Abstract
The present study explored child abuse as a risk factor for gang affiliation. The literature suggested that children, who are abused as youth, look to gangs for a sense of belonging and familiarity. Additionally, literature focused on youth who were reprimanded by the law for their actions, rather than receiving intervention services and/or lighter sentencing. This was a qualitative exploratory project conducted with a semi-structured interview guide. The researcher interviewed nine subjects between the ages of 19-52 and three expert informants from child welfare and gang intervention. Subjects were not asked to identify their ethnicities; however, all subjects were Latino. The findings of the project found that the subject's familial dynamics and cultural influences, such as child abuse, influenced their level of involvement in gangs. In addition, social workers have the opportunity to make an impact, by referring children who are abused to counseling services, and to encourage constructive intervention methods for at-risk youth, in place of incarceration.