1. GANGS

2. What is a Gang?
“A formal or informal ongoing organization, association, or group that has as one of its primary activities the commission of criminal or delinquent acts, and that consists of three or more persons who have a common name or common 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.” (1)

3. Gangs in the US An estimated 24,500 gangs exist in the US
772, 500 active gang members
Mostly males ages 15-17
Cities with emerging gang problems report more females and more mixed race/ethnic groups than those with long term gang problems
2000 Youth Gang Survey

4. Characteristics of Florida Gangs
Characteristics of Hispanic Gangs
Characteristics of Florida Gangs
Generally modeled after LA gangs
Loosely organized
Turf oriented
Graffiti
Colors
Hand signs

7. Graffiti

10. Getting In
Jumped in
“Everybody sets the rules: not to hit in the face and to wrestle. The 1st person on the ground –that was it. You don’t continue fighting.”

11. Why join? What are the pressures that push youth towards gangs?
What does a gang have to offer our youth?
What important needs are being met through gang membership?

12. When does it start?

13. What are the pressures that push youth towards gangs?
Family, Peer
Community, School
Individual

14. Impoverished Communities
Chronic unemployment or underemployment
Drugs and weapons easily available
Gangs, Crime and violence become “normalized”
Institutionalized prejudice/racism

15. Family Stress Unstable/broken home Economic instability
Low educational attainment & expectations
Alcoholism/drug abuse
Family members in gang
Parent/sibling criminality
Neglect
Violence
Verbal, physical, sexual abuse
“I never get along with my father…he used to beat my mom, you know. And I didn't like that stuff and I used to fight with my dad too. I used to fight him too when I seen my mom fighting with him. When I was real skinny and tiny he used to grab me from my throat and put me down on the floor like nothing...like a piece of trash”. - Cristopher

16. Impoverished Schools Under-funded, under-staffed, under-resourced
Disorganized
Limited enrichment courses
Zero-tolerance policy

17. Developmental Theory of Gang Membership
Community, Family, Individual, School, Peer Domains
Preschool
Aggression, defiance
School entry
Aggression, defiance, conduct disorder, negative early school experience, lack of pro-social peer group
Adolescence
Low educational achievement, lack of school bonding, aggression, defiance, violence, delinquency, gang membership

18. What does the gang offer?
Money: “I used to poor, real poor. I used to be wanting to have the money because when you be having the money people be respecting you.”
Fun: “You chill with all your friends, go to parties, you got a rack of girls”
Girls
Escape: “Problems at home”
Power: ”Nobody touch you”
Respect: “You don’t be scared of nobody”
Protection
Fame
Escape - the number one reason young people tell me that they join gangs is to get away from problems at home. Often, these kids would rather sleep in the streets than go home.
Power - another way of saying ‘the ability to instill fear’, not only in school and in the neighborhood, but also in family members. One gang member told me that his stepfather used to beat him and his mom all the time. Until he joined the gang. Power.
Respect - goes along with power. Peers, residents, family members have to show respect. Disrespect is a common instigator of violence.
Protection - From other gangs in the neighborhood, bullies. Many gangs in immigrant communities form out of protection, often their ethnic group is the minority in their schools and communities.
Fame - Ah, how many of us didn’t want to be famous when we were young? For many of these young people, there is a deep need for recognition. Crazy or violent behavior quickly builds a reputation.
Money - Very important. The majority of gang involved youth come from impoverished communities where there is little economic opportunities for them. Drug selling, theft, robberies yield much more money than flipping burger at the local fast food joint. Fun - Many of these kids have nothing to do. Girls!

19. What needs are met by gang membership?
Love and acceptance
Structure
Esteem and self worth
Empowerment
Status
Support
Recognition
A sense of belonging and commitment
The need for unique/special identity
collective identity/group membership
individual identity
“So I said, ‘what the hell, I’m in the street. I ain’t doing shit. I ain’t worth shit. Let me change my life around’...So I started selling that crazy shit [cocaine]. Then I got more into the gangs because then I had money, clothes. I became a member of La Raza. I was the man then…nice clothes, nice perfume, Versace and shit”. - Chino

20. Profile of a Gang Member
Apathetic/Fatalistic
Limited education
Criminal past
Substance use
No work history
Teenage parent
Weak family bonds/support
Tattooed
Dialogue/mannerisms

21. Strategies appropriate for developmental stages
Window of opportunity – ages 7-14
FFT, MST, Strengthening Families Program
Intensive case management
Academic enrichment/tutoring
Mentoring
Pro-social peer groups – recreation, skill building

22. Strategies appropriate for developmental stages
Ages – Patience and Tenacity
Street outreach & intensive case management that is long term & consistent
Multidisciplinary Intervention Team
Opportunities provision – Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

23. Outreach Street Outreach Case management Court Mediation
Crisis response
Community service
Referrals

24. Multidisciplinary Intervention Team
Outreach Worker & Intervention Specialist
Juvenile Probation Officers
Trust Counselor - NMB Senior High
Asst. Principal - JFK Middle
NMB Police Dept - Gang Unit
Dept. Children & Families
GUESS Program Case Managers
Dade School Police

25. Online Resources National Youth Gang Center http://www.iir.com/nygc/
National Gang Crime Resource Center
National Alliance of Gang Investigators Association
Florida Gang Investigator Association
Gangs Or Us
The Coroner's Report