The current study does not concur. It is of paramount importance to stress that the gang culture is not the same as Mexican culture. Based upon interviews with teachers and other school personnel in the present study, there seemed to be a good deal of confusion on this matter. As a matter of fact, although a head count was not taken, very often it seemed that immigrant youngsters had to work with their family members moreso than indigenous youngsters who seemedto be allowed agreat deal more leisure time. Youths who become gang members come not so much from the unassimilated, as from the disenfranchised and the disenchanted.
Most gang members have terrible problems at home i.e. addiction, violence, abuse, filth, etc.
Some mothers lived with a male friend, but had no prospects of marriage or of stabilizing their household either financially or in other way. Most gang members were born here in the United States, and were second, third and even fourth generation indigenous Latinos. The roots of their discontent was not related to assimilation issues. As a matter of fact, many spoke very little or no Spanish. A good many used borrowed words from Spanish stylistically sprinkled in here and there throughout their speech, but they were not fluent enough in the language to carry so much as a simple conversation.