They would give you the idea of if you join would never have to worry about having money in your pocket. They would almost be like their family and most people that join would join because they want to be part of something. They only join because their family is not paying attention to them. From the male point of view males join because they are pressure, they think its cool. On the other hand though women join because it will cure loneliness and secure warmth and affection by satisfying their need to belong to a group.
The reason people don't quit a gangs is because they are scared for their life. The way you have to get out is getting beat up to a point you could die for the males anyway and for the girls their best way is to become pregnant or they will have to go through the same steps as the males. When you get out the gang your out of luck because you have made multiple enemies and you have no protecting from you guys no more.
Most gangs have almost like a chain in command meaning there are numerous leaders of certain turfs but there is only one person that is over everyone. This person would be know maybe as the kingpin and this person is usually the oldest and this person has all the say so meaning anything he want them to do they will have to do it. He even oversees the money and the members. As the chain dwindle down you have the chief that is accountable for the local's leaders of the gangs. As for the local leaders they just have says so just for that one gangs. Then you have the regular members who really have no say so in the action they have to do. And, you have the wannabes who are too young to join but they believe it to be cool in every aspect of what these people are doing.
In trying to get more information about peer pressure I even talk to a student about it. His name is Gregory Lee, 18, male, and he goes to East-West University I ask him numerous questions.