Crime Prevention Programs
Gang Awareness
What can I do to keep my kids from joining a gang?
Today many communities—maybe even yours—are facing serious problems with gangs. As a member of the community, you may feel helpless against gangs, but there are things that you can do in conjunction with the authorities to prevent or reduce gang problems. And as a parent, there’s a lot that you can do to keep your own children from joining gangs.Learn about gangs
Learn about gangs and signs of gang activity. Join with others to make or keep your neighborhood gang-free. Sharpen your skills as a parent and use them.Young people (as young as nine or ten) are joining gangs in ever-growing numbers in all parts of the country. The reasons they give for joining are remarkably similar:
- Belong to a group.
- For excitement.
- To get protection.
- To earn money.
- To be with friends.
- Wearing specific colors or emblems.
- Use of special hand signals.
- Wearing or drawing gang symbols—on walls as graffiti or on books, paper, or clothing.
- Wearing certain kinds and colors of clothing in very specific ways.
- Possessing unexplained, relatively large sums of money.
- Grades becoming worse and interest in school declining.
- Staying out without good reason.
- “Hanging” with known or suspected gang members.
- Carrying weapons.
What You Can Do As a parent
Many gang members say they joined because the gang offered them support, caring and a sense of order and purpose—all the things most parents try to give their kids. The odds are that the better you meet these needs, the less need your children will see for gangs.Here are some parenting skills that are especially important:
- Talk with and listen to your child. Spend some special time with each child.
- Put a high value on education and help your child do his or her best in school. Do everything possible to prevent dropping out.
- Help your kids identify positive role modes and heroes—especially people in your community.
- Do everything possible to involve your children in supervised, positive group activities.
- Praise them for doing well and encourage them to do their very best—to stretch their skills to the utmost.
- Know what your children are doing and with whom. Know about their friends and their friends’ families.
Address the issue
It is important to discuss with your child gangs and the problems they can create. The best time to talk about gangs is before there’s a major problem. Tell your child that:- You disapprove of gangs.
- You don’t want to see your child hurt or arrested.
- You see your child as special, and worth protecting.
- You want to help your child with any problems he or she might face.
- Family members don’t keep secrets from each other.
This article provides helpful information for parents to notice the signs if maybe their kids are becoming involved in a gang, or how to prevent them from joining or becoming involved with a dangerous group. This article was published out of a community, showing the awareness and what people are doing to prevent gangs.
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