Read "Hold on to your kids" by Dr.Gordon Neufeld.
Parents need to be available to their children, nothing else will keep them from joining gangs.
In my opinion it is worth the price for a mom to stay home instead of buying the new car, bigger house, four wheeler and other toys. Cut back on expenses but add to your time with your children. Only that will keep them safe!

Teachers receive very little training regarding gangs. For something this important, you would think that conferences would be made available.

I am an ex-gang member...I have been trained on what parents need to know to prevent thier kids from joining or in what to do if they are in a gang. Check out www.parentproject.org. I also work as an at risk counselor for a so. cal. school district and what we are doing on our campus of middle school kids is working. I strongly encourage the following three things to address your gang problem.
1. Train parents in the PARENT PROJECT
2. Training principals, asst. principals, school counselors and of course teachers on how a school staff must work as a team to respectfully and intelligently address the wannabe or in gang youth.
3. Train and higher successful former gang members in your community to do the street, community and campus gang prevention and intervention work.

Sure, there are other ways to deal with the issue, however, in my 30 yrs of experience of working with and being a gang member this is where we start or continue addressing the gang issue. Support the police in thier best practices but please add the above 3 steps and I am confident in 2-3 years things will change. Pepe www.goest.org

I wish this article would have been more specific on recognizing gang behavior, signals, and written signs.