Joining a Gang: How to Help Kids Prevent it, How to Tell if Theyve Joined One, How to Help Them Out

While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced back to the early 19th century -- the demographic of a youth gang is something that is constantly changing. Many people stereotype gang members as urban, inner city males from racial minorities, but in fact gangs are a problem in suburbs as well as cities, for all races and for girls as well as boys.

There are about 750,000 gang members in the United States, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Justice, and one-third of them are under the age of 18. And while it's still true that men account for the majority of gang members-more than 90 percent are male-gang membership among women is becoming increasingly common.

What Exactly is a Gang?

Every gang has its own requirements and characteristics, but the U.S. Department of Justice says that all gangs have one thing in common: "A group must be involved in a pattern of criminal acts to be considered a youth gang."

Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a gang as, "A criminal enterprise having an organizational structure, acting as a continuing criminal conspiracy, which employs violence and any other criminal activity to sustain the enterprise."

Additionally, gangs typically:

* Develop around racial and ethnic lines

* Are typically male-dominated with some female members, though female gangs are on the increase

* Center on a specific territory

* Act as an organization that may be part of a larger group

* Display symbols associated with their gang through clothing, tattoos, graffiti, hand signals and language

Why do Kids Join Gangs?

According to a White House fact sheet for the new youth initiative aimed at protecting America's youth from gangs, an overwhelming number of violent U.S. criminals like those in gangs grow up in single-mother households with no father around. It's also been shown that kids who are involved with their family, school and community are less likely to be involved in risky behavior like joining a gang.

This may explain why, generally, kids join gangs to feel like they belong and have a sense of purpose. In fact, kids join gangs for many of the same reasons that kids join any group, like a soccer team or Boy Scouts:

* Looking for a sense of self-worth, belonging and commitment

* Seeking structure and discipline

* Companionship

* A need for recognition, higher status and acceptance

* Excitement and something to do

Gang Signs

Additionally, kids may join gangs because of a:

* Need for protection

* Family tradition

* Need for money (kids in gangs can earn cash from drug trades)

How to Keep Your Kids Away From Gangs

Since most kids who join gangs do so because they are looking for a social network, for a group to belong to, ensuring that your child gets plenty of love and support at home and through positive activities is key in keeping them away from gangs.

Such was the case with David Danisa, a young man who could have easily fallen prey to gangs himself as friends around him joined steadily. Instead, Danisa and friend Jurell Spivey joined school programs and even got involved into keeping younger kids out of gangs.

"There's a lot of pressures in high school," says Danisa. "If you have people who are helping you out in programs, you start having more self-respect. You can fight through the hard stuff." And, to put is simply, after your day gets filled up with sports, volunteering and other activities, "You don't have time to do anything bad," Danisa said.

Aside from enrolling your kids in community or school youth programs from an early age, the following tips can also help:

* Encourage your child to think independently

* Take an active interest in his/her life: Be involved!

* Get to know your child's friends and encourage healthy friendships

* Teach your child coping strategies to deal with hard times

* Support your child with words and actions to instill in them a sense of self-esteem and personal responsibility

* Discourage too much exposure to media influences that glorify drugs, sex, gangs and violence to kids

Resources That Can Help

If you suspect your child, friend or family member is in a gang and in need of help, there are many resources available. First, according to the Los Angeles' County Sheriff's Department:

* The member must think and believe that they can get out of the gang, and must want to do it.

* Reduce the amount of time spent with the gang. It's best to do so gradually, rather than trying to sever all ties immediately.

* Replace gang activities with positive activities like sports, the arts, employment, religion, education, volunteering, etc.

* Remove gang tattoos and attire and modify language away from gang communications.

* Create a new set of friends and an alternative support system, such as boys and girls clubs.

* Help other youths in gangs to create a better life away from the gang.

Other helpful resources include:

* National Clearinghouse for Families & Youth

* Family and Youth Services Bureau

* The YMCA

* Your local youth community center

From the FREE SixWise.com e-newsletter, the Web's #1 most read newsletter with original articles in all 6 areas of life leading to complete wellness.

---

Featured Article on Parenting: The Power of Belonging

Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is on, as is the quest to find another great preschool and neighborhood to be part of. After feeling out of place, hearing over... Read More

What Do Chinese Water Torture and Arguing with Children Have in Common?

Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down onto a cold, hard table, unable to move any part of your body. You can't see anything around you because your eyes are... Read More

Teach Your Child About Money

What are we teaching our children about money? Hopefully something!I remember when I was growing up, our family did not discuss money. Money was a taboo subject, discussed by the parents and handled... Read More

Learning Responsibility is a Lifelong Process

Learning responsibility is an ever widening and lifelong process.As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to choose our response to events, people and circumstances. We do not become responsible when we... Read More

7 Easy Ideas for Organizing Kids Artwork

In school, kids are encouraged to create, draw, color, paint and build. These activities can certainly stimulate children, and help them grow.Very often, these masterpieces that your children create are brought home and... Read More

Are You Meeting ALL Your Childs Basic Needs?

This may come as a surprise, but many parents are unaware ofthe full extent of their child's basic needs.Do you remember the old song by Lennon and McCartney aboutthe girl leaving home after... Read More

Teacher Tips: Your Room Set-Up and ADHD Students

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the... Read More

Reading, Writing, Rithmetic -- and Recess!

Recess has begun disappearing in states all around the country. The reason is the increasing emphasis on "academics" and the mistaken belief that recess detracts from time that could be better spent studying.... Read More

Where Is Your Homework, Lisa?

Is Homework Really That Important?Dear Friends,I no longer teach in public schools, but for what seems like 100 years, I did. During my long career, I did the best I knew how to... Read More

ADHD: Some Survival Strategies for Parents

In our last issue we posted some of our suggested Survival Strategies for parents, and then asked readers to contribute some of their thoughts or tips. Since this newsletter is already running pretty... Read More

Character Education

Every parent wants their child to develop positive character traits. One way to supplement your child's character education is to act as a filter for the movies and television shows your child watches,... Read More

Beyond the Words, a Childs Voice

Voices have a way of falling into a pattern, not unlike the sound of constant rain. At first, the rain is obvious as it dramatically announces its arrival, and for a brief moment,... Read More

Parents/Teens and Money ? 5 Ideas for Keeping the Peace

Children and teenagers are relentlessly bombarded with merchandise that entices. It can be difficult to find contentment when a newer, better, faster gizmo of the moment hits the market every day. What's a... Read More

Watering Your Young Child?s Mind

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells And pretty maids all in a row.It's an everyday nursery rhyme, it's simple to sing with your small... Read More

Playing Safe

Do you really want your child to enjoy playing with a toy that was made on the other side of the world by people who are no more than children themselves, and paid... Read More

Choosing Wooden Toys For Children

Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the huge number of toys made of plastic and other synthetic materials that you can find in all toy stores.In addition, most ... Read More

Son, Can I Use The Car Tonight?

I recall somewhere in the recesses of my aging brain a time past when kids actually asked to borrow the family car for the evening. Heck, I even recall myself uttering that request... Read More

Working Moms: Too Busy for Your Children?

17 Quick Ways to Strengthen the Bonds of LoveOn Mother's Day, we celebrate the most important job on the planet.Most moms appreciate being acknowledged, but many still feel overwhelmed by the pressures of... Read More

I Dont Believe in ADHD

O.K. I've heard it a hundred times from my prison guard friends, "I don't believe that there is such a thing as ADD. It's only something made up from the drug companies to... Read More

Family Meals: When Dinner Schedules Dont Match

Mealtimes together deserve an important place in any family. Around the table, family members connect, children learn the art of conversation, and a spirit of peace and thankfulness can flourish.But work, long commutes,... Read More

Dexedrine, Cylert, and Adderall in the Treatment of ADHD

Dexedrine is not prescribed very often for the treatment of ADHD out here in California, but those patients that we've seen on it have done well. Typically it is prescribed to patients who... Read More

Children?s Birthday Party Planning: When and When Not to Have a Big Party

Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only because this birthday is more for the parents than for the child. At age 1, a child doesn't understand the concept of "Birthday... Read More

Why Creativity and Self-Expression are Important to Little Kids

Can you draw a straight line? Most adults don't consider themselves artistic. Parents do, however, worry about their toddler's art abilities. As a child care provider for the past 10 years, I've had... Read More

Parents --- Your Childrens Report Card May Be Rigged

Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose students consistently fail standardized tests can be shut down. To protect their jobs, teachers and principals are now under intense pressure to cheat... Read More

The Value of Play

Isn't it ironic that a country whose constitution allows for the pursuit of happiness now feels a collective guilt about the very idea of anything fun? How did this happen? When did we... Read More

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) for Teen Drivers

Drivers 16 years of age have little driving experience, putting them at high risk for traffic accidents. A series of five research papers published in a September 2002 supplement of Injury Prevention addresses... Read More

Let?s Google and Yahoo Our Kids? Education

I love Google and Yahoo. With Google and Yahoo I can search the Internet on any subject that interests me, at any time day or night, in the comfort of my home. I... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: How to Respond to Manipulation

Q. My daughter has gotten very good at manipulating us, and sometimes we do not even know it has happened until much later. How can we tell if we are being manipulated, and... Read More

Child Abuse - Survey & Comments

Beyond cases reported to authorities, little knowledge exists on the types, amount, and effects of childhood victimization. Through a national survey of adolescents, researchers examined the prevalence of sexual assault, physical assault, physically... Read More