They are looking for something society cannot offer them: respect and a place to belong.

Several recurring themes run through the many definitions of youth gangs: poverty, lack of opportunities and a lack of adult supervision.

C. Ronald Huff has spent the last 20 years of his life researching youth gangs in four major cities: Cleveland, Denver, Columbus and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

As the former director of Ohio State’s Criminal Research Center, Huff has conducted hundreds of interviews with youth gang members.

Through his research, he has developed a four-part definition of youth gangs.

Youth gangs are groups of primarily adolescents and young adults who interact frequently with one another, are frequently or deliberately involved in illegal activity, share a common collective identity that is usually expressed through a name, and typically express that identity by adopting certain symbols or claiming control over certain turf, Huff said.

Sociology professor Paul Bellair said people join gangs not only for respect, but because they are living in environments that do not satisfy their needs.

“People join gangs when they live in social environments that are hostile,” he said.

Most gang activity stems from low-income families in the inner city. Many gang members come from single-parent homes, Huff said, and typically it is the father who is missing.

These families are trapped in a life of poverty with very few opportunities to raise themselves out, he said.

“It’s like being on a freeway and seeing all the exit ramps, except all the exit ramps are blocked,” he said. “They just keep finding these exit ramps blocked so they are stuck on the freeway – which is gang life and crime – and they can’t get off. They need opportunities.”

According to the 2000 National Youth Gang Survey, more than 24,500 gangs with more than 772,500 active members in the United States.

Huff’s latest research shows there are 20 active gangs in Columbus.

“Some original gangs in Columbus started out as break dancing groups and street corner groups, then they got into competition with each other and eventually they would get into conflict,” he said.

“Pretty soon the groups became opposed to each other, and they would become a name,” Huff said.

A gang name is a vital part of gang culture. The name establishes an identity among the members, which they are often lacking at home.

“To be a gang you have to have some kind of insignia or symbol that represents the gang, something which they can identify with,” said John Gibbs, professor in development psychology.

“To have a culture you have to have an identity and some shared values. Those are things that go into a culture. A gang implies an aggressive element and something that goes beyond just a club,” he said.

Many myths are associated with gang activity, Huff said. Although crime is a large part of a gang member’s existence, it is rarely required for the member’s initiation.

More than three-fourths of males are beaten-in or jumped-in during the initiation ritual. In such ceremonies, the gang forms a circle around the potential member, beating him severely.

“That is to prove that you are strong enough to back them up, and not what they call a punk,” Huff said.

Although the male ritual serves to establish a mutual respect between the gang members, the female initiation ceremony has a different purpose. Most females are forced to have sexual encounters with many of the male members, essentially establishing themselves through inferiority.

“Guys look at girls as their possessions. They think they are there to be exploited. They typically don’t have very healthy views about women,” Huff said.

Another common reason young people join gangs is because they are looking for protection. However, research has shown that gang affiliation rarely provides such safety.

“What I know is that when kids get involved in gangs, they become a lot more involved in crime. Once they join, their chances of getting arrested, incarcerated and getting injured or killed go up tremendously,” Huff said.

In some places, especially those located outside the inner city, gangs are considered “wannabes” and not taken seriously. But Huff said there is a difference between wannabes and gangs.

Usually wannabes are simply trying to get into a gang. They hang around, get to know the members and become familiar with the gang’s culture.

However, sometimes they can make the mistake of misrepresenting themselves – otherwise known as “false flagging.”

“False flagging means saying that you are a member of a gang that you are not. Gangs get offended when you say that because they try not to let just anyone in their gangs,” Huff said.

Most gang members are looking for people like themselves, or people who they consider strong. Many of those initiated are friends or relatives who the members are already familiar with.

The average age of gang members has risen over the years.

“They start hanging out and being a wannabe around 11 or 12, then they join within a year. Their age at first arrest correlates perfectly with when they join the gang. It’s just automatic,” Huff said.

“Now we are seeing the average age creeping around 20. That’s partly because there are not as many economic opportunities,” he said.

Because of the few opportunities available, most youths now remain in gangs longer.

In the past, high school drop-outs were able to join the military or find work for a manufacturing company; however, many manufacturing jobs have relocated to areas where labor is cheaper, and a general education diploma is required to join the military.

Often, the only way they can survive is through illegal activities, Huff said.

The increased longevity of gang activity is a cause of concern for gang experts. Huff said although gangs come and go, the ones that potentially pose the biggest threat to society are the ones with a diverse age structure.

“If they have 12-year-olds and 25- to 30-year-olds, that means they are replacing themselves,” Huff said.

“Obviously you have to look at violence first, but then you have to look at the ones with a large age distribution, because they are becoming ingrained in society, and they may be around for future generations,” he said.

Society is not only being threatened by gang activity, but sometimes it perpetuates it.

“Gangs breed in dysfunctionality. If we reduce those dysfuntionalities, in the long run that may be the best way to reduce gang activity,” Gibbs said.