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Gang Awareness
A Guide for Parents and Teachers
WHAT IS A GANG?
A group of people
who form an alliance for a common purpose and engage in violent or
criminal activity.
Defined in
Arkansas Penal Code Section 5-74-103- Any group of three (3) or more
individuals who commit a continuing series of two (2) or more
predicate criminal offenses which are undertaken in concert with each
other.
WHAT ARE THE
AGES OF GANG MEMBERS?
The
average age of gang members is from 14 to 21 years of age. Gang
members, however, can be as young as 8 years old or as old as into
their mid 30's. Recruitment into gangs usually starts in the middle
school where the age group is between 10 and 13. Some recruitment has
also been seen in elementary and into the early years of high school.
Most gangs target youth that are easily talked into doing work for the
gang.
CONSEQUENCES
OF GANG MEMBERSHIP
Gang
membership almost guarantees one a criminal record, not to mention the
physical risks and dangers of violent activities. The physical risks
and dangers include not only the gang member, but the family members
and innocent bystanders as well. Youth that fall prey to gang
seduction pay a high price for membership. Initiation rights often
involve committing serious criminal, usually violent acts to prove
loyalty.
WHY DO KIDS JOIN GANGS?
· ACCEPTANCE
– Many kids feel that they are not getting enough attention they feel
they deserve at home. They start looking for this attention and love
in other places and often find what they are looking for in a gang.
The gang essentially becomes their family.
· EXCITEMENT
– This group of kids love the high of committing crimes and getting
away with it. They often do their crimes just to be chased by the
police. These individuals are adrenaline junkies and love the thrill
of criminal activity.
· PEER
PRESSURE – If your kids are hanging around gangs and gang members,
you can almost guarantee that they are being pressured to join the
gang. It is important to know who your children are associating with.
· PROTECTION
– In poor neighborhoods and neighborhoods with high gang activity,
kids often have to join a gang just to survive. It is often easier to
join the gang than to be victimized on a daily basis.
· TO
SOCIALIZE – The best parties in town are gang parties. Easy access
to liquor, narcotics, and girls are attractive to potential gang
recruits. Young males who have a hard time socializing and talking to
girls, find girls often like gang members.
WARNING
SIGNS OF GANG ACTIVITY
Most
gang members are proud of their gang and freely admit their
membership. Many dress in a particular style or color identifying
their particular gang. Their personal belongings are frequently
covered with graffiti and bear the gang symbols or logos and member's
street name. Look for and don't ignore theses warning signs:
· Changes
in clothing patterns with a preference towards a particular color,
sports, or team logos.
· Use
of hand signs and signals – usually as alternative form of
communication.
· Tattoos
or branding of the body with distinctive signs, logos, or names.
· Withdrawal
from family involvement; an unusual desire for privacy.
· Associates
with troublemakers and secretive peers.
· Frequently
out late, breaks curfew rules or laws.
· Gangster
influenced music, videos, books and movies. Imitation of gangster
lifestyle.
· Drug
and alcohol use.
· Abrupt
changes in personality and behavior.
· Prefers
use of nickname or street name.
· Graffiti
– One of the first indications that gangs are being formed in your
community is the appearance of graffiti. To most people, graffiti
represents thoughtless vandalism and childish pranks. To a gang
member, graffiti is a marking of territorial boundaries and serves as
a warning or challenge to a rival game. It is also the underground
newspaper of gangs. It can point out which gangs are fighting each
other, immortalize deceased gang members and honor leaders within a
gang.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT GRAFFITI BE REPORTED TO THE
SPRINGDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND REMOVED IMMEDIATELY.
INTERVENTION/PREVENTION
Parents &
Families-
· Be
a good listener to your child and help them develop their self esteem.
Spend quality time with your children.
· Watch
for negative influences; meet and greet friends and parents of
friends.
· Be
a role model, show your children how to deal appropriately with
conflicts and problems.
· Discuss
the importance of schools and good grades.
· Establish
rules and set limits. Be consistent and fair in punishment.
· Volunteer
time at child's school.
· Demand
accountability for time spent, money and clothes.
Teachers and
support staff-
· Be
aware of what information is pertinent to gang activities.
· Document
and report gang related activities to assigned School Resource
Officers.
· Develop
and enforce a clear, no tolerance policy regarding gangs, drugs,
weapons, and graffiti.
· Always
deal with an individual student privately. Dealing with them in front
of their peers validates "gang affiliation or membership" which is
what they want.
· Look
for, document and report warning signs.
Tips:
· Gang
symbols or graffiti on student's personal belongings,
notebooks, homework, or on lockers.
· Changes
in personality and academic performance.
· Defiance,
fights and disturbances between youth.
· Clustering
of youths in "sets", "packs", or "clicks."
· Possession
of weapons, drugs, drug paraphernalia, or large sums of money.
· Students
repeatedly involved in "protecting" other students.
· Increase
in student harassment complaints, threats, or extortion.
· Poor
attendance and/or excessive tardiness.
· Rumor
of gang activities, open admission of a gang affiliation or intention
to join.
Communities-
· Establish
quality community relationships with local police.
· Remove
graffiti immediately.
· Repair
all street lights and install new ones where possible.
· Establish
community partnerships with the police, clergy, social groups, and the
business community.
· Ensure
adequate security at public events where youths gather.
· Develop
and maintain crime prevention programs; neighborhood watch,
anti-robbery, anti-domestic violence and abuse programs.
· In
partnerships with local businesses, develop programs to increase
employment and job-skills.
· Develop
positive alternatives for children in your neighborhood (sports /
mentor programs).
· Report
all crime and gang activity.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
Counseling
Services:
Vision Latino,
inc.
Hector Alcantar
(479) 283-0694
Transforming
Force
Jaime Torres
(479) 544-3314
elserious@yahoo.com
Springdale
Police Department
Crime Suppression
Unit
Sergeant Shane
Pegram
(479) 756-8200
csu@springdaleark.org
Report Graffiti
to:
Springdale
Nuisance Abatement Partnership
Sergeant Billy
Turnbough
(479) 750-8139
bturnbough@springdaleark.org
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