Kwantlen Polytechnic University

KORA: Kwantlen Open Resource Access
Acting Together (AT-CURA) - SSHRC-CURA
Project

KPU Institutes and Research Units

2014

Gang Prevention : A Parent’s Quick Reference
Guide
Surrey (B.C.)

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Part of the Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons, and the Social Psychology and
Interaction Commons
KORA Citation
Surrey (B.C.), "Gang Prevention : A Parent’s Quick Reference Guide" (2014). KORA Acting Together (AT-CURA) - SSHRC-CURA
Project: Paper 3.
http://kora.kpu.ca/at-cura/3

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Gang Prevention
A Parent’s Quick Reference Guide

Recognizing and Preventing 			
Gang Involvement
It is important to recognize at the earliest possible stage when our
children might be exploring a negative path and to know how to
intervene. All parents can benefit from learning to recognize the
signs of at-risk behaviours so they can help their kids get back on a
positive path.
As a parent ask yourself the 		
following questions
• Does your child have multiple cell phones? (Usually 2-5 phones)
• Does your child go out for short periods (25 – 40 minutes) at all
hours of the day or night?
• Is your child providing little or no information about new
friends?
• Does your child prevent you from going in their room?
• Does your child have unexplained cash or goods, such as
clothing or jewelry?
• Does your child ask to borrow money from you or other family
members and is vague about the reason why?

Consider the Following Potential Risk Factors
Withdrawing from family and
engaging in antisocial behaviour

Change of interest in past hobbies,
sports and long time friendships

Declining school attendance,
performance and behaviour

Suddenly becoming more
secretive about daily activities
and vague about plans

Association with friends who
engage in problem behaviour

Exhibiting signs of drug use
and/or alcohol dependency

Either consistently breaking rules
and/ or has been in trouble with police

Inability to explain physical injuries

What Can Parents Do to
Prevent Gang Involvement
• Encourage open and honest two way
communication with your children.
• Educate yourself and ask for help when needed.
• Know your child’s friends and their families.
• Be a positive role model and exhibit the
behaviour you want your children to model.
• Get involved with your child’s school and extracurricular activities.
• Teach your child coping skills (how to handle peer pressure, etc).
CURRENT RESEARCH
• Findings from a study of 421 high school students suggest:
• Gratitude, self-esteem, humility, authenticity (being true to
oneself) and parental monitoring are related to low involvement
in violence.
• Kids who feel connected are less likely to become involved in
gangs.
• Kids report higher life satisfaction when they have an adult at
home who knows where they are, who they are with and what
they are doing.
• Youth beliefs demonstrate the importance of dispelling the
MYTHS associated with gangs.
resources
www.gangprevention.ca
Preliminary research from the “Powerful Teens” Study conducted by the
Acting Together - CURA project at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey.

13294

www.surrey.ca