gang violence prevention

You are commissioned to speak to your local community about gang violence prevention. The forum would also discuss the family’s role in preventing gang-related problems in children.

Create a 5- to 7-page informational report for community distribution that includes answers to the following questions:

• Why do juveniles join gangs?
• What are some social characteristics (psychological profile) commonly associated with an individual involved in a gang? Describe these characteristics.
• What can parents do to help their children stay clear of gangs?
• What should parents do if they find out their children are involved in gang activity?
• How can the community and schools help prevent juveniles’ involvement in gang activity?
• Research resources (hotlines, websites, etc.) for parents to contact if their children are involved in gang activities. Describe the kind of information and resources available to parents, provided by such contacts.
• What approaches are the best for addressing prevention and helping kids get out of gang membership? To best illustrate your response, provide an example of one such approach utilized by a community program or delinquency prevention program.

Support your responses with examples.

For more information on gang violence, visit the RESOURCES section of the website of the National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations.