With the help of street gangs adolescent try to express their frustration, searching, and rebellion. A recent nationwide survey of street gang involved youth reported that about 70% admitted that they were active prior to the age of fourteen.
Nowadays gangs became not just an inner-city problem; some of them began to appear in small towns and country areas. Although boys are more likely than girls to be involved in the gang, the number of girls involved in gang members is growing. The average age of gang members is 17 to 18, but there are some as young as 23 to 13.
 Gangs like to identify themselves by wearing the same type of clothing, colors and symbols. If you see your teenager with a group of friends that are all similarly clothes, risk is that he or she has gotten involved in a gang.
Parents, teachers, and other concerned adults should watch for signs of gang involvement. Changes that may be early warning sings of gang involvement:
- new friends that differ from the previous
- changes in his or her dress style, like wearing the same color combination all the time
- showing symbols of their gang on clothing, books, lockers or other personal things
- wearing tattoos carrying extra cash from unknown sources
- having a weapon
- loss of interest to the school and family
- problems with police and law
- playing truant
- drinking alcohol
- using drugs
- talking in gang-style language
- using hand signals to communicate with others.
Parents, teachers, and other concerned adults should watch for signs of gang involvement. What parents can do:
- recognize the signs of gang activity, like hand signals, clothing styles, graffiti, or colors
- get to know why teenagers join gangs and how you can counter those impacts
- communicate with your children
- get involved in programs that create healthy outlets for teens, such as hobbies, sports, youth clubs, etc.
- become acquainted with you child friends
- discuss with your children consequences of being in a gang
- meet with religious leaders for advice on programs your child can get involved in.
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