Final Project
Andrew Rodriguez
CJ150

Kaplan College
Mr. Templeton
August 30.2012

Juvenile gangs have become a serious and growing problem in many areas throughout the U.S. It is unlikely that gang control strategies can be successful as long as legitimate economic alternatives are lacking. I will be exploring the possible proactive solutions to this social problem.
Juvenile gangs on the street and in prison “Violent crimes committed by juveniles are not diminishing, as other crimes, as reported by the Justice Department statistics, are (Siegel and Welsh, 2011).” We see that juveniles have more access, and more use of the weapons of violence, including gang affiliation. So why do young people join gangs? First of all, the gang
Many wonder how the above theories are connected to economic effects on juvenile delinquency and gang activity. While on a basic level they may have little to do with financial support of the youth and their family, once one looks deeper they will find out how these theories are in fact related to economic situations. For example, according to the United States Department of Labor, as of January, 2007, unemployment rates are nearly 50% lower compared to just five years ago, however many Americans still do not have jobs (Siegel and Welsh, 2011).
Take into account many families with minimum wage or unsteady jobs.

So many problems, the issues surrounding what gangs offer youth, why they join, personal motivations, group motivations, and other factors in growing gang populations is an extremely complex matter. Many youth involved in gangs will likely become entwined in the criminal justice system, some will change on their own, and some will not change in time. One thing is for certain though, and that is that measures must be taken for those who are at risk. Building upon these criminological theories which can help explain motivations for gang activity, and helping to alleviate the social tension which