ExGang Members From a life i n the streets to a life in the classroom By Luis Ibarra Ana Parada Abraham Rodriguez Bonifacio Boni Sanchez Findings Santa Cruz County Childrens Mental Health Office Prop 63 Mental Services Act ID: 779085
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Slide1
Underrepresented Groups:Ex-Gang Members
“From a life in the streets, to a life in the classroom”
By:
Luis Ibarra
Ana
Parada
Abraham Rodriguez
Bonifacio
“
Boni
” Sanchez
Slide2Findings
Santa Cruz County Children’s Mental Health Office (Prop. 63 Mental Services Act)“Helping Gang Members Assimilate Back Into Society”The following information has been used to help identify key needs and issues in the area of helping youth involved with gangs assimilate back into society.
Source: Watsonville Digital Bridges Academy Surveys
Slide3Background
Surveyed 131 people 48% - Ex-Gang members37% - Current gang members
11
% - Families of gang members
99
% Latino – Gang or Ex-Gang members
88
% Male – Gang or Ex-Gang members
Most
were single or not married
78
% - Have families with gang history
Slide4Why youth are joining gangs?
Majority joined gangs between ages of 10-16 years oldMany have one parent who works84% - Surveyed live with one parent100
% - Surveyed say parents work
Many
parents work at night
65
% - Surveyed shows parents work
night
shift
Slide5Other Reasons
Family members are involved in gangs73% - Have family members involved in gangsWant fun and excitementThey like the thrill of controlling their turf
Girls/boys,
parties and drugs
Want
respect and belonging
Friendships
(deal with their loneliness)
Being
a part of something
Slide6Contributing Factor – Violence
Violent criminals show early childhood neglect and abuse
Likelihood of arrest as a juvenile -- up 53%
Likelihood of arrest as an adult -- up 38%
Likelihood of arrest for a violent crime -- up 38%
Nationwide, alcohol is a contributing factor in 80% of homicides
A gun in the home is 43 times more likely to be used to kill a family member or friend
or to commit suicide than to defend oneself.
Source: Gangs and At-Risk Kids
Slide7What is the need?
All ex-gang members surveyed expressed a desire to assimilate back into society.61 Ex-Gang members surveyed6
are in gang intervention
programs
93
% of gang members surveyed indicated they don’t have good opportunities for the future
Slide8Why did they leave the gang?
Wanted a better future Need to make moneyFelt they were not going anywhere; not job prospectsHaving
to sell drugs to make money
Getting
into too much trouble with the law
Wanted
an education
Did
it for their families; kids, parents or because it was causing problems at home.
Slide9What was it like when they got out?
DifficultName calling from peersHarassedBad
experience, threatened
Violation
of car, house, property etc…
Watch
Out!
Need
to be careful in different
neighborhoods due to harassment
Couldn’t
go to many placesDifficult
Slide10What do they need to do to assimilate?
Find new friendsChange their living environmentMove to another neighborhood
Change
their appearance
Clothing
Tattoo
removal
Change
themselves, the way they:
Think
, talk and act in the world
Love
themselves
Slide11Solutions!
Provide youth with more support in their lives Reach them at a young age (5
th
grade)
Help
them belong to something meaningful
Focus
their need for excitement constructively
Education
Change
gang behaviors and appearance
Graduate
from High School or get GED Prepare them for college-level performanceEmploymentChange gang behaviors and appearanceFind minimum wage job
Find
job training program
Slide12Success Story: Javier Luna
He wore the Colors of the Crips; sold drugs, carried a gun WHY? Angry Puerto-R
ican immigrant
One of nine children raised by single mother
Drive-In shooting- saved by Crip Member
“From then on I was with that gang” - JL
Most of his friends ended in prisons or dead
Source: The Seattle Times; Lynn Thompson . Feb 10 2009
Slide13How?
Seattle Agency: Youthcare Provided adult mentors, jobs and recreation to young gang membersOffered “Straight-Talk” Counseling and drug-and- alcohol treatment
“I got all of this because and individual gave me a chance and believed in me and the system allowed it” –JL
His Life now
Luna at 34 now has turned his life around
Owns his own Construction Company
Million-dollar view home near Dash point in Tacoma
Source: The Seattle Times; Lynn Thompson . Feb 10 2009
Slide14Gang Rivals then… Buddies Now
Rudolpho Marquez, Richard Reyes and Cesar CruzEx -Gang Rivals, Spent many years in PrisonSolar Installation Program paid by Homeboy Industries
“If there were more people like him, there’d be less people like me” – Reyes
Source: CNN; Thelma Gutierrez and Wayne Dash, May 20
th
2009.
Slide15“Nothing Stops a bullet like a Job”-Homeboy Industries
Homeboy Industries Mission Statement: Jobs not Jails: Homeboy Industries assists at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth to become positive and contributing members of society through job placement, training and education
“Homeboy serves as a symbol of hope and opportunity for those seeking to leave gang life, for whom the barriers and challenges are great, and for whom there is virtually no other avenue to enter the mainstream”
Source: Homeboy Industries, http://www.homeboy-industries.org/
Slide16Opportunities through Homeboy
Businesses. Wholesale silk-screen and merchandising operation, Homegirl Cafe and Catering, Homeboy
Maintenance
Job placement.
Places 300 youths and young adults a year in jobs in construction, clerical, textile, health care and other jobs
Ya
'
Stuvo
Tattoo Removal
. Has removed gang tattoos from 1,500 people; 1,600 are on the waiting list.
Counseling
. General and mental health counseling for former gang members and those on probation.
Slide17Continued…
Prison release/transition. Helps recently released inmates find housing, enroll in school, attend drug-treatment and anger-management classes. Community service. Jobs at Homeboy Industries for those who need to perform community service to fulfill probation. Curriculum training
. Classes in business and workplace skills, math and reading, parenting and household skills
Slide18Bibliography
Gafni, Matthias. “Ex-gang member has new life plan.” Oakland Tribune. 14 Dec 2007. Oakland Tribune. 1 Jun 2009."Statistics."
Gangs and At-Risk Kids
. May 5 2008. 3 Jun 2009
Watsonville Digital Bridges Academy Surveys. “Helping Gang Members Assimilate Back Into Society.”
Thompson, Lynn. "Ex-member of
Crips
gang in Seattle credits an adult mentor with helping him to break from gang."
The Seattle Times
. 10-2-2009. The Seattle Times. 1 Jun 2009
Gutierrez, Thelma. "Ex-gang members unite: 'You don't have to kill your neighbors'."
CNN
. 20-5-2009. CNN. 3 Jun 2009 Iwata, Edward. "Homeboy Industries goes gangbusters ." USA Today. July 11 2005. USA Today. 1 July 2009 Homeboy Industries . 2008. Homeboy Industries. 1 Jun 2009 <http://www.homeboy-industries.org/>.