What's the difference between a group and a gang?
You probably hang out with a group of friends. You and your friends might wear the same kinds of clothes, listen to the same music and go to the same places. You look after each other.
A lot of times, gangs start as a group of friends. But gangs are different. Most gangs believe that it's okay to use violence to get what they want. Gangs follow rules that say, "We will do whatever we can to keep what we have and get what we want." New members learn fast how scare tactics are used to gain "respect." Remember, fear and respect are not the same thing.
What happens when you join a gang?
Here's one story :
"Everybody that was down on FTS (Flushing's Top Society) formed a circle around me and I had to fight my way out. They put you in a circle and everybody starts hitting you. It hurts. It hurts your heart. You re-judge things. It makes you feel bad, like you can't be totally friends, and it puts you in a spot where you can't really trust your own friends. Anybody in a gang or crew will tell you they don't trust nobody. Respect is another thing, but trust--nobody trusts nobody. Nobody." 1
Shank of FTS (Flushing's Top Society-Fight to Survive), New York
Why do people join gangs?
Here's what one gang member says:
"If you don't have respect on the street then you gonna get picked on, always. If you're not gonna get robbed on the street then you gonna get hit on the street, if not that, then someone is gonna do something to you, so you can't let that happen." 1
Coki of FTS
Kids join gangs for a lot of different reasons. Mostly, they feel that being part of a gang will give them:
- Power
- Money
- A substitute family
- Respect
- Security
- Protection
- Status
- Friendship
Who joins gangs?
A lot of different people join gangs, not just teenage boys who live in the inner city. Girls, straight-A students, and kids from suburban and rural schools have all joined gangs.
Why shouldn't I join a gang? These people will protect me. They are my friends.
Here are a few reasons:
- Once you're in a gang, it can be hard to get out.
- Join a gang and you will make instant enemies. You thought you needed protection before? Gangs get revenge. Revenge leads to more revenge and more violence.
- If you are a young woman, you may not be allowed into a gang until you have gang sex with male members.
- Gangs seem cool, like being part of a team of outlaws. But gangs don't play games. Gangs expect you do be ready to do violence and commit crimes.
Joining a gang won't solve your problems. One gang member says that being able to beat someone up makes him feel powerful. It releases his anger. He also says he really can't control his anger. How much power does he have if he can't control his own actions?
It's not the gang that makes a person bad. It's what you do as a person. Some gang members have seen a lot of violence at home and on the streets. Gangs make it easier to hide behind people to do stuff that's wrong. Here's one way a gang member looks at it:
"It's easy to hurt and to do bad things. That is the easiest thing to do. It's the easiest way out. It's harder and takes more effort to be good. And a lot of time young people especially see it as a way to be. I'm gonna beat everyone up and that's how I am gonna get respect." 1
Being in a gang won't make your life better.
I am worried about gangs at my school. Should I join one to protect myself?
First, you should know that most kids in school are not part of gangs. Second, you are probably not the only person who is worried.
In one study, 35 percent of the students said that they feared being attacked by a gang member.
Gangs use fear to scare people. Don't let fear work on you. Talk to other people about how you feel. You might find that they feel the same way.
Here are some other things you can do:
- Let friends go if you have to. It's hard to lose friends to gangs, but you will be better off in the long run.
- Get help if a gang is threatening you.
- Take part in school activities. You will be more likely to meet people who are not in gangs.
- Solve problems without using violence.
- Be your own person.
- Be a good role model for other people your age.
1. Quotes are taken from Crews: Gang Members Talk to Maria Hinojosa by Maria Hinojosa, copyright 1995, Harcourt Brace & Company.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 4/11/2005
