SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE INVOLVED IN A
HISPANIC YOUTH GANG 15-minute interview with Director of Operation No Gangs about Signs of Possible Youth Gang Involvement.
El Paso former gangster talks about leaving gang life with assistance of Operation No Gangs and Operation No Gangs program.
Signs of possible Hispanic youth gang involvement:
associates with friends his age and older who wear gang attire and have customs and engage in activities typical of gang membership
frequent involvement in negative or anti-social behavior at school, neighborhood with "set" of friends
a sudden pronounced resistance to control by parents
a dramatic drop in grades and acceptable school performance, cooperation secrecy about social activities, excessive concern about phone use privacy
gang marking on books, walls, possessions such as the single letters (especially in Old English or Gothic font) M, N, L, V, K; and the numbers 13, 14, 505, 915, 213, 420 (a universally adopted code for marijuana) and 18; penchant for red (Norteno, Blood), blue (Sureno, CRIP), black (common to many gangs, usually in combination with another standout color) or yellow (Latin King), for example.
the frequent use of clothing and possessions that are either red (Norteno and Blood preference), blue (Sureno or CRIP preference) or yellow (Latin King preference) in color; often in combination with color black (common to many gangs)
specific types of clothing brands and types (for classic gang-affiliated involvement): Dickies pants; Nike Cortez shoes; military belts with Old-English buckle lettering; Caramelo shirts; Pendleton shirts; Solo Brand clothing; Lokes sunglasses; bandanas in the coiors yellow, red, blue, black, grey or white. Fitted baseball caps also may have different meanings for gang members and may be used by them to express their affiliation.
a pet name that is assigned to the child (i.e. "Vago", "ShyBoy", "Bullet", "Silent", "Serio") by his friends (often seen in the child's books or in other places where the child might reference his name (cell phone screen greeting or text message signature line)
a sustained fascination with certain types of Cholo/Hispanic Rap and gangsta rap music (specific artists; "rancholo" style, "chucoton", as examples) inordinate time spent on the computer, especially on sites such as MySpace, Photobucket, FaceBook, Friendster, SoundClick, CDBaby, FightZilla
tattooed markings of dots, specific letters, numbers, icons and phrases
unsual hand signals "flashed" with friends or to rivals, unknowns
Girls are often introduced to gang life by a boyfriend. While they may not be actual members, their association with gang members identifies them as such to law enforcement. A "chola" look is often adopted by Southwestern United States girl gang affiliates. The look may include exaggerated painting of the eyebrows, thick dark lipstick (often black) and eyeshadow and earrings with an exaggeratedly large hoop. Hairstyles for girls may include a "wall" "do." Many gang affiliate girls in El Paso, New Mexico and Southern California prefer to wear Dickies pants in dark colors as well as Nike Cortez tennis shoes.
Younger siblings of gang member youth often view their older counterparts in fascination and learn to take a decided liking to gang culture. They may often begin imitating the dress style of their older sibling, begin to talk like him or her, and may place "pretend" gang-related tattoos on their body with pen ink. Too, they may begin to take a liking to gangster rap. An admirer may also begin to draw gang-style art, designs and lettering.
One or two of these signs alone may not be a true indication. When parents and educators see that a child can be described by three or more there is real reason for concern about possible involvement. It should be added that many young people want to appear involved for various reasons. But a "wanna-be" or a "potential" gang member can run as much danger as an actual validated gang member. Styles and preferences vary by region.
  Types of gangs in the El Paso, Texas metro area The Hispanic gang member is often a walking billboard of messages -- from the way that he might swag (walk), the color and brand of clothing he might wear, what he whistles or says, accessories such as rosaries and chains, the way an eyebrow may be cut, the tattoos and bandanas he might display, and the style and color of lettering on his belongings and display of specific numbers. Placing a bandanna folded into a left or right pocket is one message. The direction a baseball cap is tilted. The sports emblem on a baseball cap or fleece jacket will, in many cases, indicate specific gang affiliation. The particular brand of a shoe might also indicate allegiance to particular gang group. Even the kind of music a Hispanic gangster might listen to might be a clue as to his gang affiliation. In many gangs just about everything about the gang member's appearance and preferences is a message of one sort or another.
Of course, as with anything, these are only possible indicators and not guarantees of involvement.
  
Gang emblem, bandana and rosary photos courtesy of Joe Espinoza, STEP Academy, Laredo, TX
In the El Paso, Texas and Dona Ana County, New Mexico region specific types of clothing brands and types: Dickies pants; Nike Cortez shoes; military belts with Old-English buckle lettering; Caramelo shirts; Pendleton shirts; Solo Brand clothing; Lokes sunglasses; bandanas in the coiors yellow, red, blue, black, grey or white are often indicative of traditional (old-school) Hispanic youth gang involvement (Specific clothing brand preferences vary by region and the pictures here may have no relevance to other areas of the United States)
                          Rap song by Payaso 915 regarding El Paso original gangster clothing styles "PUMPED UP KICKS (REMIX) FUK NEW SCHOOL" - payaso915 http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_11221177  Please also see Hispanic Youth Gang Graffiti and Tattoos sections of Operation No Gangs website for additional pictures and indicators
 Copyright 2007
Interested in a presentation to your business, church, civic group or classroom? List of Gang/Drug Awareness Presentation topics Email Operation No Gangs ABSTRACT URBAN VIOLENCE AND STREET GANGS: URBAN VIOLENCE AND STREET GANGS Annual Review of Anthropology 32: Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 2003, found at www.helpinggangyouth.com www.myspace.com/operationnogangs twitpic.com/photos/Op_NoGangs
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