The need to belong to a group and be somehow initiated into that group are well-documented basic human needs. Young people who cannot achieve a sense of connection through prosocial means may choose the hazardous approach of gang involvement. Gangs have shifted over time from considering themselves protectors of the community to focusing on victimizing people within the community. Children are being recruited into gangs at increasingly earlier ages. Youth targeted for recruitment are often angry and suspicious and have a poor self-image. Courtship of potential recruits can take from 2 weeks to 2 months. One of the final steps is a test of the recruit's willingness to back up the gang. Gang initiation transitions recruits into full-fledged members via a test of strength, conviction, and courage. Strategies to counteract each phase of the process start with the early identification of gang involvement. Parents, teachers, and other adults should find out who their children's or students' friends are, watch for a drop in grades, look for changes in appearance and speech, and look for gang graffiti. They should stay involved in children's lives beyond the elementary school years, seek help from relatives if necessary, and create job opportunities and mentoring programs. Other actions should include creating positive partnerships with local police, making children aware of the price of being in a gang, and being respectful while not being intimidated. 12 references