LiveLaughLuv
03-25-2009, 10:03 AM
Gang Activity: What You Can Do To Curb It
What Is A Criminal Street Gang?
1. A formal/informal ongoing organization/association/group that has one of ]its primary activities as the commission of criminal or delinquent acts. A gang consists of 3 or more persons who have a common name or identifying signs, colors, or symbols and have two or more members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal street gang activity.
Criminal Gangs:
1. Prevalent in America since its beginning. The drastic changes in the American lifestyle, during the Industrial Revolution, gave rise to the modern American gang.
2. The spread of gang activity has gone from large metropolitan areas to suburbia and now to the rural areas.
3. Youth gang activity grew dramatically between 1970 and 1990s. The number of Florida counties reporting youth gang activity rose 23% between 1970 and 1995 ranking Florida as 4th in the nation for gang problems.
4. Most gang activity has been in central and south Florida, but over the past 3 years has increased significantly into northwest Florida.
5. Currently, Florida ranks #1 in the nation for the most gang growth.
6. Currently, there are 1500 identified criminal gangs in Florida.
7. Criminal gangs pose a threat to the safety and security of Floridians.
8. Gang growth is not only in the poor or urban sections of Florida. It is spread across all demographic and social economic lines.
9. In spite of gang growth, many people continue to deny gang presence in their neighborhoods.
10.The cost to Florida for gang-related crime is about $132 million/yr.
11.Through education and other preventive measures, the reduction in gang activity can be achieved.
Kids Targeted to Join a Gang/Recruitment
1. Seen as easy prey; more gullible
2. Part of a single parent home with little or no parental control
3. Grow up in neighborhoods with gangs; exposed to the gang lifestyle by family and friends.
4. Exposure to the gang lifestyle through media/movies/music. Idols such as Snoop Dog, Tupac, Ice Cube, Ice-T etc.)
5. Recruitment: Gang members use the internet (MySpace.com, Youtube.com, etc.) to establish territory, spread their culture and recruit potential members. In some areas in the nation, gang members attempt to recruit from middle schools and even elementary schools.
Why Do Kids Join Gangs?
1. Attention and notoriety
2. Money or power or both
3. For a sense of belonging or family they may not have.
4. Desire for material possessions
5. Recognition/fear/protection
Types of Gangs/Gang Membership
1. There are many gangs throughout the nation. Many are well organized and well established.
2. There are basically two “nations” that separate the different gangs. They are “Folk” and “People.”
3. Some gangs: Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Nortenos, Los Solidos, Aryan Nation, MS 13, Los Sorenos, Gangster Deciples
4. Membership: Initiation into a gang can entail beatings of a new member by other members and even a request for the new member to take someone’s life. (MS 13 gang members beat a new member for 13 seconds as part of their initiation)
Gang Communication
1. Graffiti (defines a gang and their turf/publicizes news about them)
2. Hand Signs (Identifies the gang, forms of greeting, criminal intent)
3. Tatoos (Identifies the gang, shows story or life)
4. Dress (Identifies the gang: specific colors, jewelry, bandanas, etc.)
5. Symbols: 3,5,6 pointed crown, pitchforks, playboy bunnies, swastika or reversed swastika, gothic/bubble-style/block style writing, Number 13/X13/XII/F13, any writing combining numbers and letters.
6. Colors: red, red and black, red and white (Bloods); blue, blue and white (Crips and MS 13); red and blue (new outlaw gang-TNS); black and gold or yellow
Gang Related Crimes
1. Petit theft; criminal mischief; burglary; auto theft; assault; extortion
2. Narcotics trafficking
3. Homicide/Drive-by shootings (some for initiation purposes)
Gang Wanna-be’s
1. Wanna-be’s should be considered dangerous because a wanna-be is a gonna-be.
2. Kids are intrigued by this type of lifestyle.
3. Kids have more to prove
4. Some wanna-be’s are from high scale neighborhoods, not poor areas
When Gangs Move Into Your Neighborhood
1. Decrease in property value
2. Increase in crime; increase in violence
3. Increase in gang related Graffiti
4. At School: increase in fights, violence, crime and graffiti
Warning Signs That a Child May Be Involved With a Gang
1. Shows signs of being beaten or unexplained physical injuries
2. Has unexplained cash/new clothing/jewelry
3. Exhibits tattoos, gang symbols on books/clothes
4. Exhibits unusual interest in gangster type movies/music/web sites
5. Exhibits signs of drug use
6. Stays out late without reason
7. Hangs with kids in gangs
8. Carries a weapon; has been in trouble with police
9. Declining school attendance/performance/behavior
10.Withdraws from family; displays a desire for secrecy; breaks rules
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Gang Involvement
1. Get involved in your child’s school activities, sports, etc.
2. Know the kids your child hangs out with; know their parents
3. Spend quality time with your child
4. Talk openly to your child about drugs/gangs/consequences etc.
5. Teach your child on how to cope with peer pressure
6. Be a positive role model and set a good example
7. Teach your child conflict/resolution skills
8. Encourage your child to participate in after school activities that have adult supervision
Be Aware….
1. There are documented gang members here in Santa Rosa County who attend county schools.
2. Members of the “Crips”/“MS 13” and other known gangs are known to be in surrounding counties to Santa Rosa.
3. Gang members have come to the area via families displaced by hurricanes and through some of the MS 13 migrant construction workers
4. Watch out for graffiti on walls, signs, over passes or buildings.
5. Understand that gangs want a stronghold anywhere they can get one; are moving from urban areas to rural ones; are often tied to organized crime.
6. Don’t be in denial that gang activity is everywhere else, but not here.
7. Educate everyone you know on what to look for in terms of gang activity or potential activity.
What Is A Criminal Street Gang?
1. A formal/informal ongoing organization/association/group that has one of ]its primary activities as the commission of criminal or delinquent acts. A gang consists of 3 or more persons who have a common name or identifying signs, colors, or symbols and have two or more members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal street gang activity.
Criminal Gangs:
1. Prevalent in America since its beginning. The drastic changes in the American lifestyle, during the Industrial Revolution, gave rise to the modern American gang.
2. The spread of gang activity has gone from large metropolitan areas to suburbia and now to the rural areas.
3. Youth gang activity grew dramatically between 1970 and 1990s. The number of Florida counties reporting youth gang activity rose 23% between 1970 and 1995 ranking Florida as 4th in the nation for gang problems.
4. Most gang activity has been in central and south Florida, but over the past 3 years has increased significantly into northwest Florida.
5. Currently, Florida ranks #1 in the nation for the most gang growth.
6. Currently, there are 1500 identified criminal gangs in Florida.
7. Criminal gangs pose a threat to the safety and security of Floridians.
8. Gang growth is not only in the poor or urban sections of Florida. It is spread across all demographic and social economic lines.
9. In spite of gang growth, many people continue to deny gang presence in their neighborhoods.
10.The cost to Florida for gang-related crime is about $132 million/yr.
11.Through education and other preventive measures, the reduction in gang activity can be achieved.
Kids Targeted to Join a Gang/Recruitment
1. Seen as easy prey; more gullible
2. Part of a single parent home with little or no parental control
3. Grow up in neighborhoods with gangs; exposed to the gang lifestyle by family and friends.
4. Exposure to the gang lifestyle through media/movies/music. Idols such as Snoop Dog, Tupac, Ice Cube, Ice-T etc.)
5. Recruitment: Gang members use the internet (MySpace.com, Youtube.com, etc.) to establish territory, spread their culture and recruit potential members. In some areas in the nation, gang members attempt to recruit from middle schools and even elementary schools.
Why Do Kids Join Gangs?
1. Attention and notoriety
2. Money or power or both
3. For a sense of belonging or family they may not have.
4. Desire for material possessions
5. Recognition/fear/protection
Types of Gangs/Gang Membership
1. There are many gangs throughout the nation. Many are well organized and well established.
2. There are basically two “nations” that separate the different gangs. They are “Folk” and “People.”
3. Some gangs: Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Nortenos, Los Solidos, Aryan Nation, MS 13, Los Sorenos, Gangster Deciples
4. Membership: Initiation into a gang can entail beatings of a new member by other members and even a request for the new member to take someone’s life. (MS 13 gang members beat a new member for 13 seconds as part of their initiation)
Gang Communication
1. Graffiti (defines a gang and their turf/publicizes news about them)
2. Hand Signs (Identifies the gang, forms of greeting, criminal intent)
3. Tatoos (Identifies the gang, shows story or life)
4. Dress (Identifies the gang: specific colors, jewelry, bandanas, etc.)
5. Symbols: 3,5,6 pointed crown, pitchforks, playboy bunnies, swastika or reversed swastika, gothic/bubble-style/block style writing, Number 13/X13/XII/F13, any writing combining numbers and letters.
6. Colors: red, red and black, red and white (Bloods); blue, blue and white (Crips and MS 13); red and blue (new outlaw gang-TNS); black and gold or yellow
Gang Related Crimes
1. Petit theft; criminal mischief; burglary; auto theft; assault; extortion
2. Narcotics trafficking
3. Homicide/Drive-by shootings (some for initiation purposes)
Gang Wanna-be’s
1. Wanna-be’s should be considered dangerous because a wanna-be is a gonna-be.
2. Kids are intrigued by this type of lifestyle.
3. Kids have more to prove
4. Some wanna-be’s are from high scale neighborhoods, not poor areas
When Gangs Move Into Your Neighborhood
1. Decrease in property value
2. Increase in crime; increase in violence
3. Increase in gang related Graffiti
4. At School: increase in fights, violence, crime and graffiti
Warning Signs That a Child May Be Involved With a Gang
1. Shows signs of being beaten or unexplained physical injuries
2. Has unexplained cash/new clothing/jewelry
3. Exhibits tattoos, gang symbols on books/clothes
4. Exhibits unusual interest in gangster type movies/music/web sites
5. Exhibits signs of drug use
6. Stays out late without reason
7. Hangs with kids in gangs
8. Carries a weapon; has been in trouble with police
9. Declining school attendance/performance/behavior
10.Withdraws from family; displays a desire for secrecy; breaks rules
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Gang Involvement
1. Get involved in your child’s school activities, sports, etc.
2. Know the kids your child hangs out with; know their parents
3. Spend quality time with your child
4. Talk openly to your child about drugs/gangs/consequences etc.
5. Teach your child on how to cope with peer pressure
6. Be a positive role model and set a good example
7. Teach your child conflict/resolution skills
8. Encourage your child to participate in after school activities that have adult supervision
Be Aware….
1. There are documented gang members here in Santa Rosa County who attend county schools.
2. Members of the “Crips”/“MS 13” and other known gangs are known to be in surrounding counties to Santa Rosa.
3. Gang members have come to the area via families displaced by hurricanes and through some of the MS 13 migrant construction workers
4. Watch out for graffiti on walls, signs, over passes or buildings.
5. Understand that gangs want a stronghold anywhere they can get one; are moving from urban areas to rural ones; are often tied to organized crime.
6. Don’t be in denial that gang activity is everywhere else, but not here.
7. Educate everyone you know on what to look for in terms of gang activity or potential activity.