How to Tell If Your Child is in a Gang

Every time you turn on the news, it seems a gang member has been involved in a drive-by shooting or armed robbery. It is a scary thought that your child may one day be a member of one of these gangs. Some gangs, like the Crips and Latin Kings, are known for being more dangerous than others, but all gangs are dangerous, no matter how small.

Gangs are everywhere. They are found in all 50 states, and their members can be found in housing projects and million-dollar mansions alike. Gangs know no socioeconomic boundaries. There are many statistics regarding gangs, but the general consensus is that there are about 31,000 gangs in the Unites States alone, with over 850,000 members. Could your child be one of these statistics?

Instructions

1. Pay attention to your child when he speaks to you or his friends. If he is using gang slang, it is a telltale sign he may be in a gang. Also beware if he becomes suddenly obsessed with watching gang-themed movies.

2. Be concerned if your child starts to wear dark blue or black clothing or blue bandannas; most gangs wear dark colors.

3. Watch for the wearing of gold or silver chains with dollar signs; it's not necessarily a sign of gang activity, but it may be a harbinger of it.

4. Watch for secretive behavior. Gang members, especially kids who still live at home, take drastic measures so their parents won't discover they're in a gang. They will hide in their closets any item that has a gang association. Some may even go as far as putting a lock on their bedroom door. Never, under any circumstances, allow your child to lock her door. This is dangerous in case of fire or another emergency.

5. Consider this scenario: Ever since childhood, you son has been friends with Billy and John. All of a sudden, Billy and John have been replaced by Matt and Tom, whom you have never met. This is a big red flag, because if your child is involved in a gang, his newfound friends likely are, as well.

6. Observe sudden signs of affluence. Say your child has no job and gets $5 a week for an allowance. One day, she comes home with a brand new iPod. She says her friend gave it to her, or that she found it. That's another red flag. Here's another: You are doing laundry on a Saturday afternoon and you find $100 in your child's jeans pocket. Find out where he got it.

7. Look for declining grades. Perhaps your daughter has been a straight "A" student since she started middle school. She is now a junior in high school, and she is barely passing her classes. This may be because she is indeed in a gang, and it is taking up her study time.

Tips & Warnings

• Every once in a while, check your child's room to see if you can find anything out of the ordinary, such as expensive items, large amounts of cash or gang clothing. Ask your child who the friends are that he is hanging around with. If they are new friends, insist on meeting them before your child heads out the door to hang out with them. Call the school periodically and talk to your child's teachers. Ask what her grades are, if she is having behavior problems in school, and if her work is up-to-date and complete.

• Gang members usually resort to violence against rival gang members, and sometimes even turn on their own members. Gang members are normally involved in drugs and alcohol. Gang activity breeds lawlessness. A kid doesn't simply say he wants to be in a gang and find himself automatically accepted. He usually has to do something criminal to get in.