Juvenile Justice Ministries Network of Texas (JJMNT)

Our theme for this quarter is Juvenile Gangs. Though information abounds through the internet, books, seminars, and workshops the majority of average American adults including parents of school age children are more aware of gas prices and mortgage rates than of neighborhood gangs and their threat to the safety of their children and communities. 

Gangs are defined in many ways, and most definitions have similar components. One common definition of a gang is a group of three or more individuals who engage in criminal activity and identify themselves with a common name or sign.
 

The information expressed in these articles come from writers with different experiences, perceptive, expertise, geographical locations and may have been written years apart. Though their information and observations may be different they can serve to broaden our understanding and help us work together against the gang influences in our communities.

We hope the resources presented this quarter will help everyone become more aware of the purposes, activities, recruitment strategies, levels of gang membership, means of support, and appearance of today's juvenile gangs, as well as why belonging to a gang appeals to so many boys and girls of all ages.