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Introduction:
A robbery gone wrong or an initiation? Another juvenile male killed in a shooting
impacts the Prince George's community once again. The 16-year-old was killed near his home by
another 16-year-old, who accompanied a 19-year-old during the incident (WRIC News,
Childress, 2023). Both 16-year-old males attended the local high school together. They had
begun their sophomore year and occasionally shared a casual conversation. The news says it was
a robbery; the students say that it was gang-related. This is a usual occurrence for this
community. The year prior (2022), a student from the same high school had posted to his social
media holding firearms. Later that night, he was shot multiple times by people in a drive-by. The
news said there was no real motive between the victim and the suspects, but everyone else knew
the true story.
Gang violence is a major community issue that many families face almost daily, praying
that their child will return home safely. Unfortunately, the youth are victims, reverting to this as
an extracurricular activity to fill a void left by their home life. The purpose of this paper is to
acknowledge the presence of gang violence in urban communities, how it impacts academic
outcomes in local schools, and possible solutions to the issue.
Gang Violence Description
Gangs are rooted in the injustice of social structures to gain power over territory, drugs,
weapons, and political status. Young people originally created it to protect themselves from
violence and crime but have since evolved to evoke fear in the community. The cycle repeats
itself time and time again. The culture of gang membership is, more or less, a sense of belonging
and being a part of something purposeful. Children and adolescents who grow up in violent
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environments and are exposed to criminal activities are desensitized to the consequences of such
actions. According to a survey, ages as early as five years old are associated with gangs, with the
bulk of youth participating in gang-related activities joining at the age of 10 and older (Pyrooz &
Sweeten, 2014). The older the youth, the greater the consequences of joining. Urban
communities are breeding places for gang violence related to other factors such as income and
educational inequalities, poor parental support, exposure to drugs and alcohol, and exposure to
violence in the family. Most groups are primarily people of color. Urban communities are
systematically built by people of color who live a less privileged life. Therefore leading youth
with no homes, money, or educational support to engage in criminal activities. Gang violence is
responsible for robbing local stores community organizations, shootings in the area, and
distribution of drugs. This is ultimately a public health risk.
Impact on the Community and Schools
The type of community is the outcome of the people in it. Urban communities where
gang violence is prevalent should first identify how intergenerational lifestyles influences the
youth. “Intergenerational continuity of maladaptive behaviors refers to the basic idea that
children will end up like their parents in one or more problematic ways ( Augustyn et al., 2017)”.
It usually begins at home; if there is a lack of physical and emotional support for a more
successful outcome, the child is left to find support elsewhere. Under privilege areas are
equipped with underfunded schools and lack resources. At the secondary level, many students
who are exposed to gang-related activities have experienced a level of violence that has
negatively shaped their academic outlook. Adverse academic performance and violence are
associated with higher levels of psychological distress, difficulty concentrating, decreased
feelings of self-efficacy, and inability to control negative emotions (Borofsky et. al., 2013).
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Because of the lack of resources in the school, many students are left to figure their lives out
while battling the struggles of living outside of the class. In some ways, gangs provide that nest
of stability. Unfortunately, the consequences of this are the people of the community. Most
members of the community live in fear of gun violence or being robbed of the very little they
have. The youth who are educationally disadvantaged are less likely to live in higher economic
classes and are left stagnant. This is the cycle.
Opinion to Address the Issue:
Support. I work at the high school mentioned in the story above, teaching sophomore
English. This hit home, as the shooting was in early October. In my opinion, to address the gang
violence issue, we can do better at providing social and emotional support. When students come
into my classroom, each one drops their baggage with me. Some students who come from gang-
related backgrounds are desensitized to the violence that blinds them from seeing more for
themselves; they believe that this is what their life is meant for. I think addressing gang violence
can begin in the classroom. I can do that by acknowledging the life the youth is living, validating
their feelings, and guiding their thought process towards positive self-efficacy. “Effective, high-
quality, and enduring mentoring is associated with the capacity for youth to engage in high-
quality social relationships, to have great academic achievement, school engagement, and school
adjustment, and to view their futures more positively.” (Rhodes, Spencer, Keller, Liang, &
Noam, 2006). My goal is to expose students who are involved in gang violence to the greater
parts of life that are within their reach. God does not give us more than we can handle, but he
also does not give us a delusion reality as well. Many must endure the hardships or become the
hardship before evolving into something greater. “No longer will violence be heard in your land,
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nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates
Praise (Isaiah 60:18)”.
Conclusion:
Gang violence is the beginning and end for many, especially teens and young adults. If
school, home, and the government have failed them, participating in gang-related activities may
become easier for them. This is an ongoing issue for urban communities who are frustrated and
afraid of their environment. Gang-related violence stems from a segregation of skin color and
socioeconomic classes. However, this is all the many youths in the community know: to fight,
shoot, and steal to survive. Unfortunately, they do not have the support and guidance to strive for
better and are stuck in this unruly cycle. As a teacher of students who experience this daily, my
goal is to support in their corner and show them more of what life has.
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Reference:
Augustyn MB, Ward JT, Krohn MD. Exploring Intergenerational Continuity in Gang
Membership. J Crime Justice. 2017;40(3):252-274. doi: 10.1080/0735648X.2017.1337556. Epub
2017 Jun 11. PMID: 29170595; PMCID: PMC5695689.
Borofsky LA, Kellerman I, Baucom B, Oliver PH, Margolin G. Community Violence
Exposure and Adolescents' School Engagement and Academic Achievement Over Time. Psychol
Violence. 2013 Oct 1;3(4):381-395. doi: 10.1037/a0034121. PMID: 24163782; PMCID:
PMC3806333.
Childress, A. (2023, October 9). Family demands justice after 16-year-old robbed, shot
dead in prince george. WRIC ABC 8News. https://www.wric.com/news/prince-george/family-
demands-justice-after-16-year-old-robbed-shot-dead-at-pine-ridge-mobile-home-park-in-prince-
george/
Pyrooz DC, Sweeten G. Gang membership between ages 5 and 17 years in the United
States. J Adolesc Health. 2015 Apr;56(4):414-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.11.018. Epub
2015 Feb 11. PMID: 25682209.
Rhodes, Jean & Spencer, Renée & Keller, Thomas & Liang, Belle & Noam, Gil. (2006).
A model for the influence of mentoring relationships on youth development. Journal of
Community Psychology. 34. 691 - 707. 10.1002/jcop.20124.
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