Question

chapter 19 you decide part i - choose your path: combating gangs
you are detective coterie, the gang detective that takes the parent’s call. after listening to their concerns about the son’s behavior, you ask them several questions that might indicate gang involvement. you learn that jordan regularly wears a red bandana or ball cap and refuses to wear the color “blue.” they have been sneaking out at night, and a knife was found in their room. after the interview, you conduct some background investigation and confirm that jordan’s other parent has never been present in their life. neither the parent nor jordan have ever been arrested or had contact with the criminal justice system. you are aware that the neighborhood where they live has an established violent ethnic street gang called the “bloods.” they deal primarily in street level narcotics sales and have been attempting to recruit new members from the local high schools. you have a decision to make about this new report.
what would you do?

○ you decide to enter the information you have received into the gang record under the “bloods” file, and you enter jordan into the suspected gang member file until further investigation is conducted. the records are fluid and can be modified – you just want to get the information in the system as quickly as possible in case any member of law enforcement comes into contact with the youth.

○ you decide to interview jordan as soon as possible to establish if they have any association with the bloods. it could be that they are being recruited but have no actual connections or contacts with any gang. they have no criminal record so you are hopeful that you can prevent any harm to this “at risk” youth.

Explanation:

Jordan shows early indicators of gang association (red bandana, avoiding blue, sneaking out, knife) in a neighborhood with the Bloods (a gang using red). However, labeling as a suspected member without direct confirmation risks premature categorization. Interviewing Jordan first allows gathering direct information to assess recruitment status and prevent harm to an at-risk youth, aligning with proactive, evidence-based intervention.

Answer:

You decide to interview Jordan as soon as possible to establish if they have any association with the Bloods. It could be that they are being recruited but have no actual connections or contacts with any gang. They have no criminal record so you are hopeful that you can prevent any harm to this "at risk" youth.