Essay Sample on Youth in a World of Gangs: How Are the Youth Experiences in a World of Gangs?

Introduction

Recent days have witnessed an increase in the number of gangs across the world. The majority of people making up the gangs are the youths. As such, the increase in the number has necessitated an inquiry into the factors that cause the move. In order to eradicate a vice, it is important to look into the root cause. In this case, it is important to know the leading causes so as to know how to reduce the number. The life of the youths is described as a challenging and tricky part of life. This is due to the issues that affect their everyday life. As such, a study into their ways of life is important for all people. The people, in this case, are academicians, scientists, philosophers, researchers, and students. Trough the undertaking of this study, it will be possible to determine why there is an influx of youths in the gangs. It will also be possible to know the impact of the gangs on the lives of the youths.

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There are some leading causes as to the increase in the number of gangs. So as to determine the reasons, there is an analysis of articles by John M. Hagerdon and John Goodwin. Through the analysis, the articles are for the suggestion that in order to eliminate entry of the youths into the armed gangs, there should be a transition process that is up and running. This is between school and work stages. During this idle period, the youths are lured by their peers to join the gangs. The existing bias should also be eliminated. The biases include ethnicity and racism in the employment process. Ethnicity and racism are some of the catalysts to the increment in the number of gangs. Another key reason behind the increase in the number of youths in the gangs is the lack of proper guidance and counseling upbringing. The youths as such lack of basic techniques on how to deal with certain pressures in their lives. The youths are also more prone to recruitment due to the critical aspect of their age group. At the youth age, they are more prone to copying the actions of the adults around them. They are also desperate and ready and willing to do any activity for the sake of financial gain.

In an article by John M. Hagerdon titled A World on Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture, he talks about the emergence of gangs. According to the article, the gang is made up of mostly youths. The gangs are also armed. According to the article, policies need to be put in place to reduce the entry of young people into the gangs. Some of the issues that he points out as the leading causes towards the entry by the youths are; poverty, social inequality, racism, and ethnic oppression. Another leading factor towards the rise is high levels of unemployment among the youth population. In another article by John Goodwin and Henrietta O'Connor titled Youth and Generation - In The Midst Of an Adult World, the authors try to bring to light the plight of the youths. In this, they state that there is a difficulty in the transition of the youth from school to employment. As such, the gap that exists between the two periods brings about a period of idleness. It is during this period that the youth are lured to join the gangs with promises of good returns.

Both articles list the main causes of the increase in gangs. They are unemployment, ethnic segregation, racism and the existence of a gap during the transition from school to the employment. The articles also suggest that the elimination of the existing gap would see to it that there is no idle time for the youths to be lured into the gangs. The government should also try its best to see to it that there is a smooth transition between the two stages. The government should also use its manpower in the seeing to it that ethnic segregation and racism are eliminated completely. With this, the people will live and exist peacefully. The government should also enhance employment opportunities. Through this, the people in the gangs most of whom are unemployed will be absorbed into the work cycle.

In his article, Goodwin uses the Eliasian theory in the support of the argument. This theory seeks on interpreting the relationship that exists between the young people and the old. This is in the analysis of their thinking patterns. Young people are deemed to be at their weakest mental stage in the period immediately after school and before the start work. During this time, they can be easily swayed to do things which the community may perceive as being wrong. Some of the things include the joining of armed gangs. The theory suggests that young people are non-static objects but rather a separate group of relationships. Through this, they observe and do what the adults around them do. In his part, Hagerdon believes that there is a tendency to ignore the importance of music to the gangs by people carrying out research. Through understanding music, it is easy to understand the thoughts of young people. This is because the music provides the youths with a power of negativity ignoring the social structures around them such as the government and other institutions. The music to them is a culture. In order to understand people, it is vital to understand their culture. (Lam, 2015) As such, Gangsta hip hop needs to be understood in order to understand the perceptions of the youth.

In his study, Goodwin collects data through interviews. In this, he has a sample of youths who have been drawn from the Youth Employment office index. In the interviews, the young people are asked some general questions about interactions with the adults and similar fields. The data is then recorded for analysis. On the other hand, Hagerdon uses both focused group discussions and interviews to gather the data. The youths from both samples are kept in open spaces to give them a sense and feeling of freedom. This makes them be open-minded and think on the issues and questions asked clearly.

The data from the research that has been done in both articles is conclusive. With this, the young people interviewed indicate levels of interaction with the adults. They also confirm that they look up to the adults for motivation and as role models. They also emulate the adult behavior. They, therefore, derive their motivation from the adults. Through this, if the adults are members of organized gangs, it will be easy for them to lure the young people into joining them. From the analysis also, it is also evident that the young people are ready to do anything to make money. (Coomber, 2015) This includes joining the organized gangs in order to earn and sustain them during the period of unemployment.

Practical figures from the studies have been left behind. They include the percentage fractions of youths who stay in the gangs even after employment. This is useful since it helps in the determination of whether unemployment is the leading cause of joining the gangs. The reasons behind remaining in the gangs by those who remain after employment should also be pointed out. Through this, the motivators towards radicalization will be brought to light. The articles have also not mentioned the use of guidance and counseling to the youths as a manner through which their levels of morality can be maintained. Through guidance and counseling, they will be well informed on the detriments of engaging themselves in armed gang activities. Through this, they will also undergo adequate training; like for instance on how to prepare themselves awaiting employment. (Howell, 2015) They can also be taught other means with which they can use to air their grievances to the government if they left behind rather than joining the gangs. Some of them include peaceful protests and through getting media coverage on the issues. It is through such things that they will refrain from joining the gangs. All the above-mentioned aspects have been left out in the articles. They are of vital importance when getting conclusive results.

The study has not been addressed through another approach. Rather than just addressing the issues with the youths who are joining the gangs, it is important to have the opinion of the people in the gangs and what keeps them there. (Swift, 2011) Through this, it is possible to learn their grievances. Through learning their problems, it is possible to address them and stop the gangs at once. This approach would be an effective one since addressing the issue of the youths joining is similar to removing 'cobwebs' without killing the 'spiders'. On the other hand, the gang members are the 'spiders' who recruit the youths and brainwash them to join the armed gangs. Acting from the perspective of the adult gang members makes it possible to discuss with them on a mature more open view on the grievances that face them. (Brotherton, 2015) If they feel left out, then they will not shy to bring it forward. Through this approach, the government of the land will be able to know the reasons that make the gang members recruit the youths into their crusades.

The articles have several strengths acting to their advantage. The first strength is that they have practical support. This is through the field study that has been carried out. Based on this, they have been factually proven and supported by the words from the interviews and focused group discussions that have taken place. Second, they have put into full use the theories that have also been practically tested. Theories help in the support of evidence and articles. This has therefore been in use in this case. The third strength of the articles is that their research has been conclusive on the field of study. Therefore, very minute details have been left out. The articles have some weaknesses in their part. The main weakness is that they have been one-sided in their approach. They have only analyzed the youths and the reasons behind their joining of the gangs. By broadening the scope slightly to cover the gang, the research would have been more conclusive. This is because it would have brought about another argument as to why the gangs prefer the youths and the issues that have caused them to form the gangs. Leaving this behind makes the articles to be one-sided in scope. (Swift, 2011)

From the articles, there are many things that have stood out. The main cause of the growth in the number of youths in gangs is unemployment. This is due to stagnation in progress after the completion of school and before the entry into the job market. The youth age is also a very challenging age. This is because they observe and copy what the adults do. As such, it is important to have good role models around the youths. The government has much work to do in order to alleviate the problem. To begin with, it should create employment opportunities for the youths. Through this, they will not be idle and commit ills to the society. It should also use the resources at hand to eliminate the vices of ethnicity and racism. Through these bad actions, some people feel left out in society and therefore form gangs to air their views and grievances. With respect to this, the governments should look for a framework to address the marginalized groups and the minority communities and integrate them into society. Currently, the groups feel left out and ignored by the government. The society should also strive to its level best to integrate the youths into their systems. Through integration, the youths will have no reason to join armed gangs that terrorize the communities. (Berlatsky, 2015)

Conclusion

In conclusion, there has been an increase in the number of armed gangs that come up over the recent past. The majority of the new recruits into the gangs are youths. Some of the leading causes behind this trend include the high levels of unemployment among the youth. There is also the existence of a gap for the youths between the period they clear school and the period...