Gang violence has escalated significantly in 2024 following the tragic death of Rhomesha Turner, who was killed while participating in her brother’s funeral procession. On October 19th, 2024, Turner’s brother was killed due to an ongoing gang war that shook the city of Chicago in the past few months. This is a call to examine the mental health of gang members and identify ways the community can offer support.
Gang members play a significant role in serious criminal activities, engaging in drive-by shootings, homicides, and extortion to uphold their gang’s reputation and protect their interests. Many individuals are drawn into gangs because of their surroundings, where gang culture is prevalent and often inescapable. Once exposed to this lifestyle, they frequently choose to become formal members, believing it offers a sense of belonging and protection.
For many inner-city youth involved in gangs, mental health issues are a common struggle, often stemming from a legacy of substance abuse in their families. Addressing these underlying problems is crucial if we hope to break the cycle of violence and support these young people in finding a path to a healthier future.
Membership in gangs is frequently connected to violent behavior, and such violent experiences are strongly associated with mental health issues like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and paranoia. Despite this connection, the mental health of gang members has been largely overlooked, and their experiences of paranoia remain insufficiently explored.
According to a study by The National Library of Medicine, In comparison to prisoners who are not affiliated with gangs, those associated with street gangs experience greater exposure to violence, exhibit higher levels of paranoia, PTSD, and anxiety, and have less autonomy over their behavior while incarcerated. Although street gang prisoners were not found to be more frequently segregated, they were more likely to come from ethnic minority backgrounds. When controlling for other variables, street gang prisoners were found to be younger than nongang prisoners.
How can we help as a community?
Leisure programs
These programs create a secure environment for young people to take part in activities like sports, music, arts, and movie nights. Additionally, they introduce youth to positive role models and help develop important life skills.
Urban Engagement
These initiatives aim to reach vulnerable young individuals to offer crisis support and mitigate intense stress scenarios.
Collective Meetings
These gatherings can serve as an opportunity for community members and officers to exchange knowledge and discuss issues.pace for residents and officers to learn from each other and address concerns.
Juvenile Reform
Intervention specialists and case managers assist young people and their families in navigating the criminal justice system.
Teamwork
Communities have the opportunity to work together with other groups and coalitions to tackle violence related to gangs.
