1. Gang Membership Within Young American Males
Sophia Campos
Social Psychology

2. Stakeholder: why are you here?
School officials of Camden, New Jersey
You can help make a difference!

3. Gang Membership 40 percent of gang members are under the age of 18
More than 33,000 active gangs across the United States
Leaders scout young males between the ages of years coming from rough and poverty- stricken neighborhoods
Young males engage in gang membership do so to find a sense of belonging, brotherhood, excitement, protection, etc.
Gangs are known to bring in drugs, cause property damage
Luring children out of school, homes introducing them to violence

4. Social Psychological Theory Social Identity
Through social identity we find common interest forming groups and affiliate our self with them to gain confidence in regard to self. (Myers 260)
Myers, D. G. (2015). Exploring social psychology (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education.

5. Social Psychological Research
Gomez et al. 2011; Swann et al. 2009
What was studied?
Studied how youth find pride security as well as identification through gangs
What was the conclusion of this experiment?
concluded that peoples personal and social identities become mixed and blurred
“more willing to fight and die for their group”
Myers, D. G. (2015). Exploring social psychology (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education

6. Proposed Solution Decreasing Gang Activity
How?
My solution: more after school programs
Survey from Afterschool Alliance found that in 2014 “nationally the number of children who would be enrolled in an afterschool program if one were available has grown from 20% in the past decade”

7. So why Camden, New Jersey?
Poverty rate of 42.5%
One of the poorest cities in the United States
56.7% of children living in poverty
53.4% drop out rate before age 16
Through such programs with your help we can reduce gang
membership as well as increase the graduation rates,
school attendance and decrease crime within your community

8. Proposed Solution in Detail
Needs assessment of Camden, New Jersey and the youth
Finding the gaps between their current conditions and the desired conditions
Evaluating data through surveys and observations
Providing tutoring programs to better their grades

9. Proposed Solution in Detail continued
How do we get the ball rolling?
Advertisement
Adverting through schools, flyers, mail, new reports, radio and through social media
Provide a town hall meeting
Invite guest speaker Carl Williams

10. Proposed Solution in Detail Continued
Hiring of potential clients
Proposed solution could open up job opportunities within this city
How would the participates in this solution feel?
They would be excited about this solution giving them new opportunities to engage with others in a safe, trusting environment

11. Potential Issues
Issue could affect your decision to support my solution and you could potentially back out
Could affect my proposed solution of wanting to provide programs for every level of schooling (elementary, middle and high school)
If the issue occurs?
providing high school students with programs in the evening and programs they are willing to take such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse as well as gang involvement this could potentially up the rates of school and program involvement
I would argue that these young males are in much of a needs as the others