If You Think Your Teenager is in a Gang

Unfortunately, gang activity is more common than anyone would like to think. And understanding how to identify whether your child is in a gang is key. Many teenagers join gangs in order to feel accepted by a group of peers or because they feel like it’s an easy way to make money or gain what they perceive as special privileges. Don’t let your teenagers fall into the temptation of joining a gang. Not only is it very likely that your child will be sucked into illegal activities but they may also end up hurt or dead. Don’t let your child be a statistic. Understand how to identify possible gang activity and ultimately protect your child from harm.

Identify the Signs

While it may be difficult to know whether or not your child is in a gang at first, it’s important to note the signs as soon as you can so you can avoid tragedy down the line. Generally, if your child’s behavior has shifted dramatically over the past few months or even years, that’s a bad sign, especially if this coincides with them hanging out with a new group of “friends”. In general, pay attention to your child’s mood. If your teenager seems unusually moody or withdrawn, something is wrong. They may, for example, prevent you from entering their room or seem unusually secretive. They may also be skipping school and/or experience dramatic grade drops. Your child might also be staying out later than usual or seem unusually tired in the mornings. You might also notice signs of suspected drug use, such as suspected drinking. Be very attentive. If something seems off, there’s usually something up.

It can be difficult to determine whether they’re really in a gang but it can be a lot more common than you would like to believe. If they only seem to wear one color lately or are wearing a lot of gang signs, be cautious. Gang members often wear certain colors or insignia to identify themselves to members of their own gang and rival members. They might also use strange hand signs or slang to communicate with their new “friends”.

Your child may also own a weapon or comes home covered in usual scrapes, bruises, or cuts. This is definitely a bad sign and you need to take action as soon as you notice any of these signs. 

What You Can Do

Now you might have a series of questions you might be asking yourself like, What can I do? How do I know? How to spy on someones cell phone without them knowing? One solution you may want to consider is installing cell phone tracking technology on your child’s phone that will allow you to spy on cell phone without accessing the phone, since . They may avoid confrontation with you. But having cellphone tracking technology on hand will allow you to see what’s really going on. You’ll see texts and calls your child has made. You’ll also be able to track their GPS location and monitor their activity on social media. This will make it easier for you to identify what’s really going on and can help prove whether or not your child is really involved in a gang by using this kind of software to spy on cell phones without having the phone physically in your hand.

Always talk to your child’s school or local community members about what’s going on. Talking to law enforcement if you believe your child is in a gang can be a difficult choice to make but law enforcement is uniquely equipped to handle suspected gang activity. You may be able to save your child, as well as others, by taking immediate action.

Ground your child and remove their access to their cell phones and the Internet if you have to. You can benefit from taking off their door and otherwise finding ways to keep a careful eye on them. Your child may resent your actions at first but in time they should come to realize that you’re only acting to protect them.