Young gang membership is prevalent in the US. Youth gang membership is associated with serious violent offending and victimization. Youth gang membership elevates the risk of various negative, potentially long-term social and health consequences. Law enforcement agencies report a greater percentage of Hispanic/Latino and African-American/black gang members compared with other races/ethnicities. The most recent figures provided by law enforcement are 46 percent Hispanic/Latino gang members, 35 percent African-American/black gang members, more than 11 percent white gang members, and 7 percent other race/ethnicity of gang members. This curriculum aims to help educators and school mental health clinicians working with Latino youth understand the risk factors and intervention strategies specific to Latino youth.

Training Objectives

1. Participants will discuss the unique historical context that puts Latino youth at risk for joining and staying in gangs and the social determinants of health associated with gang involvement.
2. Participants will examine evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies as well as best practices in the cultural adaptation of existing protocols will be reviewed.
3. Participants will idenifty cultural considerations for the clinician-youth and educator-youth relationship will be discussed.