NCJ Number
127499
Date Published
1990
Length
112 pages
Annotation
This handbook for school administrators maintains that juvenile gangs are problems in many communities. Candidates for gang membership are those young people exhibiting poor relationships with friends or family and who are therefore vulnerable to offers of companionship and drugs.
Abstract
Groups and gangs described in this handbook include neo-Nazi skinheads and white supremacists, black gangs, and gangs from other ethnic groups including Hispanics, Asians, Filipinos, and Koreans. Other types of groups are those associated with the occult and with heavy metal or punk rock music. The Seattle-based Regional Educational Alliance on Gang Activities (REAGA) recommends countering gang influence through education and outlines a guide for teaching necessary social skills to schoolchildren. Media influence on violent behavior among juveniles, stemming from motion pictures and music, is examined. REAGA recommendations focus on parent activities, organizations that can assist parents, local agencies in the Northwest, and legal considerations. Gang communications through graffiti, hand signs, tatoos, and dress are described; and it is recommended that school dress codes be accompanied by corrective actions for violations. 4 appendixes