The Kansas City Missouri Police Department Gang Squad lists the following as warning signs of gang membership for parents and other concerned adults:
Changes in the child's behavior.
Not associating with long-time friends and being secretive about new friends and activities.
Changes in hair or dress style and/or having a group of friends who have the same hair or dress style.
Changes in normal routines with new friends, such as not coming home after school or staying out late at night with no explanation.
Suspected drug use, such as alcohol, inhalants, and narcotics.
Unexplained material possessions ion, or other deadly weapons.
Change in attitude about school, church, or other normal activities.
Discipline problems at school, church, or attended functions.
Lower grades at school or skipping school.
Change in behavior at home -- increases in confrontational behavior, such as talking back, verbal abuse, name calling, and a disrespect for parental authority.
A new fear of police.
Phone threats to the family from rival gangs (or unknown callers) directed against your child.
Photographs of the child and others displaying gang handsigns, weapons, cash, drugs, or gang-type clothing.
Graffiti on or around the residence, especially in a child's room such as on walls, furniture, clothing, notebooks, etc. Many also include drawings and "doodling" of gang-related figures, themes of violence, or gang symbolisms.
Physical signs of being in a fight, such as bruises and cuts and secrecy on the child's part as to how they were received.
A new found sense of bravery -- brags that he/she is too tough to be "messed" with.
Use of new nickname.
A new-found sympathy or defending of gang activity by the child.
Tattoos or "branding" with gang-related symbols.
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