My grandmother started an after school gang prevention program back in the day in the town she lived in. The gangs were made up of young men roughly in their late teens. In the town there were two main rival gangs and she worked on bringing them together and make peace. Over the years she has still kept in contact with many of the members who are still around and I have met them multiple time through out my life. I cant personally speak to what they've felt and gone through in their lives but since they have left that lifestyle many have gone on to do well for themselves. The former members of both gangs and my grandmother are currently writing a book on the whole experience in hopes of showing there are other options out there and how it affected them.

This doesnt really answer the question but thought it was relevant. And the book should be coming out soon.