A Parent's Guide to Gangs

Gang involvement can begin as early as elementary school.  Children as young as seven or eight years of age have been recruited to work in criminal street gangs.  Many parents and educators are unaware when children are involved in gang activity.  Many parents are unwilling to accept the possibility that their child might either be involved with gangs or might be headed toward becoming a gang member.  The most common mistake parents and adults make is denial – denial of the fact that their child, son or daughter, might become a gang member.  Denial is a major contributing factor to a child actually joining a gang.

This site will hopefully give parents, educators, and community members information about gangs, including how to tell if your child is becoming involved in gang activity and how to help keep your child away from gangs.  The Chandler Police Department’s Gang Unit is committed to helping keep children from becoming involved with gangs.

Definition of a Gang

A gang is an ongoing loosely organized association of two or more persons, whether formal or informal, which has a common name, signs, symbols or colors, whose members engage either individually or collectively in violence or other forms of illegal behavior.

How Gangs Function

Gangs thrive on intimidation and notoriety.  (They often find violence glamorous and necessary to maintain their status in the gang.)  Like most groups, street gangs depend upon both individual and group participation.  Unlike legitimate groups or organizations, street gangs generally do not have an identified leader.  The person who is the toughest, has the weapons, or has the most money may rise as the leader.  This status is generally short-lived.

Who Joins a Gang?

In the past, it was believed those who joined gangs came from troubled homes.  Many were abused and had no understanding of the value of human life.  Today, in some cases the above may still be true, but some youth join gangs for many other reasons.  They may not come from broken or troubled homes.  Youth may join gangs because of fear, curiosity, boredom, excitement, peer pressure, lack of education, or family history of gang involvement.

Young people of all socio-economic levels and ethnic backgrounds are members of gangs. In a gang they may find support, attention, and the common ground they might not have with their families.  They are young people looking for "respect," protection, and adventure, and they are willing to risk all by joining a gang in the mistaken belief that a gang will provide these things for them.

Warning Signs

The following warning signs are for your use as a guideline only.  Exercise caution in assuming that your child is involved in gang activity if one or more of the signs are present.  Communication with your child is crucial in determining the level, if any, of the child's involvement with gang activity.  This communication may include talking with school personnel, your school resource officer, and members of the Gang Unit.

• Change in hairstyle and/or dress
• New friends with the same hairstyle/dress such as bandannas, caps, belts, especially if the major color is blue or red
• Secretive behavior about friends and activities
• Use and recognition of hand signs by youth and friends
• New interest in graffiti symbols and displaying symbols in bedroom
• Change in routine when with friends, giving no explanation
• Change in friends
• Change in places frequented
• Suspected drug use indicated by such things as mood changes and smell of inhalants on breath
• Increase of possessions such as clothes, hats, money
• Change in attitude about school and hobbies
• New discipline problems
• A new fear of the police
• A new found sense of bravery
• Obsession with gangster-influenced music, videos, and movies to the point of imitation
• Physical injury (such as being beaten) and then lies about the events surrounding the injury
• Admits to gang involvement or being a gang member
• Hangs out with others who belong to a gang
• Gang tattoos or gang insignias
• Cryptic letters and/or numbers written or tattooed, particularly references to the roman numerals XIV or XIII or Arabic Style numbers 14 or 13.
• Decline in school grades
• Truancy
• Keeping late hours

How to keep your child out of a gang

• Be sure you know where your child goes after school and with whom they spend their time. Get to know all of your child's friends.
• Speak candidly with your child to find out whatever they know about gangs in your area. Ask if they feel pressured or intimidated by a gang.
• Be watchful for unusual injuries, tattoos, graffiti, and other warning signs.
• Don't let your child associate with gang members or "wanna be/gonna be" gang members.
• Don't let your child attend any party or social event sponsored by gangs or their associates.
• Talk to your child about the consequences of gang involvement.
• Become informed about gangs in your areas. (What they wear, where they hang out.)
• If an adult who works daily with your child (teacher, counselor, police officer) talks to you about your child as a “wanna be,” listen objectively and talk with other adults. Don't dismiss it as "Not my child."

Remember, the most common mistake parents and adults make is denial.  Denial of the fact that their child – son or daughter – might become a gang member.

Prevention

Prevention is the key to controlling gang activity.  Become aware of the gangs and gang members in your area.  Ask your child about gangs.  Most will openly talk with you about what they know.  A gang's power grows through the use of fear and intimidation. They can be countered by citizen action groups such as Neighborhood Watch Programs. A neighborhood that is united and dedicated in a spirit of cooperation toward stopping crime and violence will greatly hamper gang efforts to flourish.

If you suspect gang activity you should

• Talk to your child or teenager and discuss the consequences of being in a gang.
• Talk to school officials and counselors inquiring if they are aware of campus problems and if there are any school programs that might help.
• Contact your school resource officer (JR High and High School).
• Contact your local law enforcement agency for information and guidance.
• Consider seeking advice from religious leaders or other community resources. They many know of programs that help neighborhood children stay out of gangs.
• Report to the police any graffiti in your neighborhood or local school grounds.
• Take action - this is the most important step you can take as an individual, a group, or an organization.  Do not ignore the signs of gang activity.

Recognize that some youth are attracted to the glorified lifestyle of gangs as portrayed on TV and in music.  Most youth will not ever entertain the thought of joining a gang, but some youth will pretend or act like a wanna be gang member.  Some wanna be's may be targeted by real gangs and recruited to join them.  Some may be targeted as an actual gang member by another gang and be attacked as a result.  If your child acts like a wanna be or hangs out with wanna be's, you should be concerned.  Don't wait until he or she is actually recruited and "jumped in" to a gang. ("Jumping in" to a gang is the initiation one goes through to join the gang.  This can involve anything from being beaten by actual members to committing a violent crime.)

If you have any questions about Gangs, please contact the Gang Unit Supervisor, Sergeant Greg Howarth, at (480) 782-4526.

Other web sites and gang-related resources

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) – State Gang Task Force

• CLICK HERE for www.azdps.gov/gitem

The U.S. Department of Justice – National Criminal Justice Reference Service

• Type “Gangs” in the top right corner where is says, “site search.”
• CLICK HERE for www.ncjrs.gov

The Federal Bureau of Investigation –Violent Gang Task Force

• CLICK HERE for http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/ngic/natgangtfs.htm