And they are assaulting strangers because they are drunk or high, or if territorial grounds have been crossed, or perhaps if a drug deal has gone bad. The boys are beaten, or they prove their bravado by stabbing someone, or stealing something. If they end up in jail, they return home wearing figurative medals of honor for being incarcerated. The more gruesome scenarios apply to the five hardcore gangs. The vast majority are referred to as wannabes.
Experts say it is a swap.
The single parent probably is a working mother who does not have time to provide the support system a child needs, especially when that child reaches puberty, Molina said. The child rebels, the mother gives up and the child is lured by life on the streets, he said. Another contributing factor is income. The state poverty rate for school children is 24 percent, Molina said. But local statistics show that 61 percent of the student population in McAllen is economically disadvantaged.