QUICK SHEET Gangs, Gang Behavior, and Symbols
QUICK SHEET
Gangs, Gang Behavior, and Symbols
Gangs - Definition
• Are involved in a growing cycle of criminal activity.
• Display a common identifier (color, style of clothing, graphic symbol, etc.).
• Claim and mark territory.
• Have a gang name and a structured leadership.
Identifiers – If a symbol is found, it DOES NOT necessarily mean gang affiliation. Rather, it means to look for other signs of affiliation. Graffiti are often symbols marking territory (presence).
Colors – Could be handkerchiefs, gym shoes, laces, or jackets (bikers, skinheads). Specific colors are often worn on one side of the body (e.g., Vice Lords wear red/black colors on their left sides).
Prison Gangs
• Aryan Brotherhood (Blue Bird Gang).
• Nuestra Family (NF) – Mexican members.
• Texas Syndicate (TS) – Mexican members, no black or white members.
• Mexican Mafia (EME) – members for life, “blood in, blood out.”
• Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) – black supremist group.
Motorcycle Gangs – 500 outlaw biker gangs with white supremist affiliation.
• Bandidos – Houston, Texas.
• Hell’s Angels (moved into legitimate business) – California, 30 chapters in the United States.
• Outlaws – Chicago, Illinois, United States, and Canada.
• Pagans – Prince Georges County, Maryland (mainly northeast United States).
• Sons of Silence – Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Motorcycle Gangs –Symbols
• Tear drops (time spent in prison, or death of gang members).
• 1% – (1% of all bikers who are outlaws) • White cross (removed article from buried corpse and wears it).
• “666” Satan.
• “OFFO” – Outlaws Forever, Forever Outlaws.
• “WFFW” – Warlocks Forever, Forever Warlocks.
Supremacists /Militias/Neo-Nazis
Aryan Nation – white supremacists.
Skins or skinheads – Appearance is often quite recognizable:
• White male, 14-24 years of age.
• Shaved head, or very short, trimmed hair.
• Blue or black denim pants, or six-pocket fatigues.
• Black or olive drab green flight jackets.
• Suspenders (called “braces”).
• Military style boots, steel-toed or “Doc Martens,” with either red or white laces.
• Tattoos or slogans with neo-Nazi or white supremist markings.
Symbols– (a sampling)
Many on this listing can be seen as tattoos or as graffiti:
• “WAR” stands for White Aryan Resistance.
• “Lightning Bolts” show an alliance with the Nazi SS.
• “AB” is used as an abbreviation for Aryan Brotherhood.
• “AF” stands for the Abraxas Foundation (white supremist).
• “88” represents the eighth letter of the alphabet, “H” and “Heil Hitler.”
• “AYM” Aryan Youth Movement.
• “187” taken from California Criminal Code.
• “Cuz” or “Cuzz, or Cuzzin” used to identify a Crip.
• “Five Point Star, Cane” – People Nation and Vice Lords.
• “Six Point Star, Pitch Fork/Cane” – Folk Nation, Black Gangster Disciples (BGD).
• “Pyramid” – El Rukins.
• “Five Point Crown” – Latin Kings.
Gangs: where founded (sampling) and physical symbolism
• Folk Nation (Chicago): Wear earrings on right ear, right shoe laced up, left halfway.
• People Nation (Chicago): Wear earrings on left ear, left shoe laced up, right shoe halfway.
• People affiliates – Latin Kings, Vice Lords (VL), Gaylords, Insane Duces, P.R. Stones, Insane Unknowns, and El Rukins.
• Family (Southeastern Michigan).
• Crips – (Los Angeles).
• Bloods – (Los Angeles.)
• Latin Kings – (Los Angeles).
Street Gangs
There are many gangs and names. Many gangs are local, yet a number have national affiliations. The level of sophistication varies, and there are four basic groupings for gang activity:
• Scavenger gangs or “gangs of opportunity” – Lack clear leadership and direction.
• Territorial gangs or “neighborhood/regional gangs” – Have a multi-level structure but limited sophistication.
• Corporate gangs or “multi-level organizational gangs” – Similar to businesses with structure, many roles, clear leadership, goals, and objectives.
• Commercial gangs or “syndicated gang nations” – Comprised of several gangs who affiliate to control a criminal network of ongoing illegal activities.