It′s not against the law to be a member of a gang. The First Amendment′s freedom of assembly gives you the right to join any group or club, assuming you meet their requirements. Membership in the Ku Klux Klan, a neo-Nazi group, or a white supremacist organization isn′t illegal. The individual acts of a member may be unlawful, but not the mere fact of membership.
Gang-related shootings, stabbings, and violence connected with drugs and alcohol happen every day. Schools, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations are working together to confront this problem. Los Angeles, for example, has the After School Alternative Program (ASAP) to help young people make better use of their time after school until a parent gets home from work. Legislatures have also passed stricter laws regarding gang activities, with increased penalties for gang crimes.
