Society marginalized women into gendered roles that made it nearly impossible for them to succeed. Women in society have been taught to become puppets for a male master. Women in society were supposed to follow the orders of their male colleagues. Some of the women who feel marginalized by society tend to create or join subcultural groups known as gangs. The question remains: Are female gang members being used as disposable accessories in gangs, or are they forming their own gang to break free from society's established gender roles? Girls in boys' gangs were seen as disposable accessories, but they changed the nature of a gang by creating all-female gangs by eliminating the dominant male figure. I believe that girl gangs have been misunderstood and are breaking free from the stereotypes established by society. Gangs are a group of people or an organization fighting for a purpose. Gangs can have three or more members between the ages of 12 and 24 (Belknap, 2007). Some gangs may be unisex, male-gendered, or female-only. According to Belknap, many girls join gangs for four reasons: protection, family, escape and status. Early in history, women were seen as housewives; their expectations were not necessarily the same as those of males. Women have been placed into gender roles by society. Early gender roles included cooking, cleaning, caring for children, and becoming a homemaker. Male gang members accept and encourage sexual roles. Fleury and Fernet discuss the view that gang members have crystallized sexual roles. One young gang member interviewed says: “I don't like [when my girlfriend] comes to the park with me. Because the girls who frequent that park are not seen as good girls... According to the FBI Uniform, incarcerated women have tripled since the late 1980s. Crime reports. While violent crime rates are decreasing nationwide, female juvenile crime is on the rise. Total crime arrests of young women increased 118% between 1987 and 1996... The percentage of female gang involvement nationwide is estimated at 10 to 15%; their ages range from 9 to 24” (2005, p.1). By this statement, Edwards is trying to say that girls are forming their own gangs and learning to engage in all kinds of crime just like men. equality in gangs, but their crime rates have increased dramatically across the United States. Women have become more violent, independent and dominant in their gangs. Past society may have viewed women in gangs as disposable accessories. but women have changed its nature.