The child may begin to associate with a new group of friends and if these friends all dress in similar styles or colors, parents and teachers should begin to question why. If the new group of friends are gang members, the chances for the child to be involved go up significantly. Parents should not allow their child to associate with this group. In the world of gangs, you are not a true member until you have earned a nickname. Most times, youth do not know the real names of members, just their street names or nicknames.
Life also tends to become very difficult for involved youth without their fellow gang members.
They tend to forget what things were like before joining the gang. Some youth get involved with gangs to make money illegally. Parents should be concerned over unexplained money or material goods such as jewelry, radios, televisions, computer games, etc. Younger members may use a pen or magic marker to draw the gang's name, their nickname, or other gang slogans on themselves. Symbols and words may also be written on building walls, notebooks, backpacks, clothing, furniture and other personal possessions.