Gangs...

[TheDarkness]

I have to do an essay on why youths join gangs and so im starting my outline. Im a little confused on what exactly I need to say in my "thesis". I mean I know youths join gangs for:

-"Respect and status"
-"A sense of belonging to a family"
-"peer pressure"
etc...

Im just not sure what to write for a solid one or two sentence thesis of which I will base my whole paper on. My thesis basically needs to say in general the reasons/motivations why youths join gangs without giving away any of those reasons (listed above).

So if anyone can help me come up with a thesis to get myself started.. that would be great.

Thx for any help

[Ichimaru420]

Their is a British Documentary called "Ross Kemp on Gangs" maybe watching that might give you more insight into gang culture and so on.

[cin]

Their is a British Documentary called "Ross Kemp on Gangs" maybe watching that might give you more insight into gang culture and so on.

just wanted to say that.

theres also documentaries where they interview gang
leaders in prison, like leaders of the crips/bloods
etc.

i could give you a hypothetical answer to why kids
join gangs, but that wouldn't be much help to you
since i've personally never been in one.

[Sharp324]

Most are pussies who need people to back them up, most are black or hispanic. Then you have the white guys, thats just weird.

[Snoopy]

My thesis structures generally consist of a 'Guess what? Prove it! So what?'

Here's an example of one of my thesis's.

Thesis:

Michael Moore the director of Bowling for Columbine exploits the discourse of the culture of fear and blame in order to position the audience to accept his opinion that America is in dire need for gun control.

Expansion

Inevitable this culture of fear and blame is largely supported through the sociocultural perspectives of Americans and their way of life. Moore successfully exploits the attitudes of the American people, highlighting the need for change plus a social desire to do so.

Thesis:

Todays youth are far wiser than their predecessors.

Expansion

[i]Youth culture is recognised by 21st Century society as a forbidding, uncontrollable wasteland of technology, rights aware, rude, materialists. However, perhaps the persuasiveness and attractiveness of this ideology stems from the increasingly obvious under current of the 'wise aged' no longer being able to control youth through traditional means.

So with your thesis, you need to write something similar I'd guess?

Guess what?
Youths are joining gangs (Or something you've noticed)

Prove it!
Briefly prove it. Without evidence as evidence is to be used in the body.

Prove it!
They're doing it for [list reasons]

As far as I'm aware, it's ok to give reasons in a thesis, however you don't explain them. The thesis is the most important part of any essay. It's really just a broad outline of what your essay is going to be about.

It's hard for someone who doesn't know the specifics of what you're doing to write you a thesis.

Is it about a movie?
What's your evidence to prove it throughout the body?

etc.

[cin]

pretty good structure for a thesis there snoopy, but
i think it would be best to add a "conclusion" part
after your proof, to repeat and accentuate the "so
what" part.

[Miguez]

Most are pussies who need people to back them up, most are black or hispanic. Then you have the white guys, who think that being in a gang makes them badass.

[Snoopy]

A thesis isn't necessarily about stating the obvious also those "reasons" are merely an opinion. Generally they use a thesis to make people think. A thesis should be captivating.

[nohunta]

Most are pussies who need people to back them up, most are black or hispanic. Then you have the white guys, thats just weird.

LOL @ Speculation.


Have you ever been in a gang? Most of them arent pussies, as said before its the sense of a family, since a ton of people dont have a family there for them. Most arent black or hispanic thats just what the media cover(ed). Guess you dont know about the kkk?

[Snoopy]

Well, there is a lot of Hispanic and Black people in gangs. As well as the media coverage likes to show them more too.

Hispanics accounted for 41% of all gang members, Blacks 38%, Whites 4%, and Asians 37%.

O noes I used Wiki. Don't know how good proof this could be, but it shows that whites are the clear minority when it comes to gangs.

[nohunta]

Well, there is a lot of Hispanic and Black people in gangs. As well as the media coverage likes to show them more too.

Hispanics accounted for 41% of all gang members, Blacks 38%, Whites 4%, and Asians 37%.

O noes I used Wiki. Don't know how good proof this could be, but it shows that whites are the clear minority when it comes to gangs.

I still see those numbers as incorrect seeing as the KKK is one of the oldest gangs in america. WELL before the crips/bloods.

[Snoopy]

I too was shocked when I see that only 4% were white. White Supremacy and all gangs which stem of it's ideologies should have been more then just 4%.

[nohunta]

Im glad you understand that gangs are just black/hispanic, they are indeed every race.

All gangs are not BAD gangs that you think of though. Not every gang shoots up your grandma's house lol.

[TheDrop]

Well, there is a lot of Hispanic and Black people in gangs. As well as the media coverage likes to show them more too.

Hispanics accounted for 41% of all gang members, Blacks 38%, Whites 4%, and Asians 37%.

O noes I used Wiki. Don't know how good proof this could be, but it shows that whites are the clear minority when it comes to gangs.

that doesn't add up...to a 100%
Since u used %'s
That or my brains not workin yet since i just woke up

[Jstar1]

I too was shocked when I see that only 4% were white. White Supremacy and all gangs which stem of it's ideologies should have been more then just 4%.

just because the kkk is old doesn't mean its got a lot of ppl in it. The KKK today is very weak and its so small that theres barely a national clan, most are broken up into little regional groups now. Wikipedia says that there are 5000-8000 whites in KKK groups across America, now thats like almost nobody when theres 306 million people living in the US.

[Axie]

Most are pussies who need people to back them up, most are black or hispanic. Then you have the white guys, thats just weird.

LOL @ Speculation.


Have you ever been in a gang? Most of them arent pussies, as said before its the sense of a family, since a ton of people dont have a family there for them. Most arent black or hispanic thats just what the media cover(ed). Guess you dont know about the kkk?

Agreed or another example, different from kkk, Hells Angels a gang except they are bikers so race has no difference when it comes to gangs

[BloodyBlade]

Well, there are things similiar to the kkk and hells angels, they're both racist. That's why you never see a black guy with them.

[Vinyl]

A good thesis would have 3 proofs, the subject, and it shows who the audience is.

Ex: The reason why some kids join gangs because of respect, belonging to a group, or peer pressure.

One thing, avoid brevity which is running on. Keep it nice and short.

[Squirt]

Watch some Gangland episodes on youtube.

Some of the gang members "Open Up", and tell some stories about why they joined gangs.

[TheDarkness]

yea all good stuff, thx for the help

[nohunta]

I too was shocked when I see that only 4% were white. White Supremacy and all gangs which stem of it's ideologies should have been more then just 4%.

just because the kkk is old doesn't mean its got a lot of ppl in it. The KKK today is very weak and its so small that theres barely a national clan, most are broken up into little regional groups now. Wikipedia says that there are 5000-8000 whites in KKK groups across America, now thats like almost nobody when theres 306 million people living in the US.

KKK marches through cincinnati like every year, theres more than a "few people"

[Zypher]

real gangs fight for honour.

[inky]

I saw a documentary called 18 With A Bullet. People usually have different reasons for joining but if you're asking for my opinion, I think people join because it gives them a sense of belonging and "status" (for the lack of better words - "badass"). It's only after a while that some of them begin to believe their own bullshit - they actually start to believe that it's a family and they're fighting for honor and for their brothers. Pretty much the same with most subcultures, this one just involves more violence.