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Jimmie Simpson
University of Phoenix

Although some may argue that gang activity and youth involvement has grown exponentially through the years, it has been an ongoing epidemic for decades. Methods, levels of violence, rules, and motivations may have changed over the years, but the basic infrastructure has remained the same. The earliest accounts of youth involvement in gangs first appeared in Europe or Mexico, while the earliest record of youth gangs appearing in the United States are recorded as early as 1783. In the early 1800’s youth gangs appeared to spread in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, in the form of poverty stricken Irish immigrants. Kids banded together and ran the streets stealing food and goods to help feed their families. These crews were more a nuisance than anything else (Howell, 1998).
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, trends changed and guns and drugs were introduced to the streets. Young gang members became influenced by more......

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Approximate Word Count: 2035
Approximate Pages: 9 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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