Relationships with peers and friends are an important part of adolescence. By the time they reach the age of 14, teenagers begin to turn to peers and friends instead of family when they need social and emotional support. However, some risk their freedom and their lives to associate with peers who play in death's playground, where the rules are simple, honor and loyalty are the stakes, and the price—often death—is high. Who joins gangs? Why? And what, if anything, can prevent their proliferation? Social psychologists, as well as sociologists, criminologists, and law enforcement officers want to know. In this paper, I will try to uncover the answer to these questions.
A gang is a group of people whose members recognize themselves as a distinct entity and are recognized as such by their community. Their involvement in antisocial, rebellious, and illegal activities draws a negative response from the community and from law enforcement officials. Other characteristics of gangs......

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Title: Gangs
Approximate Word Count: 2519
Approximate Pages: 11 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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