GANGS

Definition:

Generally a gang can be considered to be a loosely organized group of individuals who collaborate together for social reasons. Modern day gangs now collaborate together for anti-social reasons.

A gang is a group of more than two people, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation.

• Street gangs are very fluid in nature, and while it is fairly easy to develop intelligence information about them, many times the information is outdated almost before it is disseminated to the proper individuals.
• The key to gaining knowledge about individual groups is to talk directly with persons involved. In order to help reduce this problem, school authorities, police officials, government administrators, churches, and the community as a whole must band together, put aside our individual differences and prejudices, and work to make this a better place for us

Origin of American Gangs:

• Gangs in one form or another have been around for hundreds of years.
• The groups that traditionally come to mind when one thinks of modern day gangs are the Crips and the Bloods from California. The origins of the Crips and Bloods can be traced to the late 60's, and the gang culture is so ingrained on the west coast that many families have three and even four generations of gangsters residing in the same residence.
• It is believed that one of the Little Rock Blood gangs, the Highland Court Crew, has been in existence since 1984. Graffiti and other intelligence were noted around 1987.
• Most other area gangs formed in the late 80's and early 90's with the biggest growth year being 1990. Even though we have identified around forty gangs, almost all of them identify with the four major gangs from other states. Those are:
1. Crips - Los Angeles oriented
2. Bloods - Los Angeles oriented
3. Folk Nation - a/k/a Hoovers, BGD's, Shorty Folks, Shorties-Chicago oriented
4. People Nation – - a/k/a Vice Lords, P Stone Rangers, Blackstone Rangers, Latin Kings Chicago oriented
• The Black Gangster Disciples (a sub-group of the Hoovers) appears to be the largest denomination with the Bloods being the second largest. Some believe the Disciples and Crips are aligning on the streets as well as in the prisons, as are the Bloods and Vice-Lords.

The Media and Gangs

Gang culture is also highly glamorized by the media including television, big screen releases, and powerful, idolized hard-core rap artists who rap about revolutions and killing. This music is in great demand by both white and black kids and provides the role models for many of the dress habits and slang of today's street culture.
• Oftentimes, young peripheral or associate gang members get their first exposure to the gang culture through various aspects of the media--news shows, movies, videos, and even through the music of various artists.
• Some music and movies tend to glamorize the gang lifestyle.
• Many kids who gravitate to gangs do so out of a need to belong to something and for the power that is gained from being in a gang. The society that we live in makes alternative lifestyles very appealing.

Prison and Gangs

• While in prison, these youngsters become exposed to and indoctrinated into the world of real life gangbangers who are truly the hardest of the hard-core.
• Then, back to the streets these bangers go with more "knowledge" than ever could have been gained on the streets.
• When they are in prison, many gain rank or "juice" within their gang because they went to the "joint".
• While most kids on the streets are good kids, as long as society continues in the direction in which we are currently drifting, all kids must be considered at risk.

An Overview of Gangs

• Gangs generally have a leader or group of leaders who issue orders and reap the fruits of the gang's activities.
• A gang may also wear their "colors", wear certain types of clothing, tattoos, brands, or likewise imprint their gang's name, logo, or other identifying marks on their bodies.
• Many gangs also adopt certain types of hairstyles and communicate through the use of hand signals and graffiti on walls, streets, school work, and school property.
• It must be understood that it is not illegal to be in a gang.
• However, many gangs of today, especially youthful gangs, break the law to provide funding for gang activities or to further the gang's reputation on the streets.
• Gangs may identify with a large city gang or remain locally turf oriented.
• Development of local intelligence as well as pro-active events is a mandatory part of dealing with this problem.
• Schools must develop lines of communication with law enforcement officials in order to track and prevent gang growth and violence effectively.
• Gangs have made an evolution from being turf and brotherhood oriented to now being involved in one way or another with criminal enterprises.
• Groups that may have started out as a delinquent band of neighborhood toughs have now turned into a violent drug gang, some of whom retain a gang identity for enforcement, collection, or other reasons.
• Most gang members crave power, or "juice" as it is known in gang slang.
• Several years ago, a pecking order within a gang may have been established by flying fists. Now it is settled by flying lead.
• Joining a group known to have a reputation, good or bad, gives a kid looking for a purpose something to belong to. Participants have said the mere interaction with members; listening to one another's problems and sharing the other trials and tribulations today's teens are faced with are the drawing card for them to become a banger.
• Gang members also claim to enjoy the respect or fear others exhibit around them. Then they say, the money begins flowing, and with that comes all of the things associated with material wealth that is usually beyond the reach of these adolescents without the criminal activity of being involved in a gang.
• Once a kid gets into a gang, over and over they are told there is no way out. They fear serious reprisals from fellow gang members if a defection is suspected. Some are told they will be killed if they try to get out. Others are told that they can kill their mother to earn their way out.
• *You must remember when dealing with a kid involved in this that our beliefs must be set aside because the young person's beliefs are what we are dealing with, and you can bet that they believe everything the gang tells them.

Why join a gang?

I believe that the need for attention and the desire to obtain material goods are fast becoming the motivations driving youngsters to these groups. In order for this kid to have stayed away from the violence, a role model should have intervened with him when he was very young.
Feelings of fear, hatred, bigotry, poverty, disenfranchisement, and the general breakdown of social values are also considered motivations for joining a street group.

Sociologists as well as gang members have isolated the following reasons for joining a street gang:
• Identity
• Discipline
• Recognition
• Love
• Belonging
• Money - The current gang structure became increasingly visible at a time that paralleled the introduction of crack cocaine to the streets.
• Additionally, many kids are intimidated into gangs to avoid continued harassment. Gangs provide their members and family members with protection from other gangs as well as any other perceived threats.

"Three R's" of Gang Culture

REPUTATION/REP

• This is of critical concern to gang members.
• A rep extends not only to each individual, but to the gang as a whole.
• In some groups, status (or rank) is gained within the gang by having the most "juice" based largely on one's reputation. While being "juiced" is very important, the manner by which the gang member gains the "juice" is just as important.
• Upon interview, many gang members embellish their past gang activities in an attempt to impress their conversation partner. Gang members freely admit crimes and embellish their stories to enhance their feeling of power.
• In many gangs, to become a member, you must be "jumped in" by members of the gang. This entails being "beaten down" until the leader calls for it to end. Afterwards, all gang members hug one another to further the "G thing". This action is meant to bond the members together as a family.
• Frequently, young gang members, whether hardcore or associate, will talk of fellowship and the feeling of sharing and belonging as their reason for joining a gang.

RESPECT

• This is something everyone wants and some gang members carry their desire for it to the extreme.
• Respect is sought for not only the individual, but also for one's set or gang, family, territory, and various other things, real or perceived in the mind of the "gangbanger".
• Some gangs require that the gang member must always show disrespect to rival gang members. If a gang member witnesses a fellow member failing to dis a rival gang through hand signs, graffiti, or a simple "mad dog" or stare-down, they can issue a "violation" to their fellow posse member and he/she can actually be "beaten down" by their own gang as punishment.
• After dis has been issued, if it is witnessed, the third "R" will become evident.

RETALIATION/REVENGE

• It must be understood that in gang culture, no challenge goes unanswered.
• Many times, drive-by shootings and other acts of violence follow an event perceived as a dis.
• A common occurrence is a confrontation between a gang set and single rival gangbanger. Outnumbered, he departs the area and returns with his "homeboys" to complete the confrontation to keep his reputation intact. This may occur immediately or follow a delay for planning and obtaining the necessary equipment to complete the retaliatory strike.
• It must also be understood that many acts of violence are the result of bad drug deals or infringement on drug territory.
• Some question the authenticity of gang rivalry in shootings and other acts of violence. However, if a group of individuals are together committing either random or pre- planned violence, aren't they a gang?
• If the gang aspect is learned about, many crimes can be solved through the use of accurate intelligence gathering techniques by law enforcement agencies dealing with this problem.
• In gangbanging, today's witness is tomorrow's suspect, is the next day's victim.