The Challenges of Youth

Gangs are the result of basic problems such as poverty, family disintegration, unemployment, school dropouts, hopelessness, boredom, racism, drugs, etc. For many young people, gangs satisfy the basic and essential human need of group participation, a feeling of identification and affirmation which characterizes other aspects of their lives. A study by the University of Chicago revealed that there now exist gangs of young people in almost all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
As gangs rise in popularity and cause more violent incidents, the more urgent problem continues to be finding a solution to this problem. Without a doubt, the lack of time invested in today's youth assures that the prisons will be full tomorrow.