Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Gang Awareness
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What Is a Gang?
A gang is a group of three or more persons who have a common
identifying sign/symbol/name and whose members, with knowledge,
individually or collectively commit, attempt to commit,
engage in conspiracy to commit, or solicit another to commit
criminal acts.
What a Gang Is Not
A gang is not a group of youth from a particular ethnic
group that grows up together, goes to school together,
plays sports together, or hangs around in any neighborhood
because there is nothing social for them to do. It
is not a group of youth that wears baggy clothes, name
brand clothing, unique hairstyles, or certain colored attire,
unless the attire is related to committing a crime, or
is specifically labeled as a gang identifier.
Who Belongs to a Gang?
Youth join gangs for many different reasons, including
peer pressure, financial gain, seeking a sense of identity,
fun and excitement, and protection in certain neighborhoods. Gangs
can affect anyone, regardless of where they live or what
school they attend. Young people from all walks of
life join gangs. Some gang members drop out of school,
while others may be excellent students.
Why Do Young People Join Gangs?
A gang often meets needs that go unfulfilled in other areas
of a young person’s life. The gang may provide
a sense of security, loyalty, structure, and discipline. The
following is a list of reasons that may lead a young person
to join a gang:
- Lack of positive influence by/interaction with parents
- Self-respect/identity
- Protection/peer intimidation
- Replacement or substitute family
- Lack of economic opportunity
- Desire for excitement/machismo
- Lack of alternatives in/out of school
- Prestige/power
- Friendship/brotherhood
- Protection/security from gang violence
- Feeling of belonging/being cared for
- Media glorification of lifestyle
Signs of Possible Gang Involvement
The following are some common indicators to look for if you
suspect your child may be involved in gang activity. These
indicators are not a guarantee that your child is involved
in a gang. The only way to know for sure is by communicating
with your child.
- Poor academic progress/skipping school/lack of interest
in school activities.
- Large amounts of unsupervised time.
- Increased conflict at home.
- Frequent disciplinary problems at home/school.
- Frequent contact with police.
- Drawing graffiti.
- Wearing clothing that is directly linked to an identified
gang.
- Withdraws from family and spends unusual amount of time
with individuals involved in criminal activity
- Uses hand signs while with friends, alone, or out in
the community.
- Owns or keeps documents on which gang names are explicitly
drawn or painted.
- Interest in gang-influenced music, videos, and movies.
- Consistently participates in gang-sponsored social activities,
including “skipping parties” with drug abuse,
alcohol abuse, and high-risk criminal behavior
- Carries weapons
- Develops a bad attitude toward family, school, and authority
figures.
- Physical signs of being involved in fights/secrecy as
to how injuries are received.
- Photographs with others displaying gang signs, weapons,
or gang-type clothing.
- Changing normal routines/not coming home after school/staying
out late.
- Drawings/homework with the letters “B” or “C” crossed-out,
inverted or used improperly.
- Unusual writing, markings, numbers, and symbols written
on clothes
- New-found sense of bravery/bragging that they are too
tough to be “messed” with.
- Unexplained cash or goods, such as clothing or jewelry.
If any of these signs are present, you should not automatically
conclude that your child is involved in a gang. Instead,
you should talk with them to determine whether or not they
are involved in a gang and, if so, at what level. We
can provide warning signs to look for, but only by communicating
with your child will you know for sure.
What Can You Do As A Parent?
Parents play a pivotal role in keeping young people out of
gangs. Negative influences within the family—including
domestic violence, child abuse, harsh or inconsistent parenting
practices, and/or drug/alcohol abuse by family members can
increase the risk that a youth will join a gang. Parents
can protect their children from gang activity through positive
actions such as the ones listed below.
- Maintain open communication with your child.
- Get in the habit of discussing problems with your child
and his/her friends.
- Look for opportunities to show your child how important
he or she is to you.
- Regularly spend time with your child.
- Take time to know your child’s friends. Know
where your child is going and with whom.
- Set clear and consistent boundaries and limits for children. Enforce
these limits consistently.
- Provide discipline that is fair, appropriate, and timely.
- Investigate activities available for your child and his/her
friends—sports, art, dance, theater, music, cooking,
swimming, camping, and scouting. If you don’t
find the activities, start them yourself.
- Be a good role model. Educate yourself on issues
important to young people.
- Use community resources: individual and family counseling,
and support groups. There are many organizations
that help families deal with this problem.
- Discuss concerns with the social worker and/or counselor
at school.
- Talk with your clergyman.
What Resources are Available?
To report any alleged gang-related graffiti or a gang-related
crime, call the Baltimore County Police Department’s
Gang Tip Line at 410-823-0785. In an emergency
call 911.
To find services such as mental health, addiction and counseling
for high-risk youth, contact the Baltimore County Health
Department Bureau of Mental Health at 410-887-2731.
To find out about after-school programs that may be available
for your child, contact your local school directly.
To find out about after school programs available at Police
Athletic League (PAL) centers, click the link below to get
the number for your local PAL center.
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/community/pal/index.html
To find out about alternative school programs that may be
available to your child, contact the Baltimore County Public
Schools Office of Alternative Programs, Summer School, and
Drop-out Prevention at 410-887-2270.
Reading Resources
“Adventures in Parenting” (Spanish)
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Beating the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African-American Males by
Freeman Hrabowski
Cool Pose: The Dilemma of Black Manhood in America by Majors and Mancini
Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell
Hearts and Hands by Luis Rodriguez
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way by Luis Rodriguez
Life in Prison by Tookie Williams
Makes Me Want to Holler by Nathan McCall
The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Davis,
Jenkins, and Hunt
The Warrior Method by Dr. Raymond Winbush
Think Big: Understanding Your Potential for Excellence by Benjamin Carson
Tough Notes: A Healing Call for Black Men by Haki Madhubuti
Visions for Black Men by Na’im Akbar
Useful Links
Baltimore County Public Schools Manual: Preventing Gang Involvement
http://www.bcps.org/offices/sss/pdf/Preventing-Gang-Involvement.pdf
Baltimore County Police Department Counseling Unit http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/community/counseling.html
Baltimore County Health Department
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/health/index.html
Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/recreation/index.html
National Youth Gang Center
www.iir.com/nygc
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
www.ojjdp.ncjrs
The Information on this Page Was Provided by the Following
Sources:
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
Montgomery County Gang Prevention Task Force
Montgomery County Police Department and State’s Attorney’s
Office
OJJDP’s “Parents’ Guide to Gangs”
University of Illinois Extension Family Works
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