Risk Factors

Criminal Justice
Name
Institution
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Date

The universe is characterized by different individuals that have different mentality hence explaining the various factors that are likely to influence the joining of gangs. People are liable to join gangs at the various stages of development depending on the influencing forces surrounding them. My discussion will mainly focus on the factors that can influence a person to join a gang at the school entry and later childhood phases. Numerous factors affect each stage of gang involvement, but each will depend on the psychological being of an individual (Howells & Griffiths, 2015). Disruptive traits and aggression are the factors that define the school entry phase whereas delinquency, academic performance or peer delinquency define the later childhood stage. Each stage of gang involvement has a strategic program so as to help reduce gang involvement. The programs have been developed by whether gang involvement has been influenced by the environmental or personal factors; therefore each program is customized to address the risk factor (Esbensen, Peterson, Taylor & Freng, 2009). A combination of risk factors increases the chances of joining a gang hence the need to understand the underlying causes when selecting a delinquency program.
Family background can determine whether a person joins a gang or not in any of the two stages mentioned therefore one program that is used is protection. Abusive parents or guardians that are substance abuse addicts can influence children to join gangs, therefore, the need to protect children from such environments.

Children from such backgrounds need to be taken into foster homes where they will be well taken care of rather than get exposed to factors that may push them to join gangs. The OJJDP program will make sure that children who have been exposed to parental drug use or violence get into caring foster homes as a way of protecting them from their abusive parents because they may join gangs so that they find a place to fit in their society rather than be subjected to harm from parents or guardians. Assuring children care and affection from foster homes is likely to reduce their chances of joining gangs (“OJJDP Strategic Planning Tool,” n.d.). The second program applied in OJJDP is educational aspiration by encouraging children to build high self-esteem and pursue education so as to increase their chances of success in the future.
Building on children’s hobbies should be included in the programs as a way of ensuring that prevention measures are effective. Children’s hobbies such as dancing, singing, swimming or playing soccer need to be included in the OJJDP to make sure that leisure time is used constructively hence reducing the risk of going back into gangs (“OJJDP Strategic Planning Tool,” n.d.). Coupling hobbies with the programs will play a significant role in rehabilitating ex-gang members. Most children will join gangs to have an identity; therefore grouping them according to their likes in the delinquency programs will give them a positive identity in their societies (“Juvenile Delinquents – FindLaw,” n.d.). Therefore group programs that tap into hobbies and talents will ensure continuity of the OJJDP.
In conclusion, different factors will determine the reason as to why a person will want to join a gang. Several factors can work together in contributing gang participation, but OJJDP needs to involve ex-gang members in hobby groups to make sure that they do not get back into gang activities. Parents should further get involved in their children’s academic and leisure activities to ensure that chances of joining gangs are reduced.

References
Esbensen, F.A., Peterson, D., Taylor, T.J., & Freng, A. (2009). Risk factors for youth violence and gang membership. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 42(3), 310-335.
Howells, J. & Griffiths, E. (2015). Gangs: In American communities (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.ISBN: 13-978-1483379722. attached.
Juvenile Delinquents – FindLaw. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://criminal.findlaw.com/juvenile-justice/juvenile-delinquents.html
OJJDP Strategic Planning Tool. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/SPT
OJJDP Strategic Planning Tool. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/about/Strategic-Planning-Tool