Prior to the 1960s, most Americans knew that street gangs existed, but considered them to be simply a group of people who associated together, somewhat recreationally, as did the comedic ‘Our Gang’ and the ‘Bowery Boys’ as presented in the black and white movie shorts and early television.

From America’s earliest years, wave after wave of an increasing influx of foreign immigrants poured into the country and settled in crowded urban areas, creating ethnic dissension and increased competition for education, jobs, and a share of the new country’s bounty.

Uneducated, facing prejudice at every turn, and unable to find social, cultural, or economic success–and lacking access to meaningful employment–many young people found their lives filled with boredom, frustration, hopelessness, and poverty. It is small wonder that many of them ended up on the streets in large numbers, and by the 19th century had formed gangs that specialized in criminal activity and perpetuated themselves through new recruits.

By the early 1800′s, many of the most vicious adult street gangs had organized along ethnic and political lines. Years of corruption in city government and attendant intensification of urban problems immediately preceding the Civil War contributed to the rapid increase of criminal street gangs that formed in order to protect ethnic neighborhoods.

By the early 1990′s, gang migration had reached the point that 25% of small communities surveyed reported having gang members enrolled in their schools. There are more than 25,000 gangs with a total of more than 800,000 gang members in the continental United States. California has the most gang members; Texas ranks second, and Illinois is third.

Gang membership is especially attractive to young girls with low self-esteem who, having suffered various forms of abuse, neglect, and sexual molestation, can abuse others with impunity and applause from the gang.

The role of the girl gangster – the g-male – is changing as more and more gangs proliferate. The female gang associates and members are younger, tougher, and more violent, often exceeding their male gang counterparts. Anxious to prove themselves and their worth to the gangs, female recruits often use extreme violence against victims, other female associates, and on occasion even male gang members.

Girls usually start their gang association in the belief that others will “respect” (fear) them for this relationship. However, they soon learn that gang members use girls mainly for sex, as admiring and applauding audiences for male gang members deeds of derring-do, and as ‘mules’ to carry drugs and weapons. Many female associates become hard-core drug abusers and prostitutes.

Gang Assaults on Authority Figures

1. Gang members earn ‘juice’ (respect) from other gang members when they commit assaults on authority figures.
2. Planned assaults of authority figures are not considered as ‘juice-worthy’ as unplanned, random assaults.
3. More than 33% of hardcore gang members claim to have assaulted teachers.
4. The ultimate assault on an authority figure by a gang member is to attack a law officer; next is a school administrator; then a teacher; then a staff member such as an aide or a secretary.
5. More Crips commit assaults on school personnel than members of any other gang.

Most gang members are not concerned with the implications of their illegal actions; they live in the present, have no goals or future plans beyond the scope of their gang’s activities. Additionally, their criminal behavior and defiance of parents, teachers, and society as a whole earn them the approval and respect of their delinquent peers. In the gang they find the success that they could not experience in school.

Social and Peer Acceptance

Who doe not want to be the smart kid who is well-liked in school? Almost everyone wants to be that Popular guy or gal. Most kids and teens want attention and acceptance. Some will go out doing things that can get them this spotlight, whether it is positive or negative.

This trait still stays after 50 years. Even today in the cyber age period, most will rather choose to become cyber bullies or school bullies, rather than being victims. The wiser ones will just stay out of this whole drama. But sometimes and inevitably, the old saying still stays true

If you cant beat them, join them

This is wrong and one mistake will lead to another. It is the duty of parents and guardians to communicate, spot and correct these behaviors. Make necessary reports to the school authorities and local authorities if the situation involves out of school gang affiliations.

It all started from hanging out out late with a group of friends. Then the ‘learning’ process takes place where they start to experiment with alcohol, cigarettes, weed and drugs. Activities follow suit with hanging out with the local boys, creating dins and fights, and even to the extent of illegal activities like snatch theft, robbery and gang violence.

Every thing is in a cycle and gang activities lead one to another. If a child is entrapped in this cycle, we parents must get them out fast.

Teen angst is part of growing up, but one event leads to another unless you intervene.

There is a growing trends everywhere, and these trends will reveal different tell-tale signs on whether a child is led astray. You will only notice these subtle behavior if you pay more attention in raising your kids.

In today’s society when we parents are more concerned in providing for our family, we must spare more time and effort in our children. They are our life and soul, and we must guide them to be more responsible in their own lives and others.

Teaching a child is no longer like the past, even though the old saying “Spare the rod and spoil the child” still bears some logical approval in some of us. Proper parental guidance is more about influencing, guiding and communication.

We parents must set a close example of what we want our children to be be. We guide them through the paths of values and beliefs, that we hold so strongly. We are their role models and our influence on them is immeasurable. However our influential power will be tested in their growing up years, and that is inevitable. We parents must learn to adapt ways that will best guide them, and every way is a different challenge.

Communication among parents and children is never an easier task. We have sudden mood swings and these will affect our communication with them. A disruptive domestic quarrel will have an impact on children, and while we are in the midst of our anger, our children may be watching and experiencing fear. This fear may grow silently within a child in their growing up years.

from ”CHILLING AND KILLING: Street Gangs in America” by Dr.H. Lynn Russell, Ph.D.

1. Remember that children want, need, and expect clear limits on their activities.

• Establish clear, fair, and reasonable boundaries, rules, and expectations.
• Set consequences for violations.
• Do the right thing for your child, even if it hurts you to do so.
• Do not yield to protests such as “But, Mom, everybody gets to do that!” (Answer: “Then you will be the exception.”)
• Make the call; you are the parent.
• Stick to your decisions.
• Do not try to be the “nice guy”; it makes a mockery of your disciplinary efforts in your child’s eyes.

2. Do not allow children to attend or host unsupervised activities, especially parties

• Give your child a touchstone rule by which to live and judge situations when you are not present to guide him, such as:
• Be where you are supposed to be…
• When you are supposed to be…
• With whom you are supposed to be…
• Doing what you are supposed to be doing.

3. Develop open lines of communication with your child.

• Talk and listen frequently, openly, and positively.
• Use humor whenever possible.
• Spend time with your child; keep him busy and occupied.
• Assign home responsibilities.
• Involve him in after-school activities.
• Eliminate “just hanging out” time with friends.
• If your child attends an activity, know when, where, what, and with whom he will be at all times.
• Be certain that reliable adult supervision is present at activities.
• Take him to church, children’s, and youth activities.
• Help him find, work at, and learn from an after-school job.
• Participate in your child’s education; attend his events.
• Emphasize that school and grades are important.

4. Considering your child’s level of maturity, responsibility, and truthfulness, establish a reasonable curfew for weekend and holiday evening activities, such as:

• No later than 9:00 – 10:00 for children under 16.
• No later than 10:00 – 11:00 for children under 17.
• No later than 11:00 – 12:00 for children under 18.

5. Know your child’s friends.

• Meet his friends, especially if he does not want you to meet them.
• Find out what they look like, talk about, how they spend their free time.
• Try to ascertain what influence they have over him.
• Meet and interact with their parents.

6. Discourage your child from any involvement with gangs by:

• Discussing the negatives of gang affiliation.
• Stressing that gangs are dangerous.
• Convincing him that he is an important part of the family.
• Teaching him your values.

7. Ask questions about gang activity.

• Do you know what gangs are, and what they do?
• Are there any gangs at your school or in the community?
• Do you know any gang members?
• Has a gang ever approached you in any way?
• Are you in a gang?

8. Teach your child what to do if gang members approach him/her.

• Do not respond to gang contacts.
• Do not make eye contact.
• Do not be around gang members or in gang areas at any time.
• Best response is just to walk away.

9. Warn your child he must not:

• Attempt, even in jest or play, ‘false flagging’ (display by non-gang member of any kind of
• gang signing, language or symbol).
• Wear gang-related clothing.
• Draw, write, or practice gang writing, gang names, or graffiti; especially on or in:
• Books
• Notebooks
• Paper
• Clothes
• Book bags
• His own body
• Other belongings
• Rooms
• Anywhere!

10. Watch for changes indicating gang involvement.

• Behavior
• Has diminishing grades, poor attendance, and behavior problems.
• Drops out of family, school, sports, church, and other activities.
• Shows interest in gangster-influenced music, behavior, writing, talking.
• Imitates or affects gang attitude, writing, symbols, signs, behavior, clothes.
• Shows signs of use of alcohol and other drugs.
• Has an abrupt change in personality, behavior, and overall attitude.
• Demonstrates violent behavior or threatens violent behavior.
• Develops an interest in guns and other weapons.
• Carries a weapon, or is obsessed with weapons.
• Begins to develop streetwise vocabulary, behavior.
• Evidences hatred of other groups or persons for no apparent reason.
• Develops unusual desire for privacy and secrecy.
• Rearranges room or living quarters to create more privacy.
• Is arrested, or friends or associates are arrested.
• Does everything to the left or right (‘orientation’).
• Says he is “hanging around,” but does not explain.
• Possesses gang literature.
• Possesses photographs showing gang games, gang slogans, gang insignias, or gang activities.
• Becomes defiant toward authority, often violent toward parents, teachers, others.
• Brags about or struts about his new gang status.
• Eager to gain reputation of being “bad”; fights willingly, unnecessarily.
• Often is not where he/she supposed to be.
• Sneaks out of house.
• Often spends evenings away from home without permission.
• Symbols
• Wears personal property with gang symbols.
• Has gang tattoos.
• Has new haircut with stripes or patterns cut into hair.
• Writes or draws gang graffiti on notebooks or belongings.
• Has gang photographs, books, posters, and graffiti in bedroom, especially on bedroom walls.
• Dress
• Seems obsessed with just one or two particular colors of clothing; will wear no other colors.
• Wears gang clothing, styles, colors.
• Wears belt buckle or other accessory with initial not his own.
• Favors one particular professional team logo or uniform.
• Wears sagging pants.
• Affects gang dress.
• Wears all clothes, jewelry, and other accessories “repping” to the left or the right.
• Wears head covering, hood, bandana, etc., with gang colors or repping to one side.
• Has gang symbols inside cap or on underside of brim.
• Wears belt buckle, sometimes military style buckle, with initial not his own.
• Money, Jewelry
• Wears excessive jewelry with distinctive designs or with gang symbols.
• Wears beads in same color as clothes.
• Affects right or left orientation in jewelry, colors, other items. (Does everything to right or left.)
• Suddenly possesses unexplained cash, clothing, jewelry, and other items.
• Showers wealth on friends, family.
• Has newly acquired or unexplained wealth, often showered on or shared with friends.
• Frequently requests to borrow money.
• Physical Changes
• Has unexplained physical injuries (such as being beaten), or lies about events surrounding the injuries.
• Has injuries to body, but not to face. (Injuries inflicted during gang initiations are often deliberately on the recruit’s body so they will be less obvious than injuries to the face and other exposed areas.)
• Appears proud of injuries.
• Has peculiar drawings or language on personal belongings or on body.
• Has a tattoo or ‘brand.’
• Affects a particular hairstyle common to a few.
• Has gang signs cut into hair.
• Head shaved, bald, or hair extremely short.
• Has slashes cut into eyebrows.
• Shows changes in physical appearance.
• Often drowsy, eyes red, swollen, speech blurred.
• Family
• Withdraws from family.
• Becomes increasingly defiant.
• Breaks family rules.
• Refers to new friends as ‘family.’
• Friends
• Undesirable friends and associates replace previous desirable friends and associates.
• New friends either do not visit or are secretive when they do.
• Are usually males with unusual, unexplained first names.
• New friends all wear same colors, sports clothing; indicate gang affiliation in other ways.
• Attend functions sponsored or attended by known gang members.
• Loiter, ride, meet, or hang out with gang members.
• Have undesirable influences with/from unknown sources, have negative role models.
• Are streetwise, anti-social, hostile, aggressive.
• Lack respect for parents; break parental and school rules consistently.
• Have loose family ties, inadequate family attention and supervision.
• Are victims of abuse or neglect.
• Often are from economically/socially deprived backgrounds.
• Have low or diminishing grades, poor attendance, or are dropouts

• Communicate and send messages
• Declare the gang’s existence and presence in the community
• Identify the gang
• Communicate territorial limits and mark turf to define area claimed by the gang
• Claim affiliation with other gangs
• Advertise and glorify the gang and its exploits
• Issue challenges and announce warnings of future acts and retaliation
• Show disrespect to enemy gangs