I was inspired to pursue my undergraduate research of gang involvement as a field of study because of my personal experiences in this lifestyle and my career goals of working with repeat and or high-risk offenders. My career goal is to obtain Masters in Social Welfare to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker then open my own treatment center that works with the high-risk population and implements the use of therapeutic animals. I am now entering my senior year at UCLA and have enjoyed the multitude of educational and career opportunities that UCLA has to offer to their undergraduate students. My research focuses on the emotional and mental disengagement that gang members go through and the barriers they face upon re-entry into society. More specifically, I want to better understand the adaptation process that this population goes through upon joining their gangs and the barriers they face upon the decision to leave or exit active gang involvement. I anticipate my results will find that this high-risk population needs additional programs to help with the mental and emotional challenges they face from their previous gang involvement.  In addition, these resources will be available on a long-term basis as opposed to those in the communities that are short term.  It will provide evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of recidivism, emotional detachment and re-entry into society, of gang members who chose to leave their former lifestyle and create a new one. Achieving success in gang intervention and rehabilitation can have a profound effect, not only on that individual, but on his/her community, peers, family, and children.