School Based Gang Strategies

Murrieta Valley Unified School District
School and Community
Strategies: Focus on
Gangs
Wayne Sakamoto
Murrieta Valley Unified School District
Department of Safe Schools
wsakamoto@murrieta.k12.ca.us
Course Outcomes
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Greater Knowledge of Gang Dynamics
Increased Ability to Gather Gang Intelligence
Within the School
Increased Ability to Provide Schools With Gang
Assessment and Documentation Protocols
Increased Ability to Implement Comprehensive
and Effective Action Plans
Course Overview
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Core Knowledge
Gathering Gang Intelligence Within the
Schools
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Systemic Approach
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School and Community-Based Strategies
Gang Trends and Issues
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Gang Migration
Gangs Documented in Urban, Suburban
and Rural Settings
Involvement in Narcotics Trafficking and
Other Crimes for Profit
Involvement With Growing Violence
Racial Tensions
Gangs Continue to Thrive
Gang Migration
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SUR Trece
Crips and Bloods
Folk and People
18th Street
MS 13
Gang Typologies
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Traditional Gangs
Business/Profit Gangs
White Hate Gangs
Copy-Cat Gangs
Delinquent Social Gangs
Risk Factors
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Family
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Community
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Peer Group
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Individual
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School
Risk Factors
Family-Related Factors
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Stressful/Violent Home Life
Low Parental Value for Education
Low Educational Expectations
Inconsistent Parenting Skills
Permissive Truancy Attitudes Toward
Violence, Alcohol, and Other Drug Use
Harsh and Continual Punishment
Generational/Other Family Gang Membership
Risk Factors
Personal Factors
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Involvement in Antisocial Groups
Low Hope for a Positive Future
Low Motivation/Internal Locus of Control
Low Self-Esteem
Behavior/Discipline Problems
Alcohol & Other Drug Use
Risk Factors
Personal Factors
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Poor Peer Relations
Negative Police Involvement
Poor Internalization Skills
Need for Relief from Emotional Discomfort
Poor Impulse Control
Exposure to Violence in Mass Media
Risk Factors
Community-Related Factors
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Lack of Community Services
High Incidence of Criminal Activities
Lack of School/Community Linkages
Lack of Recreational Facilities
Lack of youth Employment Opportunities
Established Gang(s)/Graffiti in the
Community
Risk Factors
Community-Related Factors
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Easy Youth Access to Firearms
Easy Youth Access to Alcohol
Media Glorification of Violence/Gangs
Poverty & Socio-Economic Inequality
Positive Attitudes Toward Violence in
the Larger Society
Prejudice & Discrimination
Risk Factors
School-Related Factors
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Lack of Policies & Procedures Enforcement
Relating to Weapons/Violence/Gang-Related
Issues/Alcohol and Other Drugs
Lack of Enforcement for Existing Policies
Low Teacher Expectations
Lack of Educational Options
Risk Factors
School-Related Factors
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Negative School Environment
Poor School/Community Relations
Lack of Effective Attendance System
Lack of Effective Discipline System
Lack of Coordinated Crisis Response System
No Gang/Violence Prevention Curriculum
Media Influence
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Children spend 6.5 hours each day with some
type of media
Video Games in 65% of US Homes
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86% With Males
8th grade boys play 23 hours per week
8th grade girls play 12 hours per week
59% of 4th grade girls and 73% of 4th grade males
favorite games are violent
61% of youth 8-17 have TV’s in their rooms
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At 18 years old they witness 200,000 acts of violence
including 40,000 acts of murder
Why Youth Join Gangs
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Neighborhood Norm
Power, Protection, Prestige and Party
Basic Needs
Money
Cool Factor
Born into it
Remember: Hate Is Learned!!!
Figure 5: Odds of Joining a Gang at Ages 13 to 18, by Number of Childhood Risk
Factors Present at Ages 10 to 12, SSDP Sample
Risk Factors
Number of
3
2 to 3
5
4 to 6
13
7 or more
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Odds of Joining a Gang
Note: The odds are expressed as comparisons with youth who had no risk factors or only one risk
factor. Source OJJDP
14
Critical Questions for Planning
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What Risk Factors Contribute to Gang
Membership in Our Communities?
Why do youth in our area get involved
with gangs?
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What Gang Types Do We Have?
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Issue: Can Risk Factors be Mitigated?
The Resiliency Wheel
Mitigate Risk Factors in the
Environment
5. Set &
Communicate
High Expectations
6. Provide Opportunities
for Meaningful
Participation
1. Increase Prosocial
Bonding
4. Provide Caring &
Support
2. Set Clear, Consistent
Boundaries
3. Teach
"Life Skills"
Build Resiliency in the
Environment
1/8/2013
Reprinted from Resiliency In Schools: Making It Happen For Students & Educators by Nan
Henderson & Mike Milstein, published by Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1996
School Community Strategies
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Advisory Committee or Task Force
Clear Working Definition of Gangs
Find Common Purpose
Find Strengths and Assets
Find Gaps or Risk Factors
Build Local Capacity - Training
Develop an Action Plan
Action Plan
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Goals, Objectives and Activities
Prevention
Early Intervention
Intensive Intervention