Oftentimes, young peripheral or associate gang members get their first exposure to the gang culture through various aspects of the media--news shows, movies, videos, and even through the music of various artists. Some music and movies tend to glamorize the gang lifestyle. Many kids who gravitate to gangs do so out of a need to belong to something and for the power that is gained from being in a gang. The society that we live in makes alternative lifestyles very appealing.

Sociologists as well as gang members have isolated the following reasons for joining a street gang:

Identity
Discipline
Recognition
Love
Belonging
Money

Additionally, many kids are intimidated into gangs to avoid continued harassment. Gangs provide their members and family members with protection from other gangs as well as any other perceived threats.

Feelings of fear, hatred, bigotry, poverty, disenfranchisement, and the general breakdown of social values are also considered motivations for joining a street group.

Even though we have currently identified about forty different named gangs in the local area, they all appear to align with four large major city gangs:

Crips - L.A. oriented
Bloods - L.A. oriented
Folk Nation - a/k/a Hoovers, BGD's, Shorty Folks, Shorties-Chicago oriented
People Nation - a/k/a Vice Lords, P Stone Rangers, Blackstone Rangers,Latin Kings

In order to better understand the gang mentality, the following are considered the "Three R's" of gang culture:

(1) REPUTATION/REP. This is of critical concern to "gangbangers" (gang members). A rep extends not only to each individual, but to the gang as a whole. In some groups, status (or rank) is gained within the gang by having the most "juice" based largely on one's reputation. While being "juiced" is very important, the manner by which the gang member gains the "juice" is just as important. Upon interview, many gang members embellish their past gang activities in an attempt to impress their conversation partner. Gang members freely admit crimes and it has been my experience that most in fact do embellish their stories to enhance their feeling of power. In many gangs, to become a member, you must be "jumped in" by members of the gang. This entails being "beaten down" until the leader calls for it to end. Afterwards, all gang members hug one another to further the "G thing". This action is meant to bond the members together as a family. Frequently, young gang members, whether hardcore or associate, will talk of fellowship and the feeling of sharing and belonging as their reason for joining a gang.

(2) RESPECT. This is something everyone wants and some gang members carry their desire for it to the extreme. Respect is sought for not only the individual, but also for one's set or gang, family, territory, and various other things, real or perceived in the mind of the "gangbanger".

Some gangs require, by written or spoken regulation, that the gang member must always show disrespect to rival gang members. (Referred to in gang slang as dis). If a gang member witnesses a fellow member failing to dis a rival gang through hand signs, graffiti, or a simple "mad dog" or stare-down, they can issue a "violation" to their fellow posse member and he/she can actually be "beaten down" by their own gang as punishment. After dis has been issued, if it is witnessed, the third "R" will become evident.

(3) RETALIATION/REVENGE. It must be understood that in gang culture, no challenge goes unanswered. Many times, drive-by shootings and other acts of violence follow an event perceived as dis. A common occurrence is a confrontation between a gang set and single rival "gangbanger." Outnumbered, he departs the area and returns with his "homeboys" to complete the confrontation to keep his reputation intact. This may occur immediately or follow a delay for planning and obtaining the necessary equipment to complete the retaliatory strike. It must also be understood that many acts of violence are the result of bad drug deals or infringement on drug territory. Some question the authenticity of gang rivalry in shootings and other acts of violence. However, if a group of individuals are together committing either random or pre- planned violence, aren't they a gang? If the gang aspect is learned about, many crimes can be solved through the use of accurate intelligence gathering techniques by law enforcement agencies dealing with this problem. In gangbanging, today's witness is tomorrow's suspect, is the next day's victim.

http://www.gangwar.com/dynamics.htm

in principle, it seems gangs give the impression of providing what is missing, but should be provided (Identity Discipline Recognition Love Belonging Money ), in the home. i don't think you can fault a young mind for needing, craving and deserving this. my question is why do gangs feel they can only find these things through violence? to me, it's a shame that the energy can't be put to more positive things, imagine what could be accomplished. they instead allow the negativism of what they don't find at home and just exacerbate it out into society, so in the end they've only accomplished the very thing they run from at home. and yet, they find this appealing...makes no sense to me.

all I have to say about this is they don,t shoot strait and we should be training them in kinder garden . and give them as many bullets as they need .

OP, you said it in your first sentence. Often the first encounter with gangs is through the media.

the breakdown of the family unit allows this.

poverty and lack of jobs contribute.