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Question: Is it illegal to be in a gang?

Answer: It is not specifically illegal to belong to a gang. However, any illegal acts committed as a furtherance of the gang, or as gang activities, is subject to stronger criminal prosecutions.

In other words, you can belong to a gang, but if you commit any crimes as a gang member, you will receive more punishment than if you were not a gang member. Your school may have specific gang policies too. In most cases, it is against school regulations to exhibit membership in a gang. You should ask your school principal about gang policies at your school or check your school or district policy manual. Specific school policies vary from school-to-school.


Comments
26 thru 30 of 35 comments
On 02/20/04
BRYAN from ME said:
IM A BOSS OF A GANG AND I KNOW GANGS CAN MESS YOUR LIFE UP BUT GANGS ARENT ALL BAD IM IN A GANG FOR RESPECT BUT I CNA TELL YOU THIS BEFORE YOU JOIN A GANG THINK ABOUT IT IGHT !
On 02/15/04
Matt from NY said:
Being in a gang to me is not bad at all... I'm in the Latin King but I was born it in and I dont want out or quit... i've been apart of it all my life and will never quit!
On 01/21/04
capone from GA said:
People join gangs to have some back.If people are after you your gang members will help you out throgh thick and thin
On 01/06/04
Paul from IL said:
as a Former gang member i have left the gang eveyone wondering how i did it well i slowly stopped my face from being seen i got violated a few times for not going to meetings but now ive moved and have a great life. it takes smart thinking to get out safe. one word of advice after you are out of the gang for a long time you will realize how dumb it really is, life is really good now. so i think if i can get out so can you
On 12/02/03
Josh from SC said:
I my self am in a gang and quite frankly I have never hurt anyone the only reason I joined is so that in my neighborhood I wouldn't get jumped on for not being in it. There is alot of extinuating circumstances for joining and most of the time people don't join to do things wrong they join because of the neighborhood they live in the school they go to and sometimes just to be accepted by people and feel like they have friends irregardless of wether it is true or not.people who judge people priori are iggnorant and rude and will be judged the same way they judge others.
26 thru 30 of 35 comments



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