INTRODUCTION Gang violence in schools has always been evident, however in past decades it was slightly more controllable, as school authorities were able to immediately identify those involved and deal with them sooner of any idea of ​​further gang involvement could be widespread. In contrast, gang violence within schools has now become a growing pandemic, infecting not only under-resourced schools but also some private schools. Within this essay the growing phenomenon of group violence will be discussed, with reference to the concepts of group dynamics that exist in the field of sociology. GANGS AS SOCIAL GROUPS Social groups can be defined as a “group made up of two or more people among whom one has developed a distinguishable pattern of interaction regulated normatively within which certain common objectives are achieved in connection with the motivations and individual needs” (Steyn & Uys, 1998: 35). Within that quote the fundamental characteristics of social groups are mentioned. Gang members interact for much of the day as they spend breaks together and gather in groups before and after school, thus developing close personal relationships between members. Gangs develop due to certain contexts, for example racial or ethnic discrimination can be seen as two of the few causes. Awareness of membership is seen as a significant factor in gangs, therefore loyalty to the group is essential, if members express any form of disloyalty they are punished. Each gang has its own norms which are on the contrary specific to the gang, and it is these norms which ensure that the members are held together in a unified sense. WHY SCHOOL CHILDREN BECOME MEMBERS OF GANGSOne of the main reasons why children join gangs is because gangs offer a sense of...... middle of paper... possessing specific cultures. They need to identify what the gang offers its members (whether it is just a sense of belonging, family, attention, identity or all four) and then use that information to their advantage by providing positive alternative activities that meet pupils' needs. .Works Cited1. Densley, J.A. August 2012. Street gang recruitment: reporting, screening and selection. Social Problems, 59(3): 301-321.2. Forsyth, DR. 2010. Group Dynamics. Belmont: Brooks.3. Friedkin, N.E. 2004. Social Cohesion. Annual Review of Sociology, 30: 409-425.4. Spergel, I.A. March 1992. Youth Gangs: A Review of Essays. Social Services Review, 66(1): 121-140.5. Steyn, A.F. and Uys, T.1998. The small group: structure and dynamics. Pretoria: Consortium.6. Wing Lo*, T. 2012. Triadisation of youth gangs in Hong Kong. The British Journal of Criminology, 52: 556-576.