Irving Spergel, a University of Chicago sociologist, who is one of the best-known researchers of gang activity, makes the following suggestions of programs and approaches that could be appropriate for elementary, middle, and high school students.

In some elementary schools, several methods are used to prevent gang activity and substance abuse and to control youth who begin to engage in gang-related behavior. They include the

Where possible, new academic programs should be integrated into the existing curriculum (i.e., health, social studies, or English classes to prevent or control gang activity).

In high school and middle schools, gang and gang-prone youth need to master the academic skills required to finish high school and later obtain employment. Some of these youth cannot cope with the rules and academic requirements in conventional schools and will require additional services. These students can achieve the mastery of basic skills in three possible ways:

"A curriculum that combines academic and vocational preparation is particularly useful for gang and high-risk youth", according to Spergel. "Strategies that provide economic opportunity for them will reduce gangs and gang violence. Legitimate jobs, as youth get older, are an alternative to street crime and hustling."

Source:

Spergel, I. & Alexander, A. (1991). School Technical Assistance Manual. Rockville, MD: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.