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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page paper that looks at the social learning theories applied to the gang life presented in Sikes' non-fiction year-long research of girl gangs. The paper discusses reinforcement, secondary reinforcement, imitation and, self-fulfillment in regards to the information presented. The paper agrees with Sikes' statement that the resolution to the problem does not come from parents/generations of gang members, but must come through societal intervention. No solutions are provided by Sikes. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_8ball.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
this way because the children in generations of gang families do not understand how to break the ties. One interviewee says that in school when girls start dating boys,
there is nothing else to choose but gang members (109). Sikes notes changes in attitudes only when bad things begin to happen to the children of these young mothers.
It was only for this reason that they wanted change and hoped to find it. One had art to turn to. Otherwise, there is nothing to guide
these children out of gang life except a sort of exhaustion from dealing with the gang and the law, family deaths and suicides. TJ, one of the women interviewed,
says you develop an attitude that, "dying never stops" (Sikes 27). As Sikes takes us through the family backgrounds and reinforcement of the gang mentality in these families, we
understand why Sikes states that "society failed to provide nurturing, attention, safety, discipline and positive role models." (271) Gang mentality is reinforced
by different types of modeling, need for safety in numbers, and camaraderie according to the information in Sikes book. First of all, as one of the Lady Eights says,
there is nothing else "but us" to provide protection, safety and survival for the girls who join gangs. Within those gangs, they are treated abominably. They are used
as snitches and sex objects by their male counterparts. As a result of this treatment and the fact that numbers of girl gang members have increased in the last
years, girl gang members are starting to take on more powerful roles in the auxiliary female gangs. Yet their activities only ape those of the male gang members, because
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