Youth Gangs & Crime
It is a commonplace to say that gangs serve as substitute families for youth who find no love, guidance and support in their families of origin. We need to take that analysis one step further and consider what is the weakest, most vulnerable and under-performing component of many families today. For girls as well as boys, gangs may be a way — albeit a distorted, corrupted way — of accessing dynamic, loyal, honor-bound male and paternal love.
The Center for Men and Boys in Social Policy can help your program see beyond the stereotype of the “absent” father who “abandoned” his children and develop strategies for honoring, encouraging and harnessing the love and healthy discipline many fathers are eager, even if not yet ready and able, to bestow upon their children.
