Reflections on Youth in Gangs: Beyond the Headlines

Speakers at Youth in Gangs: Beyond the Headlines

By: Tristan Walsh, CfJJ Intern

Last week, Citizens for Juvenile Justice hosted a forum at the Boston Bar Association about youth in gangs in Massachusetts.  People from the community and many parts of the juvenile justice system joined in a discussion with a panel consisting of an academic researcher, service providers, and four former gang members.

For me, the forum was an eye-opening experience.  Everything I knew before about gangs came from news stories, tv, and other media.  Among other things, I believed gangs had grown dramatically in recent years and were inextricably linked with the drug trade.