Guardians Gather to Tackle Gang Awareness: Big challenge, small gathering. Those who attended the Gang Awareness & Prevention Town Hall in Mobile had a crucial missionprotecting their loved ones. Nija Hill, a member of “Mother Involved Against Gun Violence,” attended after losing one of her sons to gun violence.
“We don’t know what our children are doing when we’re not around, she emphasizes. We have to be alert about what they’re doing and who they’re associating with, so it’s very important for us parents to be involved.”
Mobile Police Department and their anti-gang partners served as educators, providing insights on recognizing signs of gang influence on youth. MPD Commander Kevin Levy stressed the importance of open communication with young individuals, emphasizing that parents play a crucial role in understanding their motivations.
“A child involved in gang activities is looking for something… control, power, quick money. So, while your first reaction might be to call the authorities, there are many other missing pieces in the puzzle.”
Parents are a significant part of that puzzle.
Here are 5 steps you can take to actively prevent your child from joining a gang:
1. Discuss the negative consequences with your child.
2. Get to know your child’s friends.
3. Inquire about and monitor their online activities.
4. Spend more quality time together as a family.
5. Implement positive and consistent discipline.
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Our Reader’s Queries
What works to prevent gang involvement?
To steer young people away from gang involvement, communities need to enhance support for families and schools, enhance community supervision, provide training for teachers and parents in handling challenging youth behavior, and instill interpersonal skills in students.
What are the protective factors for preventing gang involvement?
Parental engagement and surveillance, household backing, coping abilities (communication skills), favorable social connections, peer encouragement, academic success, and the reduction of delinquency, alcohol, and drug use are all recognized as protective factors that play a significant role in preventing youth from getting involved in gangs.
What encourages gang behavior?
Inadequate adult oversight, unstructured leisure time, especially after school and on weekends, absence of positive mentors and exposure to media (TV, films, music) that romanticizes gang violence, and a diminished sense of self-worth.
How can gang problems be solved?
Law enforcement typically uses four approaches to address gang activity: prevention, intervention, suppression, and re-entry efforts (Best Practices to Address Community Gang Problems, 2010).