Family and Community Violence: Generational Gang Membership, Week 4, Post #3

The influence of family over youth is very significant. When this influence is to participate in gang and drug activity it can pose severe consequences for the entire family and the community. The film, "Nuestra Familia," looked at the generational impact that's passed down from older family members to younger more vulnerable and impressionable youth. It also documented the increasing number of incidents of gang violence in the small California city of Salinas. 

In the film, they interviewed and documented past and present gang members to find the reasons they considered a gang lifestyle. The answers given were a lot of the same risk factors identified in previous films and articles. A primary reason given was that growing up as young men they wanted to earn the respect and acceptance from their older peers and that were already participating in gang activity. 

As I watched this film, it seemed to me that the end result for most (if not all) is the old cliche' that gang violence only leads to prison or death. In addition, it seems that once gang members are sent to prison, there is that sense of regret and quite possibly betrayal from the gang that they vowed their loyalty to carry out violent offenses in order to be recognized and accepted. 

As suggested in the film, the increased efforts by law enforcement is only a "band aid" to finding a solution to reduction and hopefully the elimination of gangs in the United States. More has to be done for the prevention and identifying risk factors of youth that are susceptible to joining gangs. After school programs, more involvement of parent(s) in their children's education and extra curricular activities, sports, Boys and Girls Club, etc., are all things that can be associated to the reduction of risk factors and keeping children out of gang memberships. 

References:

Nuestra Familia, Our Family-Educator's Edition. Films Media Group, 2006. Films on Demand.