Gangs have been glamorized by the movie, television, and music industries, and
this, many believe, has led to the proliferation and expansion of gangs and gang activities. This glamorization has not gone unnoticed by our youth who think the gang culture is "cool", but it would be unfair to blame or infer that the media is responsible for ALL kids becoming involved with gangs. There are numerous other reasons that our youth join such as fear, intimidation, peer pressure, a lack of family unity or love, and more.
Regardless of the reason(s), gangs can now be found everywhere; cities large and small, rural, as well as urban areas, and at all socioeconomic levels.
Unfortunately, too many cities, too many school districts, too many parents and even law enforcement agencies, fail to recognize, and even deny the existence of gang activity within their homes, schools, or communities. This is due, in part, to the fact that they do not have the knowledge or training to recognize the signs of gang activity. They do not realize that the child has changed. They do not see, or know the meaning of the symbols on his clothing, books, or body (tattoos.) They do not know who his friends are, or do not know why he has suddenly separated himself from his family. They do not know the meaning of the words, unusual signs or symbols (graffiti) spay painted on walls of buildings, street signs, bridges, anywhere.
Gangs OR Us training is designed to expand your knowledge, or to provide you with the basic knowledge needed to recognize gang activity that may be occurring in your home, community, school, or correctional facility.
Gangs OR Us is honored to have been recognized in the December, 2001 issue of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, as one of three recommended gang identification web sites in the United States. To view the bulletin and to read a well researched gang article written by Lieutenant David Allender of the Indianapolis, IN Police Department, click the link below.
December, 2001 FBI Bulletin (pdf format)
TRAINING PROGRAM INFORMATION
Gang Identification
This training class is designed to give law enforcement and
corrections personnel, parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens, the means to understand the dynamics of our youths involvement in street and prisons gangs.
Topics in the presentation include the history of gangs in the United States, who joins gangs, why youths join, gang identifiers (signs, symbols, clothing, tattoos, graffiti), gang initiation practices, backgrounds on well known street and prison gangs, and possible community or departmental solutions.
This presentation is designed as a four (4) to eight (8) hour class but can be reduced
(not recommended) to a minimum of two (2) hours to meet your time requirements.
Although the cost of training is reasonably inexpensive, many small departments have a limited budget and in some instances, are forced to limit staff training. One solution that some departments have found to be beneficial is, for several departments who are in close proximity to each other, to pool their training resources, and share the costs.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Costs include a fee for each presentation, plus all travel-related expenses such as airfare, car rental and hotel charges.
ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS? Yes. The gang identification program is designed for adults only. No video or recording devices are allowed without permission.
Please contact me for details as to cost, equipment requirements, handout materials, and publicity.
GANG ASSESSMENTS
Do you suspect that there may be gang activity in your school or corrections facility?
Are you unsure as to how to determine whether gangs are present?
Do you know what action(s) to pursue if gangs are present?
If you would like to have an on site assessment of your school or facility please contact me. The assessment process includes a thorough inspection of your facility, photographs of any existing signs of gang activity and a summary report.
The gang assessment and training class can be incorporated into one visit to your facility.
Past Major Speaking Engagements
During the past twelve years I have presented gang identification training classes to numerous departments, large and small, throughout South Carolina as well as other
locations, in and outside of the United States. Some of the more noteworthy conferences at which I have spoken are:
International Training
National Community Awareness Workshops (2) - April, 2005, Grand Cayman Island, BWI;
National Community Awareness Workshop - November 2005, Cayman Brac Island,
BWI
United States Training
Massachusetts Career Development Institute, Springfield, MA,
April, 2007
GWC Inc. - 7th Annual National Conference on Addiction and Criminal Behavior - September 17-20, 2006
International Association of Arson Investigators (SC Chapter) - August 31,
2006
National District Attorneys Association - June 1-3, 2005, Columbia, SC
15th Annual Utah Gang Conference - 2005, Salt Lake City, UT
2004 National Summit on Elimination Gang Violence, Miami, FL
U.S. Job Corps Southeast Regional Conference, Atlanta, GA
Learning Generation Initiative Gang Awareness Conference, Goshen, IN
Community Gang Awareness Seminar - Spartanburg, SC
National Major Gang Task Force, Daytona Beach, FL
North Carolina Department of Corrections, STG Training Conference, Raleigh, North Carolina
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, STG Training Conference, Salt Fork, Ohio
Western States Hostage Negotiators Association Conference, Boise Idaho
Federal Bureau of Prisons Gang Management Conference, Beaumont, Texas
U.S. Penitentiary (BOP) - Staff street and prison gang identification training, Lee County, Virginia
Wesleyan College - Gang and Violence Symposium, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Illinois Probation and Court Services Association, Fall Conference, St. Charles, Illinois
Radio/Television Appearances
Court TV - 3/24/00 - In addition to presentations and training classes I have also appeared on this nationally televised program as a gang identification expert in a gang related murder trail.
Radio Jamaica - 9/20/00 - On this one hour radio talk show, I appeared as a telephone guest. Topics of discussion were the similarities of gangs, crimes and needed solutions for Jamaica and the United States
Canadian Radio, CJBK, London, Ontario, Canada 12/18/01
Appearing on the "MikesOn Show," as a telephone guest, I discussed with the Moderator, Mike Stubbs, the gang problems as they exist in the United States. The primary topics of discussion were: Who joins a gang, Why youths join a gang, and What society can do to solve or curtail the gang problem.
Canadian Radio
"The MikesOn Show"
CJBK - 1290 AM
London, Ontario, Canada
On July 7, 2004 I again spoke, via telephone, with Mike Stubbs as a talk show guest. During the interview, I discussed with Mike, violence
and fair fights; do fair fights exist any longer? We elaborated on the fact that everyone seems to need an edge and whether persons are in a gang or not, they believe they need a weapon such as a gun. Gone are the days of fighting one on one with fists only.
British Broadcasting Company (BBC), London, England May 24, 2002
On this worldwide broadcast, I appeared as one of four international panelists on the program, "Outlook", hosted by Dave Dove. The topic was the world wide gang problem and other panelists included Dr. Val Besag, United Kingdom, Irvin
Kinnes, South Africa, and Keith Wong, Hong Kong.
Fox Television News, New York, NY, June 11, 2002
A segment of this television interview was used on the Fox program, "The Big Story, hosted by John Gibson. The entire one hour program centered around Jose Padilla, an
alleged gang member who became a member of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization.
The Michael Reagan Talk Show
Los Angeles, California
On January 13, 2003 Michael Reagan, as a segment of his nightly nationally syndicated talk show, included the topic of "gangs and gang violence." Appearing as a guest on the show, we discussed the gang problems and the violence connected with gangs, constantly facing communities throughout the United States.
702 Talk Radio
Johannesburg, South Africa
August 14, 2004 - This live interview lasted approximately fifty minutes and to my surprise was commercial free. The presenter, Boo Prince was a very well informed young lady who asked very pertinent questions about every aspect of street and prison gangs in many parts of the world.
Radio Cayman
89.9 FM/93.9 FM
George Town, Grand Cayman Island, BWI
April 26, 2005 - At the invitation of Joel Francis (photo insert), host of the popular radio talk show "Talk Today," it was my
distinct pleasure to be in the Radio Cayman studio as a panel member with
Mrs. Linda McField, Executive Director of Caymans Against Substance Abuse
(CASA), and Ms Carolina Ferraro, Red Cross AIDS Program, for a 90 minute
discussion about gangs and gang related problems in the Cayman Islands. .I was in Grand Cayman at
the request of Mrs. McField to provide gang awareness to law enforcement,
educators, politicians, concerned citizens and others, through two four-hour
gang identification workshops.
Throughout the 90 minute program, we, as a panel, touched on many topics
relating to gangs such as why youths join gangs, the effects of gang involvement
on the lives of the youth, murder and other crimes, the definition of a gang,
methods of identifying gangs and gang member identification, plus much, much
more...
In addition we discussed the need for the community, including politicians, law
enforcement, parents and teachers to admit that gangs and drugs are present
to some degree on the islands, and to step forward to support the police in
their efforts, as well as calling for the politicians to propose and support
gang legislation aimed at combating and preventing the spread of gangs and drugs
throughout the Cayman Islands.
