The use of advertising to discourage gang membership is a issue that has been heavily debated, but the controversy has continually overlooked the children for whom the ads are intended to help. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the use of anti-gang advertising by seeking the opinions of young people living in a gang environment. The results of this study provide a detailed account of discussions about anti-gang messages generated from focus groups with gang members and at-risk youth and suggest two main contributions that anti-gang advertising can make to larger gang reform efforts. In addition, the conclusions offer insight into how gang members and at-risk youth perceive themselves and their environment and how others can effectively communicate with them
