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Explore the characteristics of gang members, different roles within gangs, and the risks associated with belonging to a gang. Learn strategies to avoid gangs and understand why some teens become anti-gang members.
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What You’ll Learn 1. Discuss characteristics of gang members. 2. Identify different roles of gang members. 3. Discuss reasons why it is risky to belong to a gang. 4. Explain how a gang can cause conflict in schools, families, and communities.
What You’ll Learn 5. Analyze why teens join gangs. 6. Analyze and apply strategies to avoid gangs. 7. Explain how a teen who belongs to a gang can leave the gang. 8. Discuss reasons why some teens have become anti-gang gang members.
Key Terms • gang • hard-core gang member • regular gang member • wanna-be • could-be • prestige crime • jumping-in • anti-gang gang
Recognizing Gangs • A gang is a group of people involved in violent and illegal activities. • Gang members live in big cities, small cities, suburban, and rural areas, and come from families who have different income levels. • Most gang members have some common characteristics.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members band together as a group. • Gang members hang out only with other gang members. • Gang members play specific roles. • Gangs have clear structures. • A hard-core gang member is a senior gang member who has the most influence. • A regular gang member is a gang member who belongs to the gang and obeys hard-core gang members.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members play specific roles. • A wanna-be is a child or teen who is not a gang member, but who may wear gang clothing and engage in violent or criminal behavior because he or she wants to be a gang member. • A could-be is a child or teen who is interested in belonging to a gang.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members follow specific rules. • Gangs have strict rules for the behavior of gang members. • These rules are set by the hard-core gang members. • There are harsh consequences for gang members who break the rules.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members operate within a territory and refer to this territory as their “turf.” • Gang members may injure and kill people, including members of other gangs, who trespass on their turf. • Gang members may draw graffiti on buildings to let others know it is their turf.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members identify themselves with certain colors, types of clothing, or tattoos. • They may choose one specific color to wear or one particular item of clothing to wear, such as colored shoelaces. • Gang members may get tattoos to identify themselves as members of the gang for life.
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members have their own vocabulary, logos, and signals. • Gang members invent code words and ways to identify themselves as members of the gang, such as hand signals and handshakes, and graffiti, also called “tagging.”
How to Recognize Gangs • Gang members identify themselves by nicknames. • When people join gangs they are given a nickname, or street name, to disguise the gang member when he or she is involved in illegal activity.
Why Gangs Are Risky • Belonging to a gang is risky. • Belonging to a gang often means that a gang member will have enemies. • Gang rivalry results in fighting, homicide, and other acts of violence. • Gang members have sought revenge against rival gang members for insults, “trespassing” on gang turf, and personal disputes.
Why It Is Risky to Belong to a Gang • Revenge • If gang members feel they have been insulted or cheated they may seek revenge. • Revenge might include an assault or a drive-by shooting. • Family members of gang members are at risk as well, since gang members often retaliate against the family members of rival gang members. • Gang members often carry weapons to protect themselves.
Why It Is Risky to Belong to a Gang • Crimes • Gang members might commit crimes to gain respect from other gang members. • A prestige crime is a crime committed to gain status from other gang members in the gang. • A gang member might assault another gang member, participate in a drive-by shooting, or steal in an effort to establish a tough reputation.
Why It Is Risky to Belong to a Gang • Violence • Gang members also participate in violence against their own gang members. • Gang members who do not follow orders are beaten.
Why It Is Risky to Belong to a Gang • Initiation • Teens who want to join a gang must go through an initiation period to prove they are “worthy” of gang membership. • Teens who are going through initiation often commit the most serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, or beating up or killing rival gang members.
Why It Is Risky to Belong to a Gang • Initiation • Jumping-in is an initiation rite in which the potential gang member is beaten by gang members. • Initiation for females might involve being “sexed-in,” or raped by one or more male gang members. • Sometimes, after a teen completes the initiation activities, they refuse the teen membership into the gang.
Why Teens Join Gangs • There are many reasons teens give for joining gangs. • Teens might think gangs will provide something that they are lacking in their lives, or that gangs will provide a way to escape other problems.
Myths About Gangs • I feel left out and the gang will help me feel like I belong. • Gangs may appear to be close-knit groups that offer a teen security and excitement. • Gang leaders believe they own their members and can use them to do whatever they want. • Gang members who break a rule might be injured or killed.
Myths About Gangs • I can escape family problems by being in a gang. • Many gang members have been raised in homes with unstable families in which there is physical abuse, sexual abuse, drug abuse, and neglect. • Teens who think about joining a gang believe they will be escaping the abuse; however, these same abusive behaviors exist among gang members.
Myths About Gangs • I can get money for the things I want by being involved in gang activities. • Teens may be attracted to gangs by the opportunity to earn money to help their families, but gang members make their money from drug trafficking, stealing, and other illegal activities. • Gang members are more likely to get a criminal record from these activities than to make money and also are at high risk of dropping out of school.
Myths About Gangs • I get protection from gang members. • Gang members might offer to protect a member from others. • Once a teen is a member of a gang, the risk of harm and threats from others is greatly increased. • Involvement in drug trafficking and criminal activity, and assault from gang members and rival gangs increases the risk of being harmed.
Protecting Yourself • It is risky to belong to a gang. • Tell a parent, guardian, or responsible adult if you are pressured to join a gang. • If a teen is involved in a gang, they may think there is no way out however, teens who are involved in gangs can leave.
How a Gang Member Can Leave a Gang • Leaving a gang isn’t easy and may put the teens or their family members at risk for harm by gang members. • Many teens have successfully left gangs and started lives without gangs, violence, and fear. • Law enforcement officers and community gang counselors have helped protect many gang members who wanted to leave their gangs. • The best way to avoid having to leave a gang is not to join one in the first place.
How a Gang Member Can Leave a Gang • Safety in numbers • Some teens who live in communities in which there are gangs have formed anti-gang gangs. • An anti-gang gang is a group of teens who stick together to avoid pressure and to protect themselves from gang members. • The goal of anti-gang gangs is for teens to continue with daily activities without being pressured or threatened by gang members.
How a Gang Member Can Leave a Gang How to Protect Yourself from Gangs Avoiding gangs and gang members will help protect you from violence. • Stay away from gang members and avoid gang turf and places where gang activity takes place. •Be aware of gang colors in your community and in nearby communities. • Avoid alcohol and drugs. •Do not stay out late at night. • Do not listen to music that supports gang activities. • Do not write graffiti. • Spend time with family members and mentors. • Obey laws and respect authority.
7E Study Guide 1. Identify the following statements as true or false. _______ Gangs have strict rules for the behavior of members set by the hard-core gang members. _______ Most gangs exist in inner-city communities. _______ The best way to avoid having to leave a gang is to contact a law enforcement officer. _______ Gang members who do not follow orders are beaten. true false false true
7E Study Guide 2. What are three examples of crimes a teen might commit during initiation into a gang? Teens who are going through initiation often commit the most serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, weapons dealing, robbery, beating up other people, drive-by shootings, or beating up or killing rival gang members.
Study Guide 3. How do gang members often identify themselves? Gang member often identify themselves with certain colors, types of clothing, or tattoos.
Lesson Resources tx.healthmh.com/gangs tx.healthmh.com/study_guide
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