· Start early in elementary and middle school and educate yourself about gang behavior.   Discuss the dangers of gangs with your child before they become vulnerable.

· Become involved in your child’s education.  Participate in school meetings and decisions and volunteer at school events.

· Know your child’s friends.  Discourage friendships with known or possible gang members.  Get to know your children’s friends and their parents.

· Get involved in your child’s life and share community activities with your child.

· Make surprise visits to your child’s school and see if your child has changed clothes from when he/she left in the morning.

· Be a good role model for your child and set standards for acceptable behavior.

· Have one on one talks with your child at least once a day.  Listen to what he/she has to say. Discuss gangs, drugs, sex, and peer pressure with your child.  Let he/she know they can talk to you about anything.

· Monitor your child’s clothing, reading material and music.  Read up on teen culture and be familiar with their methods of interaction and communication: You Tube, MySpace, Face Book, etc.

· Pay attention to the negative lyrics your child listens to. 

· Be mindful of your children’s clothing and behavior.  Specific colors, company brands and logos can place them in danger of being mistaken for a gang member.

· Contact the parents of a child that you believe may be engaging in activities that you feel could be harmful or if you don’t feel comfortable, contact the child’s clergy or a counselor at school.

Music Trends

The American entertainment industry has helped to spread the gang lifestyle. In the early 1990’s, Gangster rap was identified as a genre of music that generally promoted violence, misogyny, homophobia, promiscuity, materialism, sexism, and racism. 

Today, although Gangster Rap is no longer a genre, its legacy glorifying societal ills is still prevalent in mainstream Hip Hop culture.  This is music about the violent gang lifestyle, and it is often sung by current and former gang members.  This music, which is very popular with mainstream America, has helped spread the gang culture across the country.  Children often listen to this violent profanity-filled music, and then attempt to emulate the criminal activity detailed in the songs. 

Parents must make it a point to listen to the music that their children are listening to.