There are various reasons why young people join street gangs. One of the reasons young people join street gangs is because of neighborhood disadvantages. One theory that may help explain why young people might join street gangs is social disorganization theory. Social disorganization theory posits that “delinquency emerges in neighborhoods where neighborhood relationships and social institutions have broken down and can no longer maintain effective social controls (Bell, 2007).” Social disorganization contributes to residential instability and poverty, which affects interpersonal relationships within the community and opens opportunities for the commission of crimes. The breakdown of neighborhood relationships and social institutions creates a greater likelihood that young people will affiliate with deviant peers and become involved in gangs. When social controls are lacking within a neighborhood, the opportunity to commit deviance increases and exposure to deviant groups such as street gangs increases. This causes an increase in the chances of young people joining street gangs. If social controls are strong and remain strong within a neighborhood and/or community, the chances of youth committing crimes and joining gangs decrease. Many young people join street gangs due to weak family relationships and poor social control. Social control theory assumes that people would naturally commit crimes if they were left to their own devices (i.e. without laws in society) and people would not commit crimes due to some controlling forces, such as social bonds that keep individuals from taking part their antisocial behaviors. behavior (Bell, 2011). Examples of controlling forces are family, school, peers, and the law. Youth who are middle school and delinquent are more likely to take part in committing criminal behavior (Shaefer and Haaland, 2011, p.155-156). Young people may be pressured by their friends to join a gang. Furthermore, many young people join street gangs because they feel rejected by society and do not have the same values. Having suffered physical and/or sexual abuse, young people who are abused tend to have impaired physical and emotional social functioning. ReferencesBell, K. E. (2009; 2007). Gender and gangs: A quantitative comparison. Crime and Delinquency, 55(3), 363-387. doi:10.1177/0011128707306017Roman, C. G., Lachman, P., & Cahill, M. (2013). Assessing youths' motivations for joining a peer group as risk factors for delinquent and gang behavior. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 11(3), 212-229. doi:10.1177/1541204012461510