There are over 1,000 gangs in America and over one million people in gangs
             (Hernandez 24). There are many reasons people join gangs and each and everyone of
             them has their own story. Many people ask why they commit crimes, but they need to be
             asking why they joined in the first place.
             When people grow up with parents that do not care about them, they try to get their attention in different ways (Hams 22). Since their parents do not care what they do, they try and go find comfort somewhere else. Another big reason people join gangs is a lack of a parent. Helen Huffer says " I didn't have a dad when I was growing up. I had to find out how to be a man from somebody else (36). Also, not having a mom to take care of you and to baby you ends up with them looking for love in the wrong places. These scenarios all have to do with the kid wanting or looking for love and recognition.
             One of the biggest reasons why people join all depends on the location where they grow up. "If all you see while growing up is killings, drugs, fights, and gangs, well how else are you suppose to turn out" (Hernandez 52). Hams says, "that only 15% of men that grew up in bad neighborhood turned out to be successful, the other 85% were either dead, in a gang or in jail"(24). Others gang members have no reason for joining, just the thrill of being bad.
             Some people think its cool to join a gang without even realizing the consequences of joining one. First off, to join a gang they either beat them or they have to kill somebody. Once they are in a gang they can never get out unless they get killed. " Even if they get sent to jail, gang are in there too" (Mendez 47). After being in jail for awhile a gangster often change their minds. All of the stealing and killing finally gets to them and they crack and don't want to live that lifestyle anymore (Huffer 37). They don't want to
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