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Community Gang Awareness Definition: Virginia State Law 18.2-46.1 defines a criminal street gang as an ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more predicate criminal acts, (ii) which has an identifiable sign or symbol, and (iii) whose members individually or collectively engage in a pattern of criminal gang activity. Gangs ID: Gangs can be organized around race, ethnic group, territory, and money making activities. Turf – area of town that the gang claims as theirs. Some gangs can be identified by a particular type of dress, (items they wear) such as brands, colors of clothing, bandanas of various colors or caps of specific teams. Some gangs are also identified by markings/tattoos of gang symbols or names. Some gangs have special handshakes or hand signs. Gangs & Why Young People Join: Most gang members are males ranging in age from 8-years-old to 22-years-old. The reason young people join gangs vary but the most common reasons are to belong to a group, receive protection, to be more popular, to be with friends, end boredom, earn money or even for excitement. Risks of Joining a Gang: The risk that one encounters when joining a gang can hurt your health and future. You may be killed You may be injured You could end up with a disease You are likely to be involved in crimes You could end up in prison You could become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol You could lessen your chance for an education, by receiving poor grades or even dropping out of school. The lack of education limits your chances for higher education or finding a good job. The other thing to consider is that when you join you may need to fight other gang members at the same time. You may need to prove yourself by beating an innocent person, robbing a store, or shooting someone. Once you are in a gang it is not easy to get out, you may even risk your own life to leave. Indicators of Possible Gang Involvement: Changes in child's behavior Changes in style of dress Suspected drug use Phone threats to family (from rival gangs) Photographs of child displaying gang hand signs, weapons, cash drugs, gang graffiti Graffiti in or around residence, especially in child's room Physical signs of being in a fight New nickname Tattoos or branding These indicators do not mean a child is in a gang. However the presence of one or more should cause the parent to ask questions of their child. What Parents Can Do: Educate yourself about gang behavior Talk to your child Keep track of your child's friends Monitor your child's clothes Remove any gang graffiti in your child's room Virginia State Code Pertaining to Gangs: § 18.2-46.1.Definitions. As used in this article unless the context requires otherwise or it is otherwise provided: "Act of violence" means those felony offenses described in subsection A of § 19.2-297.1. "Criminal street gang" means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has as one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more criminal activities, (ii) which has an identifiable name or identifying sign or symbol, and (iii) whose members individually or collectively have engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of two or more predicate criminal acts, at least one of which is an act of violence, provided such acts were not part of a common act or transaction. § 18.2-46.2. Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty. A. Any person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street gang and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. However, if such participant in or member of a criminal street gang is age eighteen years or older and knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang also includes a juvenile member or participant, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. B. Violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby. (2000, c. 332.) § 18.2-46.3. Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang; penalty. A. Any person who solicits, invites, recruits, encourages or otherwise causes or attempts to cause another to actively participate in or become a member of what he knows to be a criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any person age 18 years or older who solicits, invites, recruits, encourages or otherwise causes or attempts to cause a juvenile to actively participate in or become a member of what he knows to be a criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 6 felony. B. Any person who, in order to encourage an individual (a) to join a criminal street gang, (b) to remain as a participant in or a member of a criminal street gang, or (c) to submit to a demand made by a criminal street gang to commit a felony violation of this title, (i) uses force against the individual or a member of his family or household or (ii) threatens force against the individual or a member of his family or household, which threat would place any person in reasonable apprehension of death or bodily injury, is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The definition of "family or household member" set forth in § 16.1-228 applies to this section. (2000, c. 332; 2004, cc. 396, 435.) § 18.2-46.3:1. Third or subsequent conviction of criminal street gang crimes. Upon a felony conviction of § 18.2-46.2 or § 18.2-46.3, where it is alleged in the warrant, information or indictment on which a person is convicted that (i) such person has been previously convicted twice under any combination of § 18.2-46.2 or § 18.2-46.3, within 10 years of the third or subsequent offense, and (ii) each such offense occurred on different dates, such person is guilty of a Class 3 felony. (2004, cc. 396, 435, 847.) § 18.2-55.1. Hazing of youth gang members unlawful; criminal liability. It shall be unlawful to cause bodily injury by hazing (i) any member of a youth gang as defined in § 16.1-299.2 or a criminal street gang as defined in § 18.2-46.1, or (ii) a person seeking to become a member of a youth gang or criminal street gang. Any person found guilty of hazing is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For the purposes of this section, "hazing" means to recklessly or intentionally endanger the health or safety of a person or to inflict bodily injury on a person in connection with or for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with or as a condition for continued membership in a youth gang or criminal street gang regardless of whether the person so endangered or injured participated voluntarily in the relevant activity. (2004, c. 850.) Click here to download more infomation. Courtesy of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

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