Member Article

Gangs Stick Together to Stay Safe

Teenagers gang together not to intimidate others but for safety, according to a report by a social charity.

Research conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in four rough Glasgow areas found that the young people often stayed in groups to avoid aggression when moving through zones ‘belonging’ to other gangs and to avoid adults with drink and drug problems. Prof. Malcolm Hill, who led the research, said: “We were impressed by the positive part that young people’s peer groups played in helping them to stay safe.

“Parents were generally unaware of its importance and young people themselves recognised that sticking together in groups could, in spite of their self-protective intentions, appear threatening to some adults.” Parents in the study were found to have high aspirations for their children, wanting them to have better opportunities in life than they themselves had experienced. However, many parents lacked the knowledge or resources to help their children, particularly with regard to education.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .