Youth Gangs and Violence In Schools Essay - 1298 Words

The theme, which I have decided to research and base my portfolio on, is Youth Gangs and Violence In Schools. The term â€Å"Youth† is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as the period between childhood and adulthood and is also commonly used as a noun to describe young people. The same dictionary defines a â€Å"Gang† as an organised group of criminals or disorderly young people. Youth gangs are groups of young people who assemble and often engage in criminal and illegal activities such as graffiti, vandalism, theft, robbery and violent activities including, gang fights and brawls. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines â€Å" violence† as behaviour involving physical force intended to hurt,†¦show more content†¦====================================================================== I must confess that I do have a real personal interest in the topic. This is so, for a number of reasons, but I shall only mention the two most important. ===================================================================== Earlier this year, I was elected the President of the my school Student Council. Presently, the Council is working closely with the School Violence Committee, seeking to reduce the incidence of gang violence in my school. I would like to achieve this goal, but I firmly believe that if we are to achieve it, then we must first understand the reasons why gangs develop and the reasons for their anti-social behaviour. This is the main thrust of my interest in researching this topic. ====================================================================== The other reason is my experiences have shown me that the physical injuries caused by gang violence can be life threatening and should be avoided at all costs. A couple of years ago during lunchtime, a friend of mine was badly beaten at the hands of a gang at school and was left for dead. Luckily, he was rushed to the hospital where he was quickly stabilised. He suffered a broken nose and injury to his skull. Subsequently, he had plastic surgery toShow MoreRelatedYouth Participation In Gangs Essay1141 Words   |  5 PagesYouth participation in gangs actually decreased from 1996 to 2004, but the violence within these gangs has not. Homicides committed by youth gang members still remain as a monumental problem across the United States of America. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention reported in its 2004 survey of youth gangs that there were an estimated 760,000 gang members that year. Many of the kids affiliated with gangs come from lower income, single parent h omes; therefore, the youths of AmericaRead MoreYouth Gang Membership : A Serious Problem Affecting Many Youths Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesYouth Gang membership is a serious problem affecting many youths in America. 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