Youth gangs are a nationwide concern. According to the National Gang Center (NGC), gang membership is a strong predictor of individual violence in adolescence, and individuals are significantly more criminally active during periods of active gang membership. The good news is that there are things that can be done to help address the gang issue in our youth.

“Students, families, and our school communities must be aware of the presence of gangs within their neighborhoods to provide helpful supports that allow for both intervention and prevention,” said Eilliot Klein, the chief executive officer at NYPCC. “We must all work to raise awareness and address this issue."

The Federal Bureau of Investigations reports that there are around 33,000 violent gangs in the U.S. Many of them use violence to control the neighborhood and boost their illegal money-making activities. Many of today's youth are introduced to gangs and join them, which can impact more than their childhood. 

According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, those who joined gangs in their adolescence had poorer outcomes in multiple areas of functioning, including higher rates of self-reported crime, receipt of illegal income, incarceration, drug abuse or dependence, poor general health, and lower rates of high school graduation. They conclude that adolescent gang membership has significant consequences in adulthood.

There are several components to addressing the gang issue in today’s youth, including:

Understanding Risks. The first step for every community is to try to prevent gang involvement. It is essential to recognize the risk factors that lead to gang involvement for an adolescent. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), risk factors include growing up in an area with heavy gang activity, a history of gang activity in the family, violence in the home, a lack of adult supervision, low self-esteem, a lack of positive role models, a sense of hopelessness about the future, and underlying mental health or behavioral issues.

Decreasing Risks. AACAP recommends that parents can help decrease the risks by monitoring their children and what they are up to, getting them involved in extracurricular activities, meeting the parents of their friends, not allowing their child to wear gang paraphernalia or use it in graffiti, educating the child about the risks of being in a gang, and being honest about what happens to many gang members, which is the reality of many ending up in jail, injured, or dead.

Being Aware of the Signs. Parents can help identify their child being involved in a gang by noticing if they have unexplained money or valuables, wearing clothes of only one type or color, using hand signs, withdrawing from family, not obeying curfews, and having a worsening attitude with adults. They may also have drugs and weapons.

Address the Issue. If you suspect a child is in a gang, start by having an honest discussion with them about it. If the child is involved in a gang, parents can turn to community resources, such as a mental health professional, for assistance in addressing the issue. They can work with the family and individual to address and overcome gang involvement healthily.

“These challenges are not new, and a variety of factors play a role in an increase of incidents that are related to gang activity, but there are many things that we can do to address the issue," said Scott Bloom, licensed clinic social worker and director of special projects at NYPCC. "Mental health counselors play a crucial role in helping the community and family deal with this issue."

NGC reports that in urban cities with long-standing gang problems, around 15% or more of the youth join a gang at some point. The average time they are in a gang is around two years. 

NYPCC is hosting a gang symposium for school social workers on May 2, 2025. The event provides two continuing education (CE) credits for those who are licensed in the state of New York. It will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at 579 Courtland Ave in The Bronx. More information on how to reserve a spot can be found on Eventbrite. Space is limited, and the event is free. Those wanting to earn the CE credits should bring their license number.

NYPCC was started in 1974 with one small office. Today, it has a network of locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens and serves over 25,000 people annually. It provides mental health care to children and families, most of whom come from underserved demographics. To get more information about NYPCC, visit the site at: https://nypcc.org/