http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/04/24/teen-gangs-of-britain-89520-18952674/
Gangsterism amongst teens is a rising problem in Britain, as well as the rest of the world. These teenage gangs are a far cry from the playground bullies that we once knew, for the brutality and seriousness of their crimes are easily comparable to adult gangs in the same neighbourhoods, easily escalating to full fledged gang wars that leave young teens dead on the streets. The sheer number of teens being sucked into this vortex of destruction leads us to ponder the simple question: why?
Gang related activities and violence is prevalent amongst teens of a certain sector of society, mainly the school dropouts or ones with broken families. Alienated by society, these disillusioned young men seek a sense of belonging and of acceptance, and unfortunately in many cases the only place they can turn to are street gangs. It is in these gangs that they get the “brotherhood” they need, and leads to the creation of a culture of violence, where youths are coerced by peer pressure into joining the gangs, then find themselves stuck in a involuntary contract, where leaving the gang would mean their ostracization or even death.
So how do we solve this problem? It is my belief that perhaps in this case Britain and other nations with a problem of gang culture could take a cue from our sunny island state of Singapore. The Singaporean system of Co-Curricular Activities, or CCAs, is, in my opinion, a good way to solve many of these root causes. CCAs give youths a goal to achieve outside academic life, and the team spirit and brotherhood experienced by team members is also able to replace misguided trust that gang members place in their organization. CCAs also solve the problem of loitering youths, for by occupying them after school you prevent them from being bored and use up their energies in a productive way, for while it may sound ridiculous, being bored is a reason why youths join gangs. Our system of CIP also helps to instill a sense of community awareness in youths from young, and helps them to see the big picture of society and how their actions might be adversely affecting it. Finally, as a option of last resort, Singapore drafts problem teens into National Service at an early age, where the regimented lifestyle would give them discipline and enable them to find a new purpose in life, as well as make that crucial transition from boy to man.
The problem is urgent and it needs to be solved now, before gang culture worms its insidious way into the mainstream of affected nations. Let teens find their glory in the sporting arena, not the merciless arena of the slums and streets.
