, arguing that it merely hides the problem rather than solving it. In conclusion, the
author stresses the importance of empathy in addressing these societal challenges, urging an
open-hearted approach to understanding the unique stories of others.

Summary

Youth gang involvement is influenced by a combination of factors such as socioeconomic

challenges, a need for belonging, family instability, and educational shortcomings. Social
Disorganization Theory highlights how poverty, poor housing, and unemployment create
environments conducive to crime, with single-parent households and inadequate supervision
further pushes the issue. Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds often experience stigma,
isolation, and disconnection from society, leading them to seek identity, protection, and
community through gang membership. Schools, meant to be safe havens, frequently fail to
provide the support youth need, leaving them vulnerable to gang influence. Gang involvement
carries significant risks, including incarceration, violence, and long-term social exclusion, as
well as public health concerns such as substance abuse and mental health issues. Current
community and government programs are insufficient, highlighting the need for targeted
strategies that address systemic issues and provide marginalized youth with safety, inclusion, and
opportunities to break the cycle of crime and foster a more equitable society.