Gang entry is considered 
one of the next developmental steps in
escalating delinquent behavior. Youth who are members of gangs are much more likely to commit serious and violent crimes at their schools and in their communities. Thirteen percent of Kern’s seventh grade students considered themselves as gang members. Among high school students,
10 percent of 9th grade students and 8 percent of
11th graders acknowledged they were gang members.
In addition, 21 percent of students served by Kern’s community schools identified themselves as gang members.
Resources:
- Protecting Your Child from Gang Involvement
- A Parent’s Quick Reference Card: Recognizing and Preventing Gang Membership
- Helping your child/youth to stay in school (English/Spanish)
- Kern County Family Resource List
- Gang Prevention: An Overview of Research and Programs
- Girls and Gangs: Identifying Risk Factors for Female Gang Involvement
- Girls in Gangs
- Responding to Gangs in the School Setting
Kern County Programs & Agencies
- Parent Project
A 10 to 16-week parent training program designed specifically for parents of strong-willed or out-of-control adolescent children. The curriculum teaches concrete identification, prevention, and intervention strategies for the most destructive of adolescent behaviors (poor school attendance and performance, alcohol and other drug use, gangs, runaways, and violent teens). - Project 180 Partners: Combating Gang Violence Through Prevention and Intervention Strategies within Kern County
- Ebony Counseling Center – After-School, Community Service and Community Learning Programs.
- Garden Pathways, Inc. – Comprehensive Youth and Adult Mentoring Services.
- Garden Pathways, Inc. – Performing Arts After-School and Day Camp Services to Youth.
- Kern County Superintendent of Schools – Youth and Family Services Programs and Parent Project Facilitator Training.
- New Life Recovery and Training Program – Vocational Training and Employment Programs.
- Stay Focused, Inc. – Mentoring, Crisis Intervention Programs and Community Based Outreach.
- Stop the Violence – Community Rallies and Youth Leadership Opportunities.