Gangs and Our Youth
Gangs in Surrey are recruiting children as young as 10 years old to do some of their most dangerous work.
Starting in elementary school, when children have increased self-awareness and are developing ideas about how they may or may not “fit in” to their social and academic environment, they become vulnerable to gang recruitment.
During the recruitment process, children may be asked to pick up or deliver illicit drugs, keep watch or drive stolen cars. If caught, they face lower sentences in the youth justice system than an older gang member would in adult court.
Gangs and Our Youth
Protecting Vulnerable Children from Harmful Recruitment
Gangs in Surrey are increasingly targeting children as young as 10 years old to carry out some of their most dangerous and illegal activities. This alarming trend highlights the vulnerability of young people, especially as they navigate the challenges of growing up.
Gang recruitment often begins in elementary school, a time when children are becoming more self-aware and developing ideas about where they “fit in” socially and academically. During this critical period, they can be particularly susceptible to manipulation and pressure, making them prime targets for gang recruitment.
In 2023, gang-related homicides in British Columbia accounted for 46% of all homicides in the province, compared to 21% in 2003. Unfortunately, older, more experienced gang members often involve younger recruits in risky tasks, sometimes including violent and life-threatening actions, to minimize their own exposure to retaliation or legal consequences. These young people, who may be particularly vulnerable, are often put in difficult and dangerous situations that could result in serious criminal charges, serious injury or even death.
Children involved in gangs may be tasked with dangerous roles such as picking up or delivering illicit drugs, keeping watch for law enforcement, or driving stolen vehicles. Due to their age, they often face significantly lower sentences in the youth justice system compared to older gang members, making the risks of their involvement seem less severe. However, the consequences of being caught can still have a lasting impact on their futures.
At Yo Bro | Yo Girl Youth Initiative, we focus on prevention by offering support and guidance to help young people recognize and resist these dangerous influences, keeping them on a positive and empowering path.
"There’s a reason 20 to 30-year-olds are getting [children and youth] to engage in this type of behaviour—because it’s hands down the riskiest behaviour there is. These guys aren’t going to take the risk themselves."— Jordan Buna, former gang member, now serving on the Mayor’s Task Force on Gang Violence Prevention
Children and youth in gangs are put into life-threatening situations by those who recruit them. It is a dangerous game because most will have to carry out violence acts to prove themselves, which puts them at the centre of gang wars, and at high risk for criminal charges.
In 2017, Canada hit its highest murder rate in almost a decade, driven by a significant increase in gun- and gang-related homicides in B.C.
Older, more entrenched gang members are using younger gang members to carry out dangerous missions, even orders to kill on their behalf. They do this to reduce the risk of retaliation or criminal charges.
"Many of my students have been exposed to the pitfalls of addiction, prostitution and gang life. It has become all too common that students leave elementary school at the age of 12 only to be fully engaged in an addiction within a few years."— Justin Borsato, Grade 7 Teacher, Britannia Elementary School, Vancouver
