Crime, delinquency, and gangs in the United States have traditionally been linked to children from low-income families. Nevertheless, the figure of crimes committed by children from the middleclass has increased in recent years(Siegel & Senna, 1994). Violent youth who appear to be beneficiaries of the society hasgenerated a breed of delinquents who are financially secure. As a result, gangs have continually posed a great challenge to communities in suburbs, cities and rural areas.
There are several factors that contribute to delinquency among middle-class youth. Firstly, parents of these children are often pushing them to strive for success, even as they remain ever busy. In very rare occasions do they engage with their children in meaningful conversations. Then again, these children end up seeking emotional solace elsewhere and the most accessible place they do that is in the neighborhood, where the levels of integration are considerably low. The social groups in these neighborhoods, in turn, easily accept them because of their financial ability. Here is where they begin associating with delinquent friends while engaging in unsupervised acts.
While children from poor backgrounds engage in acts of crime in acts of mutiny, those from the middle-class engage themselves the same acts to gain identity(Richardson & Skott-Myhre, 2012, p.291). This is the onset of their delinquency.
As such, children from middle-class families join gangs harmlessly for social relationships that offer them a sense of identity. Even as this is the case, these gangs are the channels to their engagement with hostility, aggression, marijuana, early sexual activity, and rule breaking. The gangs also lead them into developing violent attitudes and the seeking of pleasure through rule violation, which, according to them, brings excitement, a sense of belonging, protections, and opportunities for economic gain through unlawful means.
Get Your Custom Paper From Professional Writers. 100% Plagiarism Free, No AI Generated Content and Good Grade Guarantee. We Have Experts In All Subjects.
Place Your Order Now