Gang violence and crime rates have increased in the U.S these past couple of years as well as the youth participation in gang activity. There are many programs and resources that help prevent gang activity around the world. While I think that these organizations are great, I also believe that if I want to help prevent gang activity, I should also understand the main factors that can lead a young teenager to participate in the lifestyle. Here are some things that I’ve learned:
While there are many reasons why an individual can choose to participate in gang activity, the National Gang Center states that one of the main causes are the risk factors. They define these risk-factors as “characteristics, variables, or hazards, that if present for a given individual, make it more likely that this individual will join a gang”. The more risk-factors that one is exposed to, the more likely they are to join a gang. Among these factors there are five domains: individual, family, school, peer, and community. Negative factors within these domains can negatively impact someone’s mental and physical well-being. Someone who is more likely to experience risk-factors among all of these domains are 40 times more likely to join a gang than those with risks in just one.
Although gang activity may not always include substance and alcohol abuse, many teenagers who join a gang at an early age are more likely to be exposed to substance and alcohol abuse. Many ex-gang members have admitted to abusing alcohol and drugs because it gave them a sense of belonging.
This is surface-level gang violence and substance abuse information, but I think that it is important to know the root of these issues. If you want to help prevent youth gang violence and substance abuse, below is a link listing many organizations around the U.S.
https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/spt/Program-Matrix
Resources:
“Why Youth Join Gangs”,
ngcwebsitefiles.blob.core.windows.net/html/Why-Youth-Join-
Gangs/story_html5.html.
Young, Michelle Arciaga, Gonzales, Victor “Getting Out of Gangs,
Staying Out of Gangs: Gang intervention and Desistence
Strategies” National Gang Center Bulletin, January 2013.
ttps://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Getting-
Out-Staying-Out.pdf
Week 5 Day 3
Yesterday I worked a double shift and was able to get a bunch done! Although I really wanted to throw my computer a couple times, I am happy to say that my story is coming along very well so I am pretty hyped about everything right now.
Week 5 Day 2
Been working hard on my animation and my health and have forgotten to post on here but I am almost at the half way point so I am excited!
Helping a Loved One With An Addiction
I chose to write about this because I wanted to open my eyes more to the things than my school, the media and friends tell me.
If I am completely honest, hearing about having to write about this made it seem easy but the more I thought about it. I don’t want this to be some prevention post full of stats and things I have heard many times.
Although, this won’t exactly be an outstanding post but my intentions with this is something to share about the things that I don’t know about and shed to light to it.
One of my biggest questions, how do you help someone with an addiction to drugs or alcohol or both? And more importantly how do you approach it to them in the most loving and harmless way?
According to my research from many articles, the first step to approach it, is to mention how their changed behavior makes you feel. When you do this you want to highlight the positive things that they use to do and the times that this person was there for you and vice versa. Hear them out and don’t judge them. Along with all of that it is important to stay calm because if the slightest wrong saying or change of tone, the person will get defensive.
Second thing is, remind them that you still love them and will continue to be there for them. This can give them the confidence they need to overcome their addiction. Studies show that many addicts feel alone, make sure to reassure them that they are not alone in this situation and that there is no shame in getting help.
All through out this the person may feel that this is their fault, the only thing that they are responsible for is recovering and supporting them is the thing to do so.
Do all of this under the right circumstances and what I mean by that is, talk to them first thing in the morning or when they feel clear-headed, DO NOT do this while they are on the influence.
If a loved one of yours is battling through their addiction and is in denial and care deeply about them, using these steps may save their lives. Listed down below are the articles I got my research from and more info about addiction.
https://www.12keysrehab.com/what-to-say-to-a-drug-addict/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/addiction-what-is-it/
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-talk-to-an-addict-22012
Week Five Day Two
Today I worked on scene 11. The character doesn’t have a pose that looks natural when falling. For now I used a sitting pose. I might change the background, since it’s a moving background, into a still one..
Week 5 Day 3
Today we continued working on our Hmong story animations. i enjoy working on this because it improves my skills on making animations.
Week 5 Day 3
Right now I am working on my animation, but I’m a little confused on what I exactly need to complete.
Week Five Day Two
Today I worked on scene 7-10. I have scene 7 done and I had to do a little detail work on scene 8. Scene 9 and 10 is a little tough since I honestly don’t know what I should do.
Week 5 Day 1
Today is just another independent work day. So far I am about halfway done with my Hmong animation story.
Step Up Week 5
Today we continued working on our Hmong stories. I added the Hmong cultural patterns in my slides which is really beautiful.