Gang awareness seminar scheduled in Naperville
Sun Staff February 25, 2013 2:33PM
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin
Updated: March 28, 2013 6:19AM
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin has announced that his office will be hosting a public seminar aimed at providing DuPage County residents with a better understanding of gangs and their presence in our communities.
The seminar will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 4 at Linden Oaks at Edward Outpatient Center, 1335 N. Mill St., Naperville.
“I am very pleased to host this seminar,” Berlin said. “Make no mistake about it, gangs are here. As parents, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves about the existence of gangs. We must know what signs to look for that may indicate whether or not our children are at risk for joining a gang or worse, have already become a member of a gang.”
Berlin said that parents need to be armed with information to fight off gang influence on their kids.
“Kids today are smart,” he said. “They know how to hide potential indicators of gang involvement from their parents. That’s why this class is so important. It gives parents the information they need to properly assess if their child is involved in gangs and steps they can take to keep their children from getting involved in gangs.”
Joining Berlin will be Dr. Charla Waxman of Linden Oaks at Edward. Waxman has spent nearly 30 years working with gang-involved adolescents and young adults. Waxman is on staff with National Gang Crime Research Center, serves on The Du Page County Task Force on Gangs and has served as president of the Elgin Gang Drug Task Force.
The seminar, which is free of charge, is open to anyone seeking information about gangs.
To register for the seminar, call Mary Wells at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office at 630-407-8106. Walk-ins are also welcome.
