GANG AWARENESSHealth 9Coach Prahl

Warm-Up Activity

On a sheet of paper, write your opinion to the following questions.1. What is your definition of a gang?2. What are common traits of a gang? 3. How do gangs redefine the idea of family?

I. What is a gang?

A gang is a group of people who band together for a common cause and who

are involved in criminal activity.

Additional traits may include

Gang name Common dress

Colors Jersey numbers

Symbols (hand signs) Tattoos Graffiti (tagging) Claim of a geographical location.

Why do people get involved in a gang?

Acceptance Financial Gain (Money, Weapons, Drugs) Family Tradition Respect Safety/Protection Identity Power Excitement

A Gang is My New Family?

Family Protection & Safety Money Job Somewhere to live Possessions “Love” that otherwise is non-existent in

current home Support for each other to achieve a

common goal

Ex-Gang Member TestimonialErvin Chartrand talks about his past gang

activity

Warm-Up Activity Rewind

Modify your answers to the warm-up activity.

Either change your answer, or add to what you initially wrote.

II. Protection & Avoidance

There are numerous gangs around us Schools, neighborhood, work place,

possibly even family members Numbers are increasing, and violence is

on the rise Not everyone will be approached by a

gang to join or participate in illegal activity, BUT everyone needs to know how to be safe around gangs

Risk Factors of Involvement

Living in an area of gang activity Poor decision making Lack of positive support at home Lack of positive activity outlets Too much unsupervised free time Lack of respect for authority (parents,

teachers, law) Past family gang involvement Exposure to violent acts in community and

media

Are there Gangs in Fairfax County? There are approximately 100 different gangs

Some large, some few in numbers Approximately 2000 gang members &

associates Many different races and cultures Most are “turf” oriented Some increase in organized criminal activity Few gang members are school aged

Majority of school aged students are involved in positive, healthy activities

Avoiding Gang Activity

This does not always involve gang membership, butsometimes a gang member will recruit people fordangerous activity.

Can you name ways to avoid gang activity? Say NO clearly Walk away from the situation Give a reason you can’t get involved Change the subject Provide an excuse Use humor

Avoiding Gang Activity

Choose which refusal strategy is being illustrated.say no - walk away - give a reason

change the subject - provide an excuse – use humor

#1#2

#3#4

#5#6

Tips to Stay Safe

Stay away from gangs and gang members Recognize & avoid the gangs recruitment

strategies Don’t act, look, or talk like a gang member

Gang related dress Hand signs Don’t copy gang graffitti Don’t copy gang tattoos

Be aware of your surroundings

South County Student Killed: SSL vs. MS-13 This victim attended your school

“Teen Dead After Baseball Bat Attack”

Sunday, 21 Mar 2010, 8:46 AM EDT

BY MAUREEN UMEH/www.myfoxdc.com

MOUNT VERNON, Va.

Police say autopsy results show the teenager killed Friday evening in a brutal beating in an Alexandria area park died of blunt force trauma to the head.

He has been identified as 16-year-old Christian Perez of the Lorton area. Witnesses say Perez was struck in the head with a baseball bat next to the tennis courts in the Woodlawn Neighborhood Park at Manor Drive and Sky View Drive.

His family has not commented on the death, which police say was gang-related.

Area residents say there is little traffic through the park during the day, but they say they have called the police in the past to check on drug activity after dark. Police are looking for suspects in the murder and say they have leads that they hope will let them catch the bad guys quickly.

“Dance with the Devil” – Immortal Technique

Verse 1

I once knew a brotha whose real name was WilliamHis primary concern, was making a millionBeing the illest hustler, that the world ever seen…A corrupted young mind, at the age of thirteenHe never had a father and his mom was a friend…Her sons heart simultaneously grew colder…But he understood money never bought respectGot locked once and didn't hesitate to squealSo criminals he chilled with didn't think he was real…So he felt he had to prove to everyone he was evilA feeble-minded young man with infinite potential…Coincidentally dropped out of school to sell weed

“Dance with the Devil” – Immortal Technique (cont.)

Verse 2

So Billy started robbing, anything he could doTo get his respect back, in the eyes of his crew…Stepped up to selling mothers and brothers the crack rock…Hit the jackpot and wanted to move up to cocaine…He wanted to be major like the cut throats and the thugs…Any one with a gun, can bust slugsAny brother with a red shirt can front like a blood…And they wanted to test him, before business startedSuggested raping a woman to prove he was cold heartedSo now he had a choice between going back to his lifeOr making money

“Dance with the Devil” – Immortal Technique (cont.)

Verse 3

They drove around the projects slow while it was raining…Until they saw a woman on the street walking aloneThree in the morning, coming back from work, on her way home…They wrapped her shirt around her head and knocked her onto the floor…They got to the roof and then held her down on the ground…The shirt covered her face, but she screamed and clawed…A broken jaw mumbled for guards but they weren't concerned…One of them pulled out a brand new twenty-twoAnd if he killed her he was guaranteed a spot in the crew

“Dance with the Devil” – Immortal Technique (conc.)

Verse 4

Right before he pulled the trigger, and ended her lifeHe thought about the cocaine with the platinum and iceAnd he felt strong standing along with his new brothersCocked the gun to her head, and pulled back the shirt coverBut what he saw made him start to cringe and stutterCause he was starring into the eyes of his own motherShe looked back at him and cried, cause he had forsaken her…His whole world stopped, he couldn't even contemplateHis corruption had successfully changed his fateAnd he remembered how his mom used to come home lateWorking hard for nothing, cause now what was he worthHe turned away from the woman that had once given him birthAnd crying out to the sky cause he was lonely and scared…

So what’s the message in this song?

What is this rapper trying to say?

What influenced Billy’s actions?

Why did he resort to gang involvement?

Billy’s Fallout

He wanted to make money He had no father figure in his life His mother was non-existent in his

upbringing Dropped out of school Sold drugs (marijuana, cocaine) He had to “prove” himself to his peers Wanted to earn RESPECT

The Results

This is exactly what gangs are looking for in their recruitment of new members.

They want the ones who are looking for acceptance from anyone who will give it to them.

He didn’t have anyone positive in his life to turn to for correct direction.

They feed off impressionable people.

III. Common gang breakdown There are hundreds of gangs and violent

organizations around the world. They all come together for a common cause Illegal money-making tactics

Robbery, auto-theft, money laundering, drug/weapon trafficking, fraud

Represent respect, pride, loyalty, and family They will do whatever they can to ensure

that their gang is taken care of financially and numerically.

MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha)

Country of origin: El Salvador Hispanic male and female member U.S. concentration in Southern CA, and northern

VA Fled E.S. during Civil War (‘80-’92)to L.A,

accepted by 18th St. because of combat training Original intent to protect Salvadorian

immigrants Identification: Number 13 (M is 13th letter),

blue or black, sports jerseys with #13, tattoos Drug/arms trafficking, robbery, murder Labeled “most dangerous gang in America”

18th Street

Origin: Los Angeles, California Hispanic membership (Mexico, Central America) 2009, estimated 30K - 50K members, 80% illegal 18-second beating for disrespect to gang/leader Income: Cocaine and marijuana distribution Assault, auto theft, homicide, robbery, drive-bys Identification: Black and blue, jersey #18 Recruit elementary and middle-school aged youth

Crips

Origin: Los Angeles, California (1960’s) Predominately African American members Jumped-in, armed robbery, murder for

membership Identification: wearing the color blue Bloods are number one rival gang Sell drugs and weapons for profit Known members: Snoop Dogg, Ice T,

Easy E, Nate Dogg, Warren G, Ice Cube

Bloods

Origin: Compton, California Raymond Washington, 15 years old Formed for protection from crips Focus on loyalty and violence Identification: red, also recently brown to

represent “dried” blood Membership smaller than crips, but just as

violent Known members: Tupac Shakur, Suge

Knight

Almighty Vice Lord Nation

Origin: Chicago, Illinois 1958 by a group of teen African Americans

incarcerated in a juvenile facility Allies: Bloods, Latin Kings Rivals: Crips, Folk Nation, Gangster Disciples Known for drug trafficking, robbery, money

fraud Identification: Five-pointed star (Love, Truth,

Peace, Freedom and Justice), Upside-down pitchfork (show disrespect to Gangster Disciples

Yakuza

Country of origin: Japan Traced back to 1612, spread worldwide after

WW2 Like the mafia, they operate as organized crime Gambling is main money maker (Las Vegas) Members smuggle narcotics into the U.S, and in

return hand-guns and pornographic material… both illegal in Japan

Predominately male membership Primary identification: Tattoos, but none are

visible when the men are fully clothed.

More gangs

African American Gangster

Disciples Folk Nation

Latino Southside Locos Mexican Mafia Latin Kings

White Aryan

Brotherhood Ku Klux Klan Pagans Hell’s Angels

Videos

The dangers of gang initiations 1:08

Graffiti and Tagging 1:28 (0:55 deals with Northern Virginia)

Hand signs-flashing 1:50

Gangs in the News

News reports claim that gang activity is on the decline in Northern Virginia/DC.

2009 Fairfax Co. Youth SurveySurvey asks teens about drugs, alcohol,

gangs, cheating, just to name a few.Grade No. Student Surveyed FCPS

Enrollment8th 10,575 32.9%10th 9773 34.2%12th 8875 32.9%

% is based on enrollment of each grade separately

2009 Fairfax Co. Youth Survey 3.6% of surveyed have been involved in a

gangDown 0.5% from 2008Hispanic: 7.2%African American: 6.1%White: 2.1%Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.7%

“Involvement” in a gang is based on the students definition of a gang.

Quiz !!!

You will have 15 minutes to complete this 35 point quiz.

This quiz will test your knowledge of everything we learned about today in class.

When you are finished, turn it over, and it will be collected once everyone has finished.

This copy will be on the SMARTboard for assistance.

Gang Awareness Review

So what have you learned today?

Let’s test to see if you remember some important information.

Let’s play JEOPARDY!

Conclusion

3 things or concepts you learned today 2 questions you are still in need of an

answer or clarification 1 connection to your own life that you

would like to share

Next Class – Refusal Strategy Skit First 45 minutes: Preparation Last 45 minutes: Presentation Assignment

You & a friend will perform a role playing skit. You will act out a situation including methods of

saying no, avoiding the situation, and staying safe.

Create healthy alternatives you can be involved in instead of getting mixed up with a gang.

25 points. Assessment rubric.