Female Juvenile Gangs - Research Paper Example

The paper "Female Juvenile Gangs" is an outstanding example of a law research paper. Gangs are mostly associated with the boy child. However, female children are also involving themselves with gangs and street life. The changing lifestyle and their vulnerability is the main reason behind their involvement with gangs and street life (Lane, 2003). Girls are more vulnerable than the boys are and, therefore, their involvement with gangs and street life leaves them at greater risks than the boys (Karen, Geoffrey, 1996).

Social and demographic factors determine the vulnerability of a girl to being lured into a street gang. It is also difficult to rehabilitate street and gang girls into a normal livelihood. This paper gives a literature of scholarly papers relating to young women and their association with violent street gangs. The age at which a girl gets involved with street life and gangs determines the associated risks and vulnerabilities (Lane, 2003). Associated risks are the possible vulnerability or consequences that can affect a girl who lives a gang life.

The risk factors include dropping out of school, teenage pregnancies, abuse, and imprisonment. Studies show that 73% of juvenile offenders experienced some form of physical abuse during their early teenage (Miler, & Decker, 2006). Girls who get involved with street and gang life during their early teenage are 60% likely to serve a prison sentence (Miler, & Decker, 2006). Young street girls are also more likely to be lured into prostitution than ordinary girls are. Nearly all street and gang girls end up as school dropouts.

This indicates girls who get involved with gangs at an early age are more likely to drop out of school (Lane, 2003). Girls who drop out of school at an early age consider getting involved with crime and criminal activities as the next best opportunity. Most gangs end up becoming criminals of a certain neighborhood or society. This, however, does not necessarily hold for female gangs since in most cases they end up becoming victims of other gangs (Lane, 2003). According to St. Louis qualitative findings, most female gangs are the target of their male counterparts or other criminals groups operating within a given neighborhood.

Although gang girls are less likely involved with delinquency, they are still a major target of victimization. Studies, however, show that both male and female offenders have a bimodal distribution indicating that both male and female gangs have equal chances of committing a crime (Miler, & Decker, 2006). The difference between male and female offenders is that the latter group is celebrated by society and this makes them become continuous offenders (Miler, & Decker, 2006). On the other hand, female offenders are both the target of the authority and their male counterparts and this act as a major constraint to their involvement with crime.

People get involved in crime from their personal choice. However, the black American community is more likely to get involved with crime and gangs than people are from other societies. Girls in black American societies confirm that their involvement with gangs is a form of protection or security (Karen, Geoffrey, 1996). Most girl gangs exist in close association with boy gangs in order to increase their security and influence. This indicates that most girl gangs acknowledge their vulnerability leading to their involvement with male gangs.

Indulgence with drugs and alcohol is the main factor that contributes to crime among girl gangs (Miler, & Decker, 2006). Studies have also established that the affiliate boy gang is responsible for all drugs and their usage within a female gang.