Gang Life: Definition, typer og årsager til medlemskab

There is no clear definition of a gang, but still there are certain frames to keep. A gang is known by committing organized crime and violence, and using some sort of "identifying". Members may dress the same way or wear similar colours. Also, gangs often mark their territory, their "turf", with a specific graffiti symbol.

Different kinds of gangs?

There's three major kind of gangs; the ethnic, the turf and the prison gangs. The ethnic gangs are based on either the race of their gang members or on the ethnicities they hate. Skinheads, Neo Nazi's and white supremacist will often unite and form a gang exclusively because of their hate against Jews, blacks and Hispanics.

Turf gangs are gangs that control a certain area of the city. The gang members usually live in the area they control. Often, the gangs are named after the area they control, like 10th Street Gang or West End Lions. The punishment for members of other gangs entering their turf might be a beating or even death. These acts often provokes deadly turf wars between gangs.

Why do people join gangs?

Many people join gangs because of one of four main reasons: Poverty, peer pressure, boredom or despair.