I need to respond to this in 300-400 words with at least 2 references

Youth street gangs can be challenging to deal with due to the simple fact that children, especially teens, have a feeling of invincibility when it comes to life. When dealing with developing minds, it has to be understood that they probably are unaware of the true meaning of right and wrong, as well as how consequences work in the adult perspective. Many children join gangs for valid reasons. This could be because they lack sense of family, financial trouble, trouble in school, peer pressure, etc. An article reads, "Youth are at higher risk of joining a gang if they engage in delinquent behaviors, are aggressive or violent, experience multiple caretaker transitions, have many problems at school, associate with other gang-involved youth, or live in communities where they feel unsafe and where many youth are in trouble." (Unknown, n. d., paragraph 2) If we, as a community, know and understand the reason why children end up in street gangs then we have the information to try and make a difference. Providing school systems and teachers with a bigger budget will allow them to have the resources to provide what these children need. Having children be mandatory to attend school is a huge advantage we have when finding a chance to reach out to struggling children. With a bigger budget, schools can start before-school and after-school programs to keep young minds healthily occuppied for more of the day. This will also allow parents to work more without having to worry about their children's care. Churches and community organizations also have the power to have mentorship programs for young children up to children ready for adulthood. By teaching them in a real world environment how they are supposed to act and handle situations, learning may come easier for them.

Refrences

Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2019, from https://youth.gov/feature-article/gang-prevention-...