By Abigail Goldman

Published Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 | 11:17 a.m.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.

For police, translating gang lingo into parent-speak is like Classics PhD's coming up with a gripping new version of Euripides -- awesome.

Over the next few weeks, members of the Southern Nevada Gang Task force will share excerpts of their opus, the "Parents Handbook on Gangs." They'll be holding a handful of seminars that will cover, among other topics:

Understanding Gang Terms

Gangs 101 for Parents

Signs and Symbols of Gang Involvement

Graffiti, Guns and Gangs

And presumably to keep this precious knowledge out of the hands of gang-affiliated youth, nobody under the age of 21 will be permitted to attend. Expect, in other words, to be carded at the door.

The seminars will be on the following dates at various elementary schools:

Jan. 23 -- 9-11 a.m., E.W. Griffith Elementary, 342 Essex Drive.

Jan. 29 -- 4-6 p.m., Vegas Verdes Elementary, 4000 El Parque Ave.

Feb. 7 -- 8-10 a.m. and 3-5 p.m., Wendell Williams Elementary, 1030 J St.

There will be one seminar in Spanish as well:

Wednesday, Jan. 16 -- 9-11 a.m., Walter Long Elementary, 2000 Walnut Road