Our youth becoming gang members does not help them become all they can be. Its a waste of a young life that would probably end up in prison or killed. Also our youth are not in the right mind state to make good decisions. They may react as of what they seen because murder and violence is all around them. Formal sanctions like the YMCA are put in neighborhoods to try and prevent gang activity in our youth. Statics say 43% of violent gang crimes are committed by teenagers, because they lack of knowledge. Meaning they don't know what prison is like and the harsh real world. They don't think about what will happen next if they commit crime like robber, battery, or murder.