|
Warning Signs for Parents |
You should be concerned about your child if you see:
- Graffiti on notebooks, walls or other property, consisting of words of symbols they are unwilling to explain
- Tattoos of writing on their skin
- Use of gang language like “homeboy” or “homegirl”, “cuz”, “slob”
- Use of nickname rather than their given name
- Use of gestures or hand signs
- Loitering, riding or “hanging out” with “friends” that you have never met, admitted gang affiliation
- Change in behavior, decline in school grades, smoking, drinking alcohol, avoiding family members and activities, breaking home and school rules, use of vulgar language, aggressive behavior
- Wearing certain clothing, certain color clothing, certain style of clothing
- Unexplained injury on your child, indicative of being “jumped in” to gang
Gang Clothing Indicators for BOYS
- Shaved, bald head or extremely short hair
- White oversized T-shirt creased in the middle
- White tank-type undershirt
- Polo type knit shirts, oversized, usually worn buttoned to the top and not tucked in
- Oversized pants worn low or “sagging”, showing boxer-type underwear, dragging on the ground
- Baseball caps worn backward or with brim off to one side
- Shorts cut off below the knee worn with knee high socks
- Black stretch belt with chrome or silver gang initial buckle
- Black or dark colored oversized jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies or jerseys
- Clothing a mixture of gang colors, black and silver or white
- Loose fitting shoes with different colored laces
Gang Clothing Indicators for GIRLS
- Heavy makeup, excessive dark eye shadow, dark lipstick, shaved or very thin eyebrows drawn on with dark liner
- Black or dark clothing and shoes with different color laces
- Black oversized jackets, sweatshirts, athletic jerseys
- Oversized shirts worn outside of the pants
- Baggy, long pants dragging on the ground
- Tank tops or revealing blouses
- Stretch belts with initial or symbol on belt buckle
- Overalls not fastened
|
