Why Children Join Gangs

In an article written in 1997, titled Why Girls Join Gangs, girls join gangs to help deal with the frustration, rage, and anger they obtain from living with dysfunctional families. Joining gangs help the girls feel wanted, needed, and important. When they join a gang, they join a new family, a family that will stick up for them and fight for them without any questions ever being asked.
Some children chose to join gangs because they are lonely. Their parents both work full time, they have no one to talk to, and they want friends and people that will watch their back. They chose to join a gang because they will no longer have to be alone. There will be someone that’s there for them when they are upset, and they have something to do during the day.
However, some children join gangs for other, hurtful reasons. Some young children join gangs to spite their parents. In an article written in 2002, titled “Adult Absence Can Lead Teens to Join Gangs”, a girl named Kim claimed to join a gang because “she just didn’t like her mom”. Her mom had abandoned her and left her with an alcoholic father. So in order to get back at her parents for hurting her, she joined a gang at the age of 13. She wanted to be a part of something that honored her, and respected her. Kim found that honor and respect she wanted in a gang.