Gangs have existed for hundreds of years. They can be dated as far back as the early 1800s. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency (1994) gangs arise from a need for power and strength in an environment in which they feel powerless. In response to this young people form social groups. These groups often become surrogate families, providing what individuals feel they are missing. Gangs are often named after their location or the crimes they commit. Many crimes include armed robbery and gun crimes. Murders, assaults and many more. Gangs are often loosely structured, with constantly changing leaders and diverse members. The gang is based on loyalty and dedication to the group over a rigid hierarchical structure. Within all gangs there are identifiable levels of membership. These levels represent the status of the members within the gang. There are six known levels of gang membership. The first level is the leader. This member decides what level of crime the gang will commit. The leader is the first position and is followed by every member of the gang. Then there are the more diehard members of the gang. These individuals are criminally and culturally involved in the gang. These members are usually older and are responsible for much of the gang's violent activities. The third type is the associate gang member. These members usually become committed to the gang and strive to achieve diehard member status. They are more likely to commit crimes that they believe will increase their status in the gang. The fourth type of member is the Fringe. This type of member is still able to function outside of the gang and has not committed to being part of the gang's criminal lifestyle. In these types of… middle of paper… larger cities like New York and Chicago, gangs have developed a clear corporate structure that resembles an Egyptian pyramid in shape. At the bottom of the list are the street soldiers, topped by a hierarchy which in turn is topped by a leader and, lastly, by a president or king. Gangs that use this structure often have written constitutions and bylaws that each member must follow. The presence of a gang in a community affects the quality of life of the society through illegal behavior and use of alcohol or drugs. To effectively address the nation's gang problem, we must fully understand what drives individuals to join gangs and what drives them to resort to violence. Prevention starts with awareness. By making programs and resources available to parents and youth, there is a greater chance of preventing compliance and recognizing when a youth is already involved.