Principals should educate their teachers and staff members on gang activity within their city or town. School staff should know what to be on the lookout for such as, gang insignias, gang-related hand gestures, styles of dress particular to certain gangs and the names of any known gang members who are students. A principal should inform his staff of the names of known gangs in the area and how they operate. For example, many gangs sell drugs to school children on or near a school campus.
A principal should communicate often with law-enforcement personnel. Local police departments can provide vital information concerning gang activity, including the types of gangs active in a specific location, warning signs that a student might be involved with gangs and tactics gang members use to infiltrate schools. Gang task-force units within the police department hold informational assemblies in many schools. The presence of law enforcement on campus can also serve as a deterrent for gang activity.
All entrances, exits and hallways should be monitored throughout the school day. Principles should instruct teachers to be present in school common areas between classes rather than in their classrooms. Unmonitored students are more inclined to break rules than students who feel they are being watched. Visitors should be directed to enter through a main entrance and sign in with the school-administration office.
Principals should develop a list of students who are at-risk for gang involvement. Students who frequently miss school, exhibit undesirable behavior, have poor grades or mimic gang hand gestures and clothing styles are likely to be at risk. Encourage teachers to watch for changes in mood, productivity and behavior. Students who are labeled as at-risk should be mentored by school counselors and encouraged to improve in a positive manner. Deal with at-risk students one on one; do not confront them in front of other students.
Many gangs use specific colors, name brands and styles of dress to identify each other and their rivals. A principal should attempt to make a school campus as neutral a territory as possible. Have students and parents sign a dress-code contract with specific examples of what is forbidden to wear on campus. For instance, certain gangs roll one pant leg up higher than the other. A principal should isolate students who violate the dress-code policy and contact their parents.