Illinois Juveniles and Gangs
Gangs have been a problem throughout the ages, and the state of Illinois has one of the largest gang problems in the nation, so much so that gangs in Illinois, more specifically Chicago, are the root cause for societal decay, which includes homicides, drug transportation and usage, prostitution, and aggravated robbery. The history of such gang activity is a vast and complicated one. As gang activity continues to increase, so does the number of gang members, who are often recruited as juveniles.
There can be several reasons why a juvenile will join a gang in his or her lifetime. There are notably several factors that can attribute to this decision by our youth today. A prolific theory is that of social strain. The environment in which the juvenile is accustomed to has limited resources in order for the juvenile to excel into a productive membership within society. The local schools and faculty may have minimal requirements for academic achievement, the system allowing children to habitually slip through the cracks, and those who provide the syllabus may be too far lost and jaded in having hope for their pupils when the success rates are continuously low and truancy is high.
There is strongly supported information coming to light that over the last decade that the gang problem has spread from the inner cities to suburban youths. The Nineteenth Judicial Court of Illinois lists facts that support this somewhat new information. They are stated as saying the following:
“If you are a single parent and have to work full time - keeping your children away from gangs needs planning. Try and get your children involved in activities outside of school. Children that have a lot of unstructured time on their hands are prime recruitment material for gangs. Look to your extended family for assistance. Grandparents, uncles and aunts (yours and your child's) older cousins - all of these can help provide structured time for your child....