Childhood attachment helps develop many aspects that influence behavior later in life. In many circumstances, attachment trauma can make people more vulnerable to further trauma, including violence later in life. Gang violence is a very common phenomenon that affects a large number of people. Exposure to this type of lifestyle and violence can be very harmful to children and young adults, especially at older ages. A literature review will be conducted to determine the history of circumstances surrounding gang violence. As well as the relevant effects of attachment and violence on the development and success of children and young adults. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Attachment is an innate system in the brain that evolves to influence and organize motivational, emotional, and memory processes with respect to significant caregivers for children (Siegel, 1999). Attachment theory offers a life-course biosocial explanation of how intimate relationships are formed, maintained, and developed. The theory also explains how relationships can affect the people involved in them, sometimes permanently. The first stages of attachment are established by seven months of age. Almost all children become attached to someone. However, attachment relationships are only formed with a few people. These attachments are formed through social interactions between the child and these people. They help develop specific organizational changes in the child's behavior and brain function. The adaptive capacity of the human brain decreases with age. The brain is better able to accommodate a wide range of environments and interactions early in life. At a child's brain level, attachment allows the child's immature brain to use the mature functions of the parents' brain to organize its own understandings. However, as the brain becomes more mature and developed, it is less able to adapt to new challenges. The fundamental propositions idea suggests that experience with relationships early in life creates internal working models and attachment styles that influence later attachment relationships. The internal working model creates the basis of the child's personality, his expectations about himself, about other people and about the relationships between himself and others. While receiving care, children learn what care to expect. This model determines what information to pay attention to, what memories are recalled, and what behavior should be displayed. This model develops the child's expectations regarding his own behavior and that of others, his lovability and dignity, the emotional availability of others and their ability to provide protection. Furthermore, adult caregivers' attachment adaptations influence the attachment bond their children have with them. Although working patterns and attachment orientations are relatively stable over time, they can change with new relationships. In essence, attachment influences complex functions that then influence interactions with the world and community. Throughout life, when people seek emotional intimacy or experience distress, they will behave in a socially attractive manner, send distress signals intended to draw attention or concern to them, or actively seek out specific people for things they believe a close relationship should provide. These behaviors are usually established by attachment relationships at a young age.This is why attachment has been linked to negative social interactions. There are many examples of the benefits of secure attachment. For example, studies report the positive impacts of attachment on executive functions, empathy, social communication skills, self-control, emotional and behavioral regulation, sociability, cognitive abilities, compliance with parents, comfort, on the reduction of anxiety and fear, on executive functions, on responses to stress. , increased self-esteem, reduced depression, healthier responses to stress and better relationships with peers. disrupted attachment may be related to behavioral problems such as delinquency. Disrupted attachment has also been used as an indicator of aggression, antisocial behavior, externalizing delinquency, severe deviance, and violence (Savage, 2014). Without safe and healthy early relationships, the brain does not form as it should. This can lead to distinctions in learning and behavior. Important risk factors for disrupted attachment include: emotional and physical neglect, physical or sexual abuse, separation or changes from the primary caregiver, traumatic experiences such as the death of a parent or a disaster, maternal depression, maternal drug or alcohol use, isolate painful illnesses such as colic or ear infections. Attachment trauma is a disruption in a child's ability to form strong bonds with their caregivers. Attachment trauma can influence developmental, social, psychological, and behavioral problems in children that may persist into adolescence and adulthood. Disrupted attachment can cause toxic stress for children. Toxic stress is a strong and prolonged activation of the body's stress management systems. Toxic stress is harmful especially during severe periods of development. For example, toxic stress damages brain development. This can lead to lifelong complications in learning, behavior, and physical and mental health. Disrupted attachment may be related to behavioral problems such as delinquency. Disrupted attachment has also been used as an indicator of aggression, antisocial behavior, externalizing delinquency, severe deviance, and violence (Savage, 2014). There are many links that show that extreme attachment problems can influence physical aggression and violent behavior. As mentioned above, children develop trust when they realize that their attempts to receive treatment are responded to by their parents or caregivers. Lack of responsiveness from caregivers results in the child's lack of trust which can lead to a functioning relationship pattern characterized by disappointment, anger, chaos and insecurity. Some research suggests that most people refrain from engaging in harmful behaviors because they understand its effects on others. We can consciously identify with the feelings that our actions will cause in others. Children who are unable to understand mental states lack the ability to understand their own emotions. Additionally, they are sometimes more willing to ignore how their actions will affect others and lack empathy. Studies have shown that securely attached children show “better emotional understanding” than insecurely attached children. This lack of empathy is a common characteristic of serious violent offenders. (Thompson, 2008). A study was conducted that proves this. In this study, the authors compared the attachment representations of offenders from two groups; those who havecommitted property crimes and those who committed violent crimes. Those in the group who committed violent crimes described “extremely disturbed attachment representations, often accompanied by a history of abuse.” Furthermore, they were unable to show any ability to understand the mental states or emotions of others (Saltaris, 2002). According to numerous studies, peer rejection is another experience that has been linked to aggression and violent behavior. Successful peer relationships in childhood stem from secure attachment. Insecure attachments are related to peer rejection and antisocial behaviors. One specific study demonstrated that associations between peer relationships and early attachment strengthen as children grow (Thompson, 2008). Another characteristic that influences behavior is emotionality. Furthermore, emotionality influences violent behavior. Positive and responsive caregiving promotes positive emotion. Neglect and ignorance favor negative emotions that create frustration, sadness, anger and depression. Emotion is very important in early attachment. For example, insensitive parenting can lead a child to anger that can be directed toward others (Cassidy, 2008). Gang and gang violence are a preventable cause of death and injury in the United States. The National Gang Center defined a gang as a “group that destroys three or more members generally between the ages of 12 and 24. Members share an identity, typically tied to a name and often other symbols. The members consider themselves a gang and are recognized by others as a gang. The group has a certain permanence and a certain degree of organization. The group is involved in a high level of criminal activity." (Jennings-Bey & Lane et al, 2015). As of 2003, there were an estimated 30,000 gangs in the United States that fit this criterion, including approximately 850,000 individual gang members. Most people join a gang during adolescence and cycle through several gangs throughout their lives. Risk factors for gang membership include: exposure to violence, financial difficulties, coming from families living below the poverty line or single-headed families, feeling of insecurity at school. Furthermore, there are risk factors specific to males that make them more vulnerable to gang activity such as family dysfunction or conflict (Quin & Pacella et. al, 2017). The association between trauma and delinquency is complementary. Trauma increases the risk of delinquent behavior and gang involvement. On the other hand, engaging in antisocial behavior increases the risk of further trauma and exposure to violence. Violent experiences are linked to negative mental health outcomes among gang members. This is relevant due to the high levels of violence to which they are normally exposed. Often, young people with histories of victimization such as depression and substance abuse. Gang members experience higher rates of victimization than youth not involved in gangs. Some young people have turned to gang membership as a way to seek protection. However, gang membership has not been shown to actually reduce these rates. Instead, the opposite happens. Increased violent exposure is also related to worsening mental health status among young gang members. Mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder frequently develop. Polyvictimization is defined as “cumulative trauma and ongoing exposure to violence or stressful events” (Finkelhor, Ormrod & Turner, 2009). If exposed to more than one risk factor, childrenworsen mental health conditions, such as depression, substance abuse and the risk of joining a gang. Young adults who are polyvictimized are more likely to develop mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use. For polyvictimized youth, “traditional conceptualizations of traumatic events and violent exposure may be normalized” (Finkelhor, Ormrod & Turner, 2009). Their trauma is characterized differently due to desensitization due to varied and prolonged exposures. However, the negative consequences still affect them. Their reactivity helps defend them from sudden emotional and psychological distress, while it also increases their propensity for violence and aggressive behavior. On the other hand, young adults who are fearful of violence often try to assuage their concerns by identifying and forming relationships with “delinquent or gang-involved peers” (Quin & Pacella et. al, 2017). Youth who report fear of harm or violence may attempt to alleviate their anxiety by identifying with delinquent peers, which often leads to gang involvement (Quin & Pacella et. al, 2017). Individuals in communities facing gang-related attacks or homicides experience physical experiences and emotional harm that includes emotional and physical symptoms. Since most murders occur in gang-controlled locations, it is common for many members of these communities to personally know many of the victims of the violence. This obviously causes them great physical or emotional harm in response to these murders. For many, this involves much grief over the death and loss, as well as thoughts about the event and the criminal, feelings of hopelessness in preventing another murder, secondary trauma, and doubt or the inability to control when further violence will occur again . Those affected do not just experience normal pain. They have increased emotional responses to these deaths due to the extreme nature of the violent incidents. This means that traditional pain therapy may not be very helpful specifically for their harmful suffering (Jennings-Bey & Lane et. al, 2015). This argument can be used to promote the idea of ​​gang-related trauma-oriented therapy. This is important for those directly involved in gang activity. However, this could also be effective in helping community and family members who experience gang activity or know someone afflicted or involved. For centuries, gangs have exhibited acts of revenge for previous acts as part of their culture. For example, in 18th century Scotland, 20th century Sicily, Bosnia and Lebanon, and 21st century Congo. Many murders in the past establish cross-cultural revenge for previous acts of violence. "Roger Gould has argued and recorded the extent to which the murder of a member of the same society, such as a gang member, is up to eight times more likely to be considered an act of revenge in the United States than other causes" (Saltaris, 2002). Gang culture enculturates children into violence as they grow up with it and see it again and again. This leads these children to continue the cycle. As mentioned before, they have become desensitized. For them this is a normal lifestyle. They are unaware of how this trauma is affecting them emotionally. This circulation of gang violence has been described as rooted in “multiple unimportance,” an idea that includes layers of negative cooperation (unfair treatment based on skin color, age, etc.) and disadvantage. Considering gang violence from this perspective yes.