------If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. Young gangsters distort Golden Rule: Do unto others tor what they did to you.

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NATIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER NEWSJOURNAL FALL 1989

J 121384- U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice 123189

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""'--= , .' ".' ,¥IJ , : ; '. J .- . ~. .~ . . .' .:". . ' . ' '. :"ff'. , . ' " CONTENTS

NATIONAL.SCHOOL 4 When you're a Crip SAFETY CENTER (or a Blood)

Pepperdine University's National School Safety Center is j~3\'8Y n pannership of the U.S. Depanment of Iustice and U.S. Depanment of Education. NSSC's goal is to promote safe schools free of drug traffic and abuse, gangs, 12 LA's gang busters weapons, WIIdalism and bullying; to encourage good lessons learned discipHne, attendance and community support; and to help en~tire a quality education for all children. By Suzanne Harper

Ronald D. Siephens, Executive Director J;?313S"' Stllart Greenbaum, Communications Director Ronald W. Garrison, Field Services Director 16 Gangs, guns and drugs James E. Campbell, Business Manager Bernard James, Special Counsel By Ronald D. Stephens

Pepperdlne University NSSC Sleering Council: 1;?313Co David Davenpon, President, Chair; William B. Adrian, Provost, Vice Chair; Andrew K. Benton, Vice President, University Affairs; Nancy Magnusson-Fagan, Dean, 20 Gangsters: Back Graduato School of Education and Psychology; Ronald F. to the future Phillips, Dean, School of Law; Charles B. Runnels, Chancellor; Ronald D. StIlphens, Ex~cutive Director, By Ronald W. Garrison NSSC; Iohn G. Watson. Vice President, Student Affairs; and lames R. Wilburn, Vice President and Dean, School Id3/31 of Business and Management. 23 Fighting crime for kids' sake School Safety By Karl Zinsmeister School Safety is published by the National School Safety JQ3f8~ Center to communicate current trends and effective pro-­ grams in school safety to educators. law enforcers, law­ yers, judges, governm~nt officials, business leaders, 27 Troubled Asian youth: journalists and the public. Publication dates are Septem­ ber (Fall issue), Ianuary (Winter issueJ and May (Spring The deafening silence issue). Annual subscrip:lon: $9.00. By Jeffrey J. Munks J ~ 3 If? Ronald D. Stephens, Executive Editor S2Uart Greenbaum, Editor/Art Director Brenda Turner, Suzanne Harper, Associate Editors Updates 2 NSSC Update Cynthia Randolph, Photocompositor

Anicles in this pUblication may be reprinted - excluding individually copyrighted material - with credit to School SafelY, NSSC and a copy of reprints 10 NSSC. School 31 National Update Safety encoumges the submission of original anieles, anwork, book ",views and lellers 10 the editor and will review and consider each item for publication. 32 Legislative Update Correspondence for School Safety and the National School Safety Center should be addressed to: National School Safety Center, 16830 Ventura Boulevard, SUite 200, Encino, CA 91436, telephone 8181377·6200. FAX 8181377·6209. 33 Legal Update

Prepared under Grant No. 85-MU-CX-0003 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Office of Iustice Progmms, U.S. Depanmenl of Iustice. 34 Resource Update Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represenl Ihe offici,l lj position Qr policies of the U.S. Depanment of Justice, U.S. Department of Education or Pepperdine University. Resources 18 NSSC Resources Copyright © 1989 National School Safety Center.

19 NSSC Resource Papers About the cover; Gang "brothers" pose for Ihis ponrait, proudly flashing their gang hand sign. Photograph by Merrick MortOn. 35 "Principals 01 Leadership"

School Safety 3 Fall 1989 BY RONALD W. GARRISON

Gangs, bistory tells us, have changed little through the centuries as groups of violent, delinquent youths. Learn­ ing from this dark past may shed light on the future. Gangsters: Back to the future

Into the woods, but mind the past. Divine Comedy, placed many members fered youths valuable vocational skills; Into the woods but mind the future. of the Florentine Blacks in various a minimal level of care that included Into the woods, but do not stray. levels of The Inferno. room, board and education; and a posi­ Or tempt the Wolf or steal from the Gang activity flourished in colonial tive role model provided by the master Giant. America as well. One American wrote craftsman, according to James Haskins, in his diary on January 14, 1766, "Chil­ author of Street Gangs: Yesterday and - Stephen Sondheim, dren nightly trampouze the streets with Today. "Into the Woods" lanthorns upon poles, the Magistry... do By the 1830s, traditional apprentice­ not dare suppress it." But by February ships had been replaced by the practice The Blacks and Whites were at it again, 6th, the citizens apparently rallied of exploiting children in factories with­ but this time the Blacks (named for the against the youth, taking back their out providing the requisite care the ap­ colors they wore, not their race) went streets. The diarist notes, "This night prenticeship system previously deliv­ too far. At a May Day dance, the several children were dispersed by ered. For those who could not or would Blacks launched a deliberate attack, watchmen (for the first time) for parad­ not cope with the factories' harsh con­ wounding many Whites and cutting off ing the streets with three effigies and ditions, it was easier to earn a living on the nose of a White leader. A witness candles, being about 300 boys." the street by forming and joining gangs. to the event stated, "The devil began However, one show of force didn't The lessons of history can guide to­ his work with these young men, work­ solve the problem in the 18th century, day's efforts in the intervention and ing together in a pitch of arrogance any more than it does today. In 1791, prevention of youth gangs, alter our using weapons and their hands." Philadelphia's American Daily Adver­ perceptions of gangs, and change our Another contemporary declared, tiser complained, "The custom of per­ response to gang members and the vio­ "They have come in a. short time to mitting boys to ramble about the streets lence they perpetuate. In fact, the simi­ great estate and, having reached it, they by night is productive of the most larities between gangs of a century ago are not only luxurious and offensive but serious and alarming consequences ... and those creating the urban nightmare uncultured and ungracious." assembled in corners, and concealed of 1989 are startling. . This account is not from 1989 urban from every eye, they can securely in­ For example, by the 1820s, the Five America, but from 14th century Flor­ dulge themselves in mischief of every Points-Paradise Square district of New ence, Italy. The incessant gang violence kind. The older ones train the younger York City had become a haven for street at that time had such an impact on one in the same path they themselves pur­ gangs organized in the backrooms of young White gang member that he sue." grocery stores. By 1855, New York had poetically placed some of his rival gang Vast armies of runaway youth roamed an estimated 30,000 gang members. members in hell. Medieval gang mem­ the streets of American cities during the These gangsters adopted names and ber Dante Alighieri, author of the 18th and 19th centuries, in part due to created the symbols of their member­ the prison-like conditions found in or­ ship, much as today's gangs use hand Ronald W. Garrison is field services phanages and the elimination of cottage signs and colors to differentiate them­ director for NSSC industry apprenticeships, which had of- selves from their rivals. The Plug Uglies

School Safety 20 Fall 1989 wore large plug hats stuffed with wool and leather for protection, and the Shirt Tails defied fashion by wearing shirts outside their trousers. The Dead Rab­ bits liked to wear a red stripe on their pants, while the Roach Guards sported a blue stripe. From 1830 to 1860, gang violence turned Paradise Square into a battlefield. The Dead Rabbits and the Roach Guards were rival gangs that eventually formed an alliance against the Bowery Boys. (One female Dead Rabbit known as "Hell-Cat Maggie" filed her teeth to sharp points and had long fingernails made of brass.) Today, gangs actively recruit juve­ niles, knowing they wiil face less severe legal penalties if caught in a criminal act. According to Robert Lauder, author of Fighting Violent Crime in America, "It is in the gangs that the underaged crimin'ills are most useful. Only 1 per­ cent of children 10 or younger who are New York Public Library Picture Collection picked up go into institutions, compared to 20 percent in some cities for those the gangster replied, "Well, I had 49 Fighting the attraction of gangs who are 17." He estimates that a million nicks in my stick, and I wanted to For more than a century, sociologists serious crimes, from larceny-theft to make it an even 50." Another Plug have debated why some people fall into murder to arson, are committed by chil­ Ugly seized a stranger and cracked his the "law-abiding" category and others dren age 12 and under. In much the spine in three places just to win a two­ into the "law-violating" group. But there same way, very young children joined dollar bet. is little disagreement that a primary gangs in the 1800s. Herbert Asbury, In 1955, Albert Cohen related similar motivation to join a gang is the basic author of The Gangs of New York: An incidents in his book Delinquent Boys. human need for recognition, ceremony Informal History of the Undenvorld, The perpetrators summarized their ac­ and status. writes: "The Little Daybreak Boys, tions with the statement "I guess we In his classic work, Gang Delinquency composed of lads from 8 to 12 years of was just ornery," an echo of the chilling and Delinquent Subcultures, James Short age, were almost as ferocious as the statements made by the youths who in describes the choice an individual makes older gangsters whose name they 1989 went "wilding" in Central Park, in determining which social group he or adopted and whose crimes they strove attacked a woman jogger, and said they she will join as "highly complex and mightily to imitate." did it because it was "fun." fluid, resting on a range of factors.... Of That startling viciousness can also be Finally, a comparison can be drawn critical importance is status.... Action seen in today's gangs, whose violence is between how 19th century and contem­ geared to attain status is much more connected to gang members' own drug porary mayors bring in reinforcements acutely oriented to the fact of status use and gangs' increasing involvement to fight gangs. Nineteenth century New itself than to the legality or illegality, in drug distribution. Even before the York frequently called in National morality or immorality of the means expanding drug trade hit this country, Guard units to quell gang activity and used to achieve it." however, gang members commonly par­ rioting, and used military parades to es­ The contemporary need for status is ticipated in violent acts. In Epic of New tablish authority in gang-infested areas. often achieved through the marketing of York City, author Edward Robb Ellis The mayor of Portland, Oregon, recently drugs and weapons. According to the cites the story of an old man who suf­ borrowed from this tradition by using Drug Enforcement Administration, co­ fered a beating with a huge bludgeon by National Guard personnel as clerical caine seizures have increased nationally a Plug Ugly during the 1840s. When officers to free police from their desks from 1,872 in 1981 to 80,000 in 1988. asked why he had assaulted the man, and put more officers on the" street. Juvenile crack arrests have tripled in

School Safety 21 Fall 1989 GARRISON

New York City and quadrupled in jected." community or each other through Washington, D.C., from 1983 to 1987. Learning to take responsible action is peer programs This is not surprising, considering an not an automatic process; responsibility • The natural ties that exist between article in the May 9, 1988, issue of must be taught. In the past this was ac­ children and older adults, and Time that reported, "Teen-agers domi­ complished through: • Programs stressing lifelong civil edu­ nate all aspects of the crack business." • Marriage and family cation and service to the community For many urban youth, the choice is • Military service not whether to join a gang, but which • Families "taking in" youth to live in By doing this, schools can nurture one to join. their home the development of law-abiding behavior The desire for status and ritual is a • Apprenticeship programs and in children. Some schools are currently powerful one. To fight gangs, adults employment developing plans to prevent and curb must consciously address this need in s Religion gangs in their neighborhoods by: children, which means recognizing youth • Well-managed private and public • Redirecting gang-affiliated youth in a as a special group within society. How­ orphanages positive enterprise based on the ever, the opposite seems to be happen­ • In-loco parentis extending to a large Junior Achievement model ing. As our society ages, adults, who circle of community adults • Offering extra pay assignments for form the majority of the population, school counselors to work in gang wrongly assume that all people (includ­ In addition, many youths naturally intervention ing immigrants and children) share col­ rejected gang life as they grew older, • Making more home calls to assist the lective principles about responsible law­ and gang violence sometimes decreased families of gang members abiding behavior. Adults tell children, as a result of a large social move- • Sponsoring a mothere' camp retreat "You should not join gangs," yet fail to ment to other locations, such as • Offering role-playing workshops provide them with the skills needed to those that occurred during the Cal­ stressing conflict resolution, non­ avoid gang involvement. ifornia gold rush or the AlasY.an oil violence and negotiation Instead, today's adults are returning boom. • Establishing positive participation children to the status of little adults, a The grip gangs held on schools and contracts positinn they held for centuries before neighborhood was traditionally dimin­ • Developing anti-gang curricula that the concept of childhood gained accep­ ished through: stresses gang avoidance skills tance. (The recent United States Su­ • A military presence, including • Providing vocational placement with preme Court decislon, Wilkins vs. parades through gang territory tracking and follow-up Missouri, which made capital punish­ • Community service volunteers who • Establishing comprehensive school ment possible for juveniles as young as cleaned and repaired neighborhoods policies on gang affiliation 16, may be one example of our chang­ • Religious missionaries Ii Creating special ceremonies for gang ing attitude toward children.) • Increased laws and penalties members who left the gang Treating children as adults, however, • Stiff sentencing for gang leaders • Developing a school/community gang is a way to force children to become • Youth service organizations prevention consortium responsible for their behavior while • Watchful team policing and probation e Forming partnerships with law en­ denying the adults' responsibility to • Community/school rituals and rites of forcement gang units, juvenile proba­ mold that behavior. Although children passage tion departments and the courts to were treated as adults in the past, the share information on identified gang potential severity of that attitude was Adults can learn a great deal from members in the neighborhood and mitigated in part by individuals and these historical solutions to the gang school institutions willing to take responsibility problem. Communities and schools for the rearing of children, Philip Aries should seek out and develop partner­ Successfully competing with gangs, writes in Centuries of Childhood. ships with parents, youth service agen­ especially today when they offer the As New York Governor Mario cies and active senior citizens to pub­ added incentive of drug wealth, will not Cuomo said recently, "We are left with licly recognize: be easy. But one thing is certain: To do the terrible possibility that we have, by • Children's issues, interests and needs nothing is to destroy our future as well our failures, produced young people • The positive achievements of as our children's. In the words of who have leanied to disdain simple childhood George Bernard Shaw, "The worst sin principles of right conduct, principles • Individual children who make com­ toward our fellow creatures is not to so basic to our good order that we munity contributions hate them but to be indifferent to them; never contemplated their being re- • Groups of children who serve the that's the essence of inhumanity." D

School Safety 22 Fall 1989