Gang & Youth Violence Prevention & Intervention

Why Do Young People Join Gangs?

Some reasons why young people join gangs include:

• They want to feel powerful
• They want to have status
• They are looking for protection, security or safety
• They are looking for friendship or their friends are in a gang
• They feel peer pressure to join
• They want attention and to be accepted
• They want money or other material items
• They want to feel like they are part of a family
• The media makes it seem attractive to be in a gang and the youth think it's cool
• They do not have a mentor to help guide and support them