High Risk Lifestyles Among Youths in Los Angeles Capstone Project

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High Risk Youths in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is one of the cities that have had numerous challenges, particularly violence that has been a major issue for more than two decades. While the city is relatively safe and tranquil, unprecedented violence in some of its high crime zones continues to be a problem. The situation of gang violence and crime has reached unprecedented levels and requires significant response. One of the major factors that have characterized increased crime levels in Los Angeles is high risk youths. Actually, many youths in this city are engaged in criminal behaviors and activities that continue to raise numerous questions and concerns on how to effectively deal with crime and violence problem in Los Angeles. The most suitable approach for dealing with this problem involves examining the challenges faced by youths in this city that lead to high risk lifestyles and how education can be a helpful tool in addressing the problem.

Challenges Faced by Youths in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a city with one of the extremely high rates of crime and incarceration, especially among young people. While law enforcement agencies and personnel have made several efforts to deal with this problem, the city is still characterized by high risk youths. Gang prevention programs and comprehensive intervention measures and strategies that have been adopted by the agencies have been relatively ineffective in dealing with high risk youths ("Citywide Gang Activity Reduction Strategy," n.d.). The major reason for high risk youths and high rates of crime in Los Angeles is because of challenges experienced by young people that are specific to its demographic.

One of the major challenges faced by youths leading high risk lifestyles in the Los Angeles demographic is distorted family foundations. Family problems have been at the center of criminal activity and include various factors such as history of criminal activity within the family.

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Distorted family foundation is a major issue for high risk youths that culminate in criminal behavior and involvement in Los Angeles. In a study that profiled youths in Los Angeles in 2013, distorted family foundations were found to be one of the major causes of juvenile delinquency in the city (Bogie, Ereth & Healy, 2013). Based on the study's findings, over two thirds of families in the city were characterized by destructive or insufficient parenting skills. Moreover, approximately 50% of caregivers of families were experiencing mental health problems. Some of the major problems facing caregivers include household relationship issues, minimal social support or drug or alcohol problems. As a result, youths in Los Angeles continue to experience family problems like neglect, abuse, poor relationships, and lack of social support, which in turn leads to high risk lifestyles.

Secondly, youths in Los Angeles face risks and temptations posed by the streets such as gangs and criminal lifestyles, sex, and drugs. As previously mentioned, Los Angeles city is characterized by increased gang membership across the streets. These gangs engage in high risk lifestyles and violence, which has become a routine and part of their daily normal lives. Actually, nearly 75% of gang problems like homicide among youths in California have taken place in Los Angeles County ("Citywide Gang Activity Reduction Strategy, n.d.). While huge amounts of money have been spent on the war on gangs, Los Angeles has nearly six times as many gangs and twice the number of gang members across all cities in California. Therefore, gang lifestyle is a challenge facing youths in Los Angeles leading to high risk lifestyles.

Third, youths in Lost Angeles are highly vulnerable to drug and substance abuse, which is common in the streets. Drug and substance abuse is one of the major factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and high risk lifestyles in Los Angeles. Youths.....

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