| While youth gangs are nothing new --
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| | from drug trades)How to Keep Your Kids
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| they've been traced back to the early
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| | Away From GangsSince most kids who join
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| 19th century -- the demographic of a
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| | gangs do so because they are looking for
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| youth gang is something that is
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| | a social network, for a group to belong
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| constantly changing. Many people
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| | to, ensuring that your child gets plenty
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| stereotype gang members as urban, inner
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| | of love and support at home and through
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| city males from racial minorities, but in
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| | positive activities is key in keeping
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| fact gangs are a problem in suburbs as
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| | them away from gangs.Such was the case
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| well as cities, for all races and for
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| | with David Danisa, a young man who could
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| girls as well as boys.There are about
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| | have easily fallen prey to gangs himself
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| 750,000 gang members in the United
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| | as friends around him joined steadily.
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| States, according to estimates by the
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| | Instead, Danisa and friend Jurell Spivey
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| U.S. Department of Justice, and one-third
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| | joined school programs and even got
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| of them are under the age of 18. And
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| | involved into keeping younger kids out of
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| while it's still true that men account
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| | gangs."There's a lot of pressures in high
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| for the majority of gang members-more
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| | school," says Danisa. "If you have people
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| than 90 percent are male-gang membership
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| | who are helping you out in programs, you
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| among women is becoming increasingly
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| | start having more self-respect. You can
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| common.What Exactly is a Gang?Every gang
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| | fight through the hard stuff." And, to
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| has its own requirements and
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| | put is simply, after your day gets filled
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| characteristics, but the U.S. Department
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| | up with sports, volunteering and other
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| of Justice says that all gangs have one
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| | activities, "You don't have time to do
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| thing in common: "A group must be
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| | anything bad," Danisa said.Aside from
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| involved in a pattern of criminal acts to
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| | enrolling your kids in community or
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| be considered a youth gang."Similarly,
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| | school youth programs from an early age,
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| the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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| | the following tips can also help:*
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| defines a gang as, "A criminal enterprise
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| | Encourage your child to think
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| having an organizational structure,
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| | independently* Take an active
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| acting as a continuing criminal
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| | interest in his/her life: Be involved!*
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| conspiracy, which employs violence and
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| | Get to know your child's friends and
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| any other criminal activity to sustain
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| | encourage healthy friendships* Teach
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| the enterprise."Additionally, gangs
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| | your child coping strategies to deal with
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| typically:* Develop around racial
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| | hard times* Support your child with
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| and ethnic lines* Are typically
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| | words and actions to instill in them a
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| male-dominated with some female members,
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| | sense of self-esteem and personal
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| though female gangs are on the increase*
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| | responsibility* Discourage too much
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| Center on a specific territory*
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| | exposure to media influences that glorify
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| Act as an organization that may be part
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| | drugs, sex, gangs and violence to
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| of a larger group* Display symbols
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| | kidsResources That Can HelpIf you suspect
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| associated with their gang through
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| | your child, friend or family member is in
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| clothing, tattoos, graffiti, hand signals
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| | a gang and in need of help, there are
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| and languageWhy do Kids Join
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| | many resources available. First,
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| Gangs?According to a White House fact
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| | according to the Los Angeles' County
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| sheet for the new youth initiative aimed
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| | Sheriff's Department:* The member
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| at protecting America's youth from gangs,
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| | must think and believe that they can get
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| an overwhelming number of violent U.S.
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| | out of the gang, and must want to do it.*
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| criminals like those in gangs grow up in
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| | Reduce the amount of time spent with
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| single-mother households with no father
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| | the gang. It's best to do so gradually,
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| around. It's also been shown that kids
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| | rather than trying to sever all ties
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| who are involved with their family,
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| | immediately.* Replace gang
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| school and community are less likely to
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| | activities with positive activities like
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| be involved in risky behavior like
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| | sports, the arts, employment, religion,
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| joining a gang.This may explain why,
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| | education, volunteering, etc.*
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| generally, kids join gangs to feel like
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| | Remove gang tattoos and attire and modify
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| they belong and have a sense of purpose.
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| | language away from gang communications.*
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| In fact, kids join gangs for many of the
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| | Create a new set of friends and an
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| same reasons that kids join any group,
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| | alternative support system, such as boys
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| like a soccer team or Boy Scouts:*
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| | and girls clubs.* Help other youths in
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| Looking for a sense of self-worth,
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| | gangs to create a better life away from
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| belonging and commitment* Seeking
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| | the gang.Other helpful resources
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| structure and discipline*
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| | include:* National Clearinghouse for
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| Companionship* A need for
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| | Families & Youth* Family and Youth
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| recognition, higher status and
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| | Services Bureau* The YMCA* Your
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| acceptance* Excitement and something to
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| | local youth community centerFrom the FREE
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| doGang SignsAdditionally, kids may join
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| | e-newsletter, the Web's #1 most read
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| gangs because of a:* Need for
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| | newsletter with original articles in all
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| protection* Family tradition* Need
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| | 6 areas of life leading to complete
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| for money (kids in gangs can earn cash
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| | wellness.
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