Gang Prevention

Gang prevention starts at home but needs to be incorporated in schools and neighborhoods.
What Parents Can Do:
Be a positive role model. Do everything possible to involve your children in supervised, positive group activities. Praise your children for doing well and encourage them to do their very best. Get to know your children’s friends and their parents. Set limits for your children, and enforce them. Do not allow your children to dress in gang-style clothing, to practice gang hand signs, or to write gang graffiti on any surface, including their bodies. Know where your children are at all times, and schedule activities to occupy their free time. Get involved in your children’s education, and encourage them to stay in school.   Be active in the PTA. Teach your children to set positive goals, to hold high standards, and to prepare for a positive future. Explain to your children that only a very small percentage of youth join gangs. Help your children to understand the natural consequences of being involved in a gang. The more connected a child is with family, school, community, and positive activities, the less likely he or she will be attracted to gangs.

What Schools Can Do:
Identify at-risk students and students who are already gang members.   Encourage them to participate in sports, drama, music, art, and other positive activities that will increase their confidence and sense of belonging. Don’t allow anyone to wear gang clothing, paraphernalia, or other items associated with gang activity at school; don’t permit gang hand signals. Photograph and remove all graffiti from the school grounds and property. Promote after school programs that address the prevention of violence. Work with parents, counselors, School Resource Officers, and school personnel to determine when intervention is necessary and what steps should be taken. Ensure that gang and drug prevention are part of the curricula, and present gang and drug awareness programs to parents.

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