Why do people even join or form gangs?

Often they recruit kids who are in Jr. high so they are young enough to be easily influenced. It is usually older guys (often ones who just got out of jail ) who recruit young boys so they can get them to rob people and sell drugs for them while brain washing them into thinking this is normal. They usually start out between the ages of 11-13 or if they have family members in gangs often they are even younger. Since it starts out with small crimes like selling drugs or getting in fights as they get older the crimes and violence they are expected to commit slowly gets more and more serious until they don't even see it as a big deal. Another thing older men do to control these young boys is keep them on drugs so that it's harder for them to think for them selves.