The impact of gangs and gang violence on contemporary youth: An assessment of the problem in Colorado Springs

Abstract

Focus groups were conducted with adolescents (n=62) in four high schools and one middle school to assess the impact of gangs on nongang youth. Findings reemphasize the importance of analyzing the youth gang
phenomenon in specific social contexts that take into account immediate ecological factors. Locally, nongang youth have developed a capacity to adapt to the presence of gangs, with variations in responses contingent upon the geographic proximity to specific types of gangs and student age. Students demonstrated a critical awareness of gangs and considerable self-confidence in their ability to handle encounters with gang members. Nongang youth singled out wannabes as more prone to violence than known gang members. This analysis suggests that future studies on the impact of gangs on everyday, nongang youth may yeild more fruitful results ifthey employed alternative conceptions and definitions of gangs and gang membership. In addition to emphasizing practical education concerning gangs, preventive programs should be directed toward middle school students, and special attention must be directed toward wannabes. Adolescent attitudes toward authority may represent a significant obstacle to the development of new programs.