Gang members can come from virtually every socioeconomic level of the community. They can be from the homes of the very rich to the very poor. There are gangs that are comprised of one race exclusively, and there are gangs that are integrated. In Palm Bay, we have gangs that are exclusively Black, exclusively Hispanic, and exclusively White. However, the majority of the gangs are racially mixed.
Gang members are sometimes armed.
They carry an assortment of weapons ranging from sticks and baseball bats to semi-automatic firearms. Why Kids Join Gangs 1. Kids join in an attempt to obtain safety from the violence. Intimidation techniques range from extorting lunch money to physical assault. Increased violent crimes of gangs have demanded legislative attention in the past three years.