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Why Gangs Are Bad News

The idea of being in a gang might seem pretty cool, especially if you like gangster movies and music or even just the clothes. Sometimes people even think that being in a gang makes them popular, but before you start hanging out with people in gangs or think of joining one there are some things that you should know.

Gang members may tell you that you should join their gang because it’s cool and exciting. They’ll probably tell you that it will get you noticed and that you’ll be able to make some money and do some really cool stuff. What they don’t tell you is that the stuff that they do and think is cool is usually illegal and dangerous and can get you in trouble, arrested, hurt and maybe even killed. Is that cool?

The way gangs work is by getting together a group of people to intimidate and scare others and do illegal stuff. Joining a gang isn’t about being in a neat little group that will make you popular with the other kids in your school. Being in a gang is not about having fun. Being in a gang is not safe. And, if you do decide to hang with members of a gang then you can pretty much guarantee that you’re getting yourself into trouble and putting yourself and other people in danger. And something else that you probably don’t know (and that they won’t tell you), is that when you join a gang you will likely get bullied and lose your control. This means that even your fellow gang members will bully you and threaten you to do the bad things that they want you to do whether you want to or not. And, once you join a gang, you can’t just decide that you want to leave it. Gang members are afraid that once you leave their gang that you will tell others about the bad stuff that they do and get them in trouble and because of this they will do everything they can to stop you from leaving or from talking, even if it means hurting you or possibly even killing you.

If someone asks you to join a gang or if you know that there are gangs in your schools then the best thing that you can do is tell your parents or a teacher or even the police. Gangs are bad news for everyone and they are responsible for a lot of the crimes and violence inside and outside of schools. By reporting that there is gang activity you are making your school safer for yourself and everyone else around you.