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Gangs


STREET GANGS
A DEAD END
FOR OUR CHILDREN



INTRODUCTION
Youth gangs are not a new phenomenon in America. Cities have had to deal with gang-related problems since the late 18th century. Youth have banded together for a multitude of reasons ranging from protection to the execution of criminal activities. Such youths may just want to occupy time, fill an emptiness in their lives, or experience a sense of belonging. Whatever the reason, when a gang evolves, communities almost always suffer serious consequences. In recent years the popularity of gangs has brought community unrest in areas never before exposed to this type of problem.

Today, children as young as eight and ten are lured into gangs and commit acts of violence once associated with much older, street-wise troublemakers. With a little knowledge and understanding of the gang phenomenon, adults may help stem the tide of gang affiliation and end its natural results: disrespect, disruption in school, and a vicious cycle of community violence.

GANG AWARENESS
What is a gang?
A gang is defined as three or more individuals that hang together on a continuing basis, during both criminal and non-criminal activity. They distinguish themselves apart from the rest of society in some manner, which could be clothing, hairstyles, communication or any other means. A gang may or may not claim turf. However, one of the simplest and most functional definitions is that a gang is a group of people who form an allegiance for a common purpose and engage in violent, unlawful, or criminal activity.

Street gangs
Gangs are predominately territory oriented. Each gang has its own turf and graffiti mark sits boundaries. Anyone who does not belong in the area and resembles a rival gang member may become the subject of attack.

Gang names
Many gangs adopt names that have significance when related to their neighborhood (streets, parks, hills, valleys or housing projects).

Nicknames
Many gang members adopt nicknames when recruited into the group if they do not already have one. The gang tends to select a name that fits the individual's physical or psychological characteristics.

Leadership
Gang members do not fit the movie image in which they are portrayed fulfilling specific roles in the gangs such as president or enforcer and wearing gang jackets similar to those worn by many car clubs having rigid structures.  Rather, leadership roles in street gangs are usually not formally recognized positions. They are assumed by a member who demonstrates or asserts dominant control at a particular time. His leadership may continue for the particular incident or a limited time thereafter.  With smaller gangs, however, it is more likely that a single individual will become a recognized leader.

Cliques and sets
Many gangs are subdivided into sets or cliques. A clique or set will usually have its ownname. Sets usually apply to black gangs and cliques to Hispanic gangs.

Why do young people join gangs?
There are variety of reasons, including the excitement of gang activity, peer pressure, attention, protection, financial benefit, family tradition, and lack of realization of the hazards involved. In many cases, young people are not actively discouraged from gang involvement by their parents. Often, parents don't realize that their children are engaged in gang activity.

Effects of gang involvement
Gang membership extracts a terrible toll from the Lives of all who contact the members.  Parents and relatives of gang members live in a double fear; one for their families safety and that of their gang related child.

Non-gang member friends are cast aside and soon the youth's only friends are gang members.

Gang membership, although a temporary phase for some youth, will shape the individual's future. ALL levels of formal education are discarded because they differ from the gangs' objectives. Gang members not killed or seriously injured often develop patterns of alcohol and narcotics abuse, as well as extensive police records that will limit their employment opportunities.

GANGS
"MOVE 'EM OUT OF YOUR LIFE!"
THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

GANG ACTIVITY
What do gangs do?
It is not practical to examine everything a gang does. In fact, many gang activities are frequently shared by a large portion of society. But when a gang is involved in a weekend party, attends a public event such as visiting an amusement park or attends a school related function such as a dance or ball game, the potential for violence and criminal activity is far greater than for any other group of people. Gang members seek confrontation with rivals.  The resulting violence often claims innocent victims.

While gang violence often makes headlines, it creates even more damage on a regular basis to local property and business. Vandalism, in the form of graffiti and the wanton destruction of public and private property, is often done in furtherance of the gang's reputation. Abandoned houses are favorite targets for vandalism, but even occupied homes do not escape. This decreases property values in residential neighborhoods and negatively affects industrial and commercial areas. Local businesses suffer not only from the property damage end graffiti, but also from loss of customers and employees. Businesses facing decreasing revenue and rising insurance costs close their doors, leaving another abandoned building for the gang. However, the majority of residents in a gang area who are unable to move away live in fear.

Dress
The uniform of Hispanic gang members is an easily recognized standard. Most gang members adopt a basic style that includes white T-shirts, thin belts, baggy pants with split cuffs, and a black or blue knit cap, beanie, or bandanna tied around the forehead similar to a sweatband. Black gang members tend to identify themselves by adopting certain colors. The "Crips" identify themselves with the color blue.  "Non-Crip" gangs, known generally as "Bloods", use red accessories such as caps or bandannas to identify themselves. Some gangs also adopt clique or set colors to readily identify their set, such as Grape Street will use purple accessories and Lime Street will use green. A more recent phenomenon is the use of sports attire in the gang dress. Gangs will adopt a sports team from their area or with colors that fit their set. Gangs will also wear certain sports attire due to its street meaning (British Knights, where the BK stands for Blood Killer and Colonial Knights, where the CK stands for Crip Killer).

Graffiti
Graffiti, a form of vandalism, is a problem that impacts our neighborhoods in a variety of ways. Without question, it decreases property values in residential neighborhoods and negatively affects industrial and commercial areas. Of greater concern is the inherent violence associated with gang graffiti. Gang members use graffiti to mark their gang's "turf" or territory, to advertise the gang's status or power, and to declare their am allegiance to the gang. They also use graffiti to boast of criminal activity in which they have been involved or of criminal activity that is to come. When a neighborhood is marked with graffiti, its inhabitants become targets for violence. Anyone on the street or in his home is fair game for drive-by attacks by rival gang members. A rival gang identifies everyone in the neighborhood as a potential threat. Consequently, innocent residents are often subject to gang violence by the mere presence of graffiti in their neighborhood.

What to do
Fighting crime and dealing directly with violent gang members should be left to experts trained to handle dangerous situations. However, everyone has the responsibility to overcome apathy and fear. Everyone must work toward a solution to the gang problem.  One solution is to offer alternatives to gang involvement. Youth loitering after school or hanging out on corners provide a breeding ground for gangs.  The alternatives include locations where organized and supervised programs are offered.  The following suggestions may provide a starting point for concerned parents: The United Way, your child's school, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Parks and Recreation Department, youth service programs, Law Enforcement Explorer Scout Posts, etc.

INDICATORS OF GANG INVOLVEMENT
The first and most important step is to become aware of gangs, gang members, and their activities. As a parent or concerned citizen, you need to know that prevention is the key to controlling gang activity. Learning the warning signs of gang membership will prepare you to better direct your children away from gang involvement.

*While many of these indicators, viewed separately, are not signs of gang involvement, viewed together they may indicate gang involvement.

  1. Associating with a new set of friends while ignoring old friends. Usually will not talk about new friends, who they are or what they do together. This would also include a change in places that your child frequents, such as going to public parks or different clubs, or just wanting to "cruise" with friends in vehicles not going anywhere specific.
  2. Change of hair style and/or clothing or associating with other youths who have the same hair style and/or clothing. Usually some of the clothing, such as a hat or jacket, will have the gangs initials, and/or the youths "street" name on it.
  3. Increase in amount of money they have, without explanation where it came from, or other possessions that youth could not have bought themselves.
  4. Indications of drug, alcohol or inhalant abuse. Signs of inhalant abuse will sometimes be paint or "white-out" found on the youths clothes, or the smell of chemicals on their clothes.
  5. Change in attitude about things the youth used to enjoy such as sports, scouts, or church. Youth becomes a discipline problem at school, in public, or in the home. Youth no longer accepts parents authority and challenges it frequently.
  6. Problems at school, such as failing classes, "skipping" school, causing problems in class, or being disrespectful to teachers.
  7. Usually will show fear or disrespect of the police.
  8. Signs that youth has been in a fight, such as cuts and bruises or complaints of pain, but youth won't explain what happened.
  9. Graffiti is present on or around the youth's residence, or on notebooks or other possessions of the youth.
  10. Sometimes the family will be threatened by rival gang members, or more tragic, the family will be a victim of a drive-by shooting before they realize their youth is in a gang.

If several of the indictors above are found in your youth, then there is an indication your youth may be involved in a gang. As a parent, you may wish to search your youth's room or vehicle for weapons or drugs. This is not a violation of your child's privacy; it is an act that may protect your child as well as the rest of the family.

WAYS TO PREVENT GANG INVOLVEMENT

KNOW YOUR CHILDREN'S FRIENDS

WHEN YOUR CHILDREN GO OUT, KNOW

SET RULES AND LIMITS AND ENFORCE THEM

**Be aware that the same child that will not obey the rules at home is the child who will obey the rules of the gang, because the gang demands it.**

TALK TO TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS AT SCHOOL

BE AWARE OF RADICAL CHANCES IN ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOR, FRIENDS, DRESS STYLE AND HAIRSTYLE

ENCOURAGE HOBBIES AND SPORTS, OR OTHER LEGITIMATE OUT-OF-SCHOOL INTERESTS


Be aware of the previously described indicators and act quickly when the indicators are seen to prevent your child from getting more involved in the gang.

-MOST IMPORTANT-
GET INVOLVED IN YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES


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