Faith Filled Family Magazine July 2016 | Page 119

U nknown Riders, Tomahawks, Savage Skulls, Eight Ball, Crips, Bloods, Latin Kings, the list goes on and on. In fact, according to The National Gang Center, in 2012, their most recent data reveals there were 80,000 gangs in the United States. The majority of these gangs were loc ated in large cities and suburban areas, but gang representation was also found in rural and small city areas. ity, when they no longer have the safety of an elementary school and must lean on their social skills to forge new relationships. What better group of friends to have but the tough kids? Young people understand the dangers of their world whether that world is school, community, even family. Gangs provide a support system like no other. Although gangs may proliferate in large urban areas, the reality is that gangs are everywhere. Children in junior high school or high school in any state in America may be subject to gang recruitment if they are not already involved in one. Children join gangs for protection, for support, for love, and sometimes for money. In order to protect themselves from one gang, they join another. They may join a gang as insurance against bullying. If someone tries to intimidate them at school, they know all they have to do is tell ‘Big Billy,’ and he will handle it. If they are looking for camaraderie, someone that will even kill for them, they will find that love and support in a gang. If they need a new pair of sneakers or jeans, the gang will provide money-making opportunities such as robbery, drug-dealing, What kinds of kids do gangs look for? According to Rachelle Cassada Lomann MS, LPC, “Gangs target young vulnerable teens who are trying to fit in and be accepted.” Recruiters target young people at a point of greatest vulnerabil- Additional reasons children join gangs or human trafficking. Remember the street gang in the novel Oliver Twist? In the novel, the criminal named Fagin recruits street kids to steal from local merchants or pickpocket merchants on the street. They bring their booty to him for distribution. In return, he provides a place for them to live. Today children may join gangs in exchange for protection much like these characters did. Can a parent tell if a child is in a gang? I worked as an educator in a large urban area and we consulted gang experts who trained staff to look for the following signs of gang affiliation: •Gang tags (symbols) on their notebooks, schoolbooks, or school property. (The consultant provided samples) •Certain hand signals used to greet another gang member in the hallway. •Proliferation of clothes in one particular color such as red or blue though there may be others