Crime Prevention Part IICrime Prevention Part IIIdentifying and addressing a Identifying and addressing a

GANG PROBLEM GANG PROBLEM

©TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of CSCS-ICJS (2009)

Institute for Criminal Justice StudiesInstitute for Criminal Justice Studies

ObjectivesObjectives• Look at a definition of a gang

• Look at prevention and intervention strategies

• Learn several indicators and risk factors of gangs in your community

• Explore tips of what can be done by parents, schools, and neighbors to

prevent gang activity

What is a Gang?What is a Gang?There is no nationally accepted

definition, but most agree on the following elements:

A group of three or more people

These people share a common identifying sign, symbol, or name

What is a Gang?What is a Gang? Gang members individually or collectively engage in an ongoing pattern of criminal or delinquent activity

They are often between 12 and 24

Texas Law – Street GangTexas Law – Street Gang

Penal Code 71.01 (Definitions)

(d) "Criminal street gang" means three or more persons having a common identifying sign or symbol or an identifiable leadership who continuously or regularly associate in the commission of criminal activities.

Crime and Gang InvolvementCrime and Gang InvolvementSerious and Chronic Offenders

Gang LeadersIllegal Gun and Drug Suppliers

Other Active Gang Members and Associates

Children and Adolescents atHigh Risk for Gang Involvement

General Population of Youth and FamiliesLiving in High Risk Areas

Share of Illegal

Activity

Relative Share of Population

Other Active Gang Members & Associates

Children & Adolescents atHigh Risk for Gang Involvement

General Population of Youth & Families

Living in High Risk Areas

Types of GangsTypes of GangsTraditional gangsTraditional gangs

Business/profit gangsBusiness/profit gangs

White hate gangsWhite hate gangs

Copy-cat gangsCopy-cat gangs

Delinquent social gangsDelinquent social gangs

Conditions that Enable Gangs To Conditions that Enable Gangs To GrowGrow

Socializing agents are ineffective – “misfits”

Abundance of free and unstructured time

Limited exposure and access to good jobs and careers

Conditions that Enable Gangs To Conditions that Enable Gangs To GrowGrow

A place to congregate, a well-A place to congregate, a well-defined neighborhooddefined neighborhood

Are our children at risk of joining Are our children at risk of joining a gang?a gang?

Do we have a GANG problem?Do we have a GANG problem?

Indicators of Possible Gang Indicators of Possible Gang InvolvementInvolvement

Purchasing or desire to buy or wear clothing of all one wear clothing of all one color or stylecolor or style

Changing appearance with special haircuts, eyebrow markings, or tattoostattoos

Using hand signs

Indicators of Possible Gang Indicators of Possible Gang Involvement (cont.)Involvement (cont.)Gang graffiti on folders, desks, walls, and buildings

Developing a bad attitude towards family, school, and authorities

Staying out later than usual

Carrying weapons

Indicators of Possible Gang Indicators of Possible Gang Involvement (cont.)Involvement (cont.)

Withdrawing from family activities

Changing friends; spending time with undesirable people

Having more money or possessions

Hand signs are used to Hand signs are used to show allegiance to a show allegiance to a

specific gang.specific gang.

GANG – hand signsGANG – hand signs

Some gangs also use symbols to identity their gang. This gang is called “Mara Salvatrucha,” clique-Centrales

“Mi Vida Loca”-

My Crazy Life

Tear Drop

Is All Graffiti Gang Graffiti?Is All Graffiti Gang Graffiti?

No, some graffiti is tagger graffiti.

What is Tagger Graffiti?What is Tagger Graffiti?

It is usually more artistic.

What Can We Learn From What Can We Learn From Graffiti?Graffiti?

Gangs may use graffiti to claim Gangs may use graffiti to claim a particular area as their turf.a particular area as their turf.

Graffiti may show what gangs are fighting, arguing, or “beefing.”

Graffiti may present the gang roll call.

Why Individuals Join GangsWhy Individuals Join Gangs

Fun and excitement

Identity and sense of belonging

Peer pressure

Financial gain/drugs

Why Individuals Join GangsWhy Individuals Join Gangs

Protection

A family tradition

A failure to understand what being in a gang means

Who Joins Gangs?Who Joins Gangs?

Recruits generally range in age from 12 to 24 years

Most members are boys, but 10 percent of all gang members are girls

Who Joins Gangs?Who Joins Gangs?All ethnic groups and income levels are represented, and gangs are found in all parts of the country

Certain risk factors increase the likelihood of gang involvement

Associated Risk FactorsAssociated Risk FactorsLiving in an area with a high

level of gang activity, drug/alcohol use, available firearmsLack of a positive support

system at homeViolence against family membersExposure to TV shows, movies,

and/or music that glorifies violence

Associated Risk Factors (cont.)Associated Risk Factors (cont.)Lack of alternative activities, such as community youth programs

Lack of positive role modelspositive role models

Low self-esteemLow self-esteem and/or a sense of hopelessness about the future

Poor decision-makingPoor decision-making and communication skillscommunication skills

Too much unsupervised free unsupervised free timetime

Associated Risk Factors (cont.)Associated Risk Factors (cont.)Poor school achievementProblematic child-parent relationship

Lack of respect for Lack of respect for authorityauthority (parents, teachers, law enforcement officers)Family members who are or were gang members

Responding to a Gang ProblemResponding to a Gang Problem

Prevention Primary

SecondaryInterventionIntervention

SuppressionSuppression

ReentryReentry

TIPSTIPS

What Parents What Parents Can DoCan Do

NOT THE ANSWER!NOT THE ANSWER!

What Parents Can Do?What Parents Can Do?Be a positive role model.

Do everything possible to involve your children in supervised, positive group activities.

PraisePraise your children for doing well and encourage them to do their very best.

Get to knowknow your children’s friends and their parents.

What Parents Can Do (cont.)What Parents Can Do (cont.)

Set limitsSet limits for your children, and enforce them.

Do not allow your children to dress in gang-style dress in gang-style clothingclothing, to practice gang hand signs, or to write gang graffiti on any surface, including their bodies.

What Parents Can Do (cont.)What Parents Can Do (cont.)Know where your children are at all times, and schedule activities to occupy their free time.

Get involved in your children’s education, and encourage them to stay in school. Be active in the PTA.

Teach your children to set positive goals, to hold high standards, and to prepare for a positive future.

What Parents Can Do (cont.)What Parents Can Do (cont.)

Explain to your children that only a very small percentage of youth join gangs.Help your children to understand the natural consequences of being involved in a gang.The more connected a child is with family, school, community, and positive activities, the less likely he or she will be attracted to gangs.

What Parents Can Do (cont.)What Parents Can Do (cont.)

The more connected a child is with;

Family

School

Community

Other positive activities, the less likely he or she will be attracted to gangs.

WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO?WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO?

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

What Schools Can DoWhat Schools Can DoIdentify at-risk students and students who are already gang members.

Encourage them to participate inSportsDrama & ArtMusicJROTC, & other positive activities

Increase their confidence & Increase their confidence & sense of belongingsense of belonging

What Schools Can DoWhat Schools Can DoDon’t allow anyone to:Don’t allow anyone to:–wear gang clothing–Paraphernalia or other items

(Jewelry) associated with gang activity at school;

–don’t permit gang hand signals.

What Schools Can DoWhat Schools Can DoPhotograph and remove all Photograph and remove all graffiti from the school graffiti from the school grounds and property.grounds and property.

Promote afterschool Promote afterschool programs that address the programs that address the prevention of violence.prevention of violence.

What Neighbors Can Do?What Neighbors Can Do?

Get to know your neighbors and their children.

Communicate.

Maintain a standard for your neighborhood’s appearance that tells gangs that they are not welcome.

What Neighbors Can DoWhat Neighbors Can DoWork with your local law enforcement agency to develop a community strategy against gangs.

Getting Out of a GangGetting Out of a Gang

Speak to a counselorcounselor, police officerofficer, clergyclergy, or other professionals about ways youth can create create distance between distance between themselves and the gangthemselves and the gang.

RelocateRelocate.

Get information about tattoo removal programs.

Getting Out of a GangGetting Out of a Gang

Getting out is not an Getting out is not an easy task; retaliation, easy task; retaliation, reprisals and general reprisals and general “FEAR”, but it can be “FEAR”, but it can be done.done.

Rescue: Law Rescue: Law Enforcement & the Enforcement & the community needs to be community needs to be prepared and ready to prepared and ready to helphelp.

Notable QuotesNotable Quotes“Knowing gang life was so

surrounded by death, I don’t know how anyone could WANT to get into a gang.” Miss Moni, former gang member

“The way out is not by guns and violence. It is by using [your] minds. Educate yourself.”

EZ-T, former gang member

Quotes taken from Gangstyles; Quotes taken from Gangstyles; www.streetgangstyle.comwww.streetgangstyle.com

TAKE A 15-MINUTE BREAKTAKE A 15-MINUTE BREAK

©TCLEOSE Course #2101 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part I is the intellectual property of CSCS-ICJS (2009)

DEFINE & PROCESSDEFINE & PROCESS

• Define a gang

• Explain some recommended prevention and intervention strategies

• Explain some gang indicators and risk factors of gangs in your community

• Explain some tips of what can be done by parents, schools, and neighbors to

prevent gang activity

Gang Program ResourcesGang Program ResourcesNational Youth Gang Center WebsiteNational Youth Gang Center Website www.iir.com/nygcwww.iir.com/nygc

OJJDP Summary: Youth Gang Programs and Strategies (Howell, 2000) www.iir.com/nygc/PublicationLinks.htm#YGPIwww.iir.com/nygc/PublicationLinks.htm#YGPI

Addressing Community Gang Problems: A Practical Guide (BJA, 1998) www.iir.com/nygc/PublicationLinks.htm#CAYGwww.iir.com/nygc/PublicationLinks.htm#CAYG

Gang Program ResourcesGang Program Resources (cont.)

G.R.E.A.T Programs www.great-online.orgwww.great-online.org

National Crime Prevention Council: Teens, Crime, and the Community

www.ncpc.org/tccwww.ncpc.org/tcc

National Youth Gang Center

www.irr.com/nygcwww.irr.com/nygc

Latin American Youth Center www.layc-dc.orgwww.layc-dc.org

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center

www.safeyou.orgwww.safeyou.org

Center for Safe Communities & Schools – Texas School Texas School Safety CenterSafety Center – San Marcos

www.cscs.txstate.edu www.cscs.txstate.edu

National Crime Prevention Council

1000 Connecticut Avenue, NWThirteenth Floor

Washington, DC 20036202-466-6272

202-296-1356 (fax)www.ncpc.org

Used with permission from the Bureau of Justice AssistanceSeptember 2006

Contact InformationContact Information

350 N. Guadalupe, Suite 140, PMB 164San Marcos, Texas 78666.

Institute for Criminal Justice StudiesInstitute for Criminal Justice Studies

©TCLEOSE Course #2101 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part I is the intellectual property of CSCS-ICJS (2009)