The topic I decided to research and base my portfolio on is Youth gangs and violence in schools. The term “Youth” is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as the period between childhood and adulthood and is also commonly used as a noun to describe young people. The same dictionary defines "Gang" as an organized group of criminals or disorderly young people. Youth gangs are groups of young people who come together and often engage in criminal and illegal activities such as graffiti, vandalism, thefts, robberies and violent activities, including gang fights and brawls. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines “violence” as behavior involving physical force intended to injure, harm, or kill. Violent acts committed by gang members are often carried out with the intention of causing physical and/or psychological trauma/injury to people. These acts include bullying, threats, infliction of physical injury or application of any physical force that injures a person, throwing objects and missiles at or towards people, destruction of the victim's property, or any type of sexual abuse and harassment.==== === =========================================================== === =============Nowadays, there is a small minority of students attending elementary and especially secondary schools who are forming gangs. The growth of gang culture has not only occurred in places such as the United States of America and Great Britain, but also in smaller, less developed countries in the Caribbean. ============================================ ==================== Sad to say, gang violence at my own school is on the rise. Asre… half of the paper… In conclusion, neither the level nor the incidence of school violence and gang culture has yet affected the Caribbean as it has elsewhere. However, young people here are influenced by the cross-fertilization of contemporary social behavior depicted in songs, music videos (MTV;BET; VH1), films, and literature. American culture is dominant and is very influential on Caribbean society. The two pieces are good starting points. They are informative, well written and documented. The level and type of violence that is emerging here has American influence and therefore the studies are relevant, although not in all respects. Our socioeconomic and demographic factors are quite different. Both studies are well written, clear and easy to follow and can undoubtedly help the reader, as it has me, in my research on this topic..