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Sanchez, Aurora
Professor Malvin
English 114B
May 2, 2016
Learning About the Dark Side
Gangs in L.A. are known to be one of the largest in the world and the amount continues
to increase. The youth who are growing up in low income wages are more likely to be involved
in gangs for various reasons. They may at first sight view gangs as a group of friends until they
realize the truth it holds within. In L.A., these gangs cause commotion in communities where
many innocent people may be in danger and because of this problem it is important to teach the
younger generations to be aware of the consequences. In order to prevent youth from the serious
repercussions of gang membership, it is important to look at why youth join gangs and the
destructive consequences that come along with it. The violence, emotional pain, jail time, and
hardships of leaving gangs are all issues that need to be learned and understood by the younger
generations.
Gangs have had a reputation over the years to cause violence within themselves, other
gangs, and in their own communities. The youth who live surrounded by this violence often may
be frightened or intrigued. In an interview from L.A. Taco featuring Sam Quinones, known as an
author and journalist, he explains how street gangs are no longer visible as before due to the
change of their system: Years ago, Latino street gangs in particular were all about defending
their neighborhood. They found some honor in that, some feeling of decency that maybe they
found nowhere else twisted though it all might have been. Now its all about money, and
people will betray any trust for money. Now gangs are involved in not only disputes within

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other gangs but are also involved in illegal drug trafficking, high powered weapons, and have
become more violent to persuade. According to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment from
the FBI, they state, Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most
jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in several others, according to NGIC analysis. Many of these
gangs continue to increase because of the recruitment of the youth and the advancement of their
organizations. However, many children who see the violence within the gangs are also interested
due to the mass media output.
Violence is constantly shown to the youth in various forms through media. This can
trigger their mindset into thinking violence is not as harmful. Through rap lyrics, rated R movies,
TV shows, and video games the violence they view is now fun for them and if they were to have
the chance to get their hands on a gun they would likely be interested. As shown on ABCs TV
show, 20/20: What Young Kids Do with Guns When Parents Arent Around, they have a video
where kids are put in a room with toys and within those toys there are unloaded guns. Several of
the kids, even with prior knowledge from their parents about gun safety, would pick up the guns
and play with them aiming at one another. This proves how even though their parents may tell
them and try to teach them about gun safety it still does not take away the curiosity which is why
it is important to teach not only in home but in schools as well, especially because most gangs try
to recruit the youth.
There are many reasons why gangs specifically try to bring in the younger ones into their
gang. They may see them in dysfunctional families or some may not have a parent, so they offer
them shelter, food, and a new family to belong to. Others may already have their family involved
in gangs making it almost natural for them to be initiated into them and expect to be respected
and have more power doing so. Also, many of these younger kids live in low income

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communities, so they may not have the most interest in school and may have a low self-esteem
so they become encouraged by these gangs. At an early age kids have a tendency to fight, steal,
or behave aggressively. Their behaviors within gangs now begins to affect their families as well.
Sometimes families do not pay attention to their kids and because of the lack of supervision this
causes the kids to react negatively towards their families. Once the kids are in a gang they then
experience emotional troubles such as the lose of one of their friends due to a fight with another
gang. In the book, Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez, he neglected his son and daughter after
breaking up with their mother at an early age. Essentially, I neglected Ramiro and my daughter,
Andrea, after their mom and I broke up. Years later, when they came to live with me in Chicago,
they were resentful pissed off teenagers (Rodriguez xvi). Ramiro soon became involved in
gangs following his fathers past. Rodriguez dealt with the loss of many of his friends and his
son as well dealt with the loss of his best friend due to a shooting which made him fall into a
depression. Many people involved in gangs can be critically injured or may die and this can
cause the parent to feel guilt and responsibility for their childs death. Educating and properly
raising the children can benefit them for the better. They will be most likely less interested in
wanting to join a gang and try to maintain themselves further away from the kids at school who
may be involved and if continue can go to jail.
Letting the younger generation know that they may end up in jail if they decide to join a
gang is important. Once in jail they most likely will have to deal with the various different gangs
in prison that are known to have a constant attack against one another. Jail in the barrio is only a
prelude; for many homeboys the walls would soon taste of San Quentin, Folsom and Soledad,
the pathway through The Crazy Life (Rodriguez 189). Jail opens up many people to different
gangs and even more business within. The FBI states, Once incarcerated, most street gang

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members join an established prison gang to ensure their protection. Based on data provided by
federal and state correctional agencies, the NGIC estimates that there are approximately 230,000
gang members incarcerated in federal and state prisons worldwide. This means that instead of
going to prison and learning from bad decisions, they are becoming even more involved since
they are constrained in one location with many other gangs around. In the article How Gangs
Took over Prisons by The Atlantic Magazine they explain how the inmates can easily get
around doing business even in jails. Being able to spit out a razor is like a magic trick in jail.
You could be in the mess hall, get into an altercation with another inmate, and the next thing you
know hes spit out two razors from both sides of his mouth and tour face is slashed up
(Atlantic Magazine). Although, guards try to keep the gangs under control it is difficult and the
business for gangs may be smoother in prison, but it is even more chaotic and brutal. However, it
is even more difficult coming out of jail and trying to live life again when deciding they do not
want to be involved in gangs anymore.
Once involved in gangs its difficult to get out because it was a lifestyle but that does not
mean it is not possible. Some difficulties when leaving a gang may be having little opportunity to
getting a job, having kids already from a younger age, and fighting against drug or alcohol
addiction. Rodriguez within his book tells his stories of his youth, gang activity, hardships of
being a father, and then later seeking for the better in life. Even though he was sent to jail twice,
he finally decided to do what was best for him and to maintain peace rather than cause more
commotion. However, leaving the gang was not as easy as even his closest friends gave him
warning signs. The homeboys tried to kill me, vatos whom I had known as brothers, with whom
I scurried down muddy streets and slept next to in jail, with whom I partied and hung out in fron
of courthouses and the fields. I would have died for them (Rodriguez 238) Although, he may

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have realized what he did in his younger years with his gang, he improved himself. Which gives
hope to many to see that it may be hard at first but can be done. Rodriguez is now known as the
official Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, is a novelist, memoirist, short story writer, childrens book
writer, and a community and urban peace activist. His story and book has been read to many
others in prison and has helped those involved to realize it is not worth the time. Instead, it is
better to help the youth and to teach them about what they have yet to learn, even if it takes a
long time for them to realize it. However, many may argue that teaching children about gang
influence is a waste of time.
Many argue that younger generations will not listen or want to take any advice on gang
influence. Kids have the tendency to loose interest quickly and may not even pay attention to
adults. They might think programs helping to raise awareness for gangs do not know any better.
It becomes even more difficult to speak to them about gangs if they have family members
involved. This could then bring in more hardships for the child because they are now conflicted
between what is right and what is wrong. Gangs also tend to lure children in mostly because they
were in their position at one point and are able to connect on an emotional level. Many view
gangs to be positive because it gives the children in need a new family. However, programs such
as D.A.R.E. have helped children, from the early education of elementary school, learn about
awareness for not only drugs but peer pressure, gang influence, conflict resolution, and decision
making skills. With the help of programs like this it is easier to reach a childs attention because
they are taught specifically for adolescents.
Gangs have been an issue over decades and it is time to resolve the issue with where it
begins, which is with the younger generation. Awareness about all the consequences gangs have
within them are crucial because often times real life true stories are what impact people more.

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Rodriguez has helped several inmates and teenagers realize that just because these issues are
happening around them does not mean they have to fall for them. Hopefully with the help of
more programs, such as D.A.R.E., communities will improve with no longer having to deal with
drive by shootings or a loss of another close relative or friend. Children are the next generation
of our society, so showing them the right path is what will make our society a better and safer
place to live in.

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Works Cited
Rodriguez, Luis J. Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. Willimantic, CT:
Curbstone, 1993. Print.
What Young Kids Do With Guns When Parents Aren't Around. ABC News. ABC News
Network. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
What You Need to Know About Gangs in Los Angeles in 2015 ~ A Q&A With Sam Quinones.
LA TACO. 23 Feb. 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
Wood, Graeme. How Gangs Took Over Prisons. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, Oct.
2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
2011 National Gang Threat Assessment Emerging Trends. FBI. FBI, 2011. Web. 24 Apr.
2016.

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Dear Professor Malvin,
When writing my essay, I had some trouble on what sources to use since there were so
many to decide from. The only source I had trouble on citing was on the FBI article because it
had no author and only had a year. As well as reaching the page count but after putting all my
thoughts together I was able to finish. I also struggled with my counterargument at first, but after
visiting the LRC I was able to understand what would go best with my thesis. Dru Felix in the
LRC helped me figure out my thesis sentence and my transition sentences. He even gave me his
own ideas which were very helpful because I had completely forgotten about the D.A.R.E.
program. Overall, hopefully after revising it again for the portfolio I can improve it even more.
Sincerely,
Aurora Sanchez