3/8/2010 Gangs 101: Recognizing and Understanding Youth Gangs Washington School Counselor Association Conference February 2010 Tyson Vogeler, Program Supervisor Washington State School Safety Center n the Rise o n the Rise o 1 3/8/2010 Gangs can be hard to recognize . n the Rise o unless you know what you are looking for. Students reporting gang membership doubled between 2002 and 2006 HealthyYouthSurvey: selfreportedgangmembership 10 9 8 7 n the Rise udents 6 t t 2002 5 o o 4 2004 3 2006 PercentofS 2 2008 1 0 Grade8 Grade10 Grade12 SurveyYear What is a street gang? • Common definition: o 3 or more persons o Engage in criminal activity collectively o Identifiable leadership o Ongoing relationship n the Rise o o Common signs, symbols, or colors o Exclusivity o Turf or territory o Typical age 14-24 years RCW 28A.600.455 2 3/8/2010 Why do kids join gangs? • Searching for belonging and acceptance • Exploring self-identity • Seeking excitement and activities • Money, girls, drugs, n the Rise friends, love o • Emotional trauma Kids don’t run to gangs. They are running away from something else. -- Father Greg Boyle, noted gang expert Cultural Influences •Music •Movies • Magazines • Internet n the Rise • Video Games o • Peers •Family Multi-Generational Gangs • Children raised in a gang culture • Gangs become the “norm” for youth n the Rise • Washington has o third-generation gang families • Older siblings • Children emulating gang behaviors 3 3/8/2010 Cultural Influences n the Rise o Celtics’ Paul Pierce was fined $25,000 for throwing up a gang hand sign (Piru) at a loud spectator in 2008. Gangs have been around a long time . • Immigrants formed gangs in the late 1800s for protection • Earliest Chicago gangs ory of Gangs in 1940s (Latin Kings and Black P Stones) • First California Hispanic gangs in 1940s • Chicago gangs expanded The Hist in the 1960s and 1970s Gangs have been around a long time . • California “black” gangs formed in 1960s • Expansion and migration of LA black gangs in ory of Gangs 1980s • Expansion of Hispanic gangs in late 1980s and early 1990s • Evolution of hybrid gangs The Hist since late 1990s 4 3/8/2010 ory of Gangs Washington’s gangs were originally imported from other areas, The Hist and more recently have been gangs that develop locally. “All is well.” “All is one.” anization g Dress “left” Dress “right” Bloods Crips Latin Kings Gangster Disciples Vice Lords Surenos La Raza Gang Or Girls in Gangs • About 10% of gang members are girls • Female gang activity is on the increase • Girls are usually “sexed” into the gang • Some all-girl gangs • Forced prostitution anization is common g • Girls can be very violent, and do carry weapons Gang Or 5 3/8/2010 “Black” Street Gangs • Crips • Bloods • Piru • Hoover Criminals • Black Gangster Disciples • Vice Lords • California Street Gang • Associated with Folk Nation • Turf-oriented, active in drug traffic • Origins: o Los Angeles treet Gangs o S 1970s o Compton HS •Rivals: o Bloods, Latin Kings, Vice Lords “Black” “Black” • Identifiers: o Color Blue (primary) o Also Light Blue, Gray, White, Purple o May dress “left” treet Gangs o Letter “C” S o Six-pointed star o Number 6 o “Sox” hats “Black” “Black” 6 3/8/2010 • Identifiers: o Pitchforks “up” o Don’t write “CK” o Examples – o “write bacc” treet Gangs o “write bak” S o Word “slob” or “sloop” as a put-down to Bloods o Graffiti includes “BK” “Black” “Black” • California Street Gangs • Associated with People Nation • Turf-oriented, active in drug traffic treet Gangs • Origins: S o Los Angeles o 1970s o Response to Crip gang o Piru is a subset or a separate gang “Black” “Black” • Identifiers: o Colors Red (primary) o Also Burgundy, Green, Brown, Tan o Letter “B” or “UBN” o Word “damu” treet Gangs o S Number 031 (“I am blood” ) o Boston Red Sox Hats o Local sets may use other letters o Tattoos –bludor MOB are common “Black” “Black” 7 3/8/2010 • Identifiers: o Five-pointed star o Cross out letter “C” o Replace “C” with “B” (example “class” becomes “blass”) treet Gangs o S Graffiti may include “CK” or “Crab” o Pitchforks “down” o May dress “right” “Black” “Black” • California Street Gang • Originally “Hoover Crips” but now a separate gang • Continued allegiance to Crips and Folk Nation • Origins: treet Gangs S • LALos Ange les • Hoover Avenue “Black” “Black” • Identifiers: o Colors Orange and Blue o Letter “H” o Number 74 or 52 o “H” handsign o Otherwise similar treet Gangs to Crips S “Black” “Black” 8 3/8/2010 • Chicago Street Gang • Associated with Folk Nation • Origins: o 1960s treet Gangs o Two gangs joined S to form BGDN o Black Disciples (BD) broke off from BGD o “Growth and Development” (1990s) “Black” “Black” • Identifiers: o Colors Black, Blue o Also Grey, White o Letters “BGD” or “GD” or “G” treet Gangs o S Pitchforks “up ” “Black” “Black” • Identifiers: o Six-point stars o Number 360 o Number 274 or 74 o Pitchfork Hand signs treet Gangs S o OkldRidOaklandRaider attire o Chicago Bulls attire (also worn by other gangs) “Black” “Black” 9 3/8/2010 Hispanic / Latino Street Gangs • Surenos • 18th Street • Florencia 13 • Brown Pride • Nortenos • Mara Salvatrucha • Latin Kings Surenos • “Southerners” in Spanish • Sureno gang is an “umbrella” • Associated with Mexican Mafia o “La Eme” prison gang o Local gangsters are “foot soldiers” ngs o a LlLocal gangs may pay taxes to La Eme Latino G Surenos • Origins: o LA Latino gangs since 1900 o Maravilla Gangs (1930s) o Zoot Suit Riots (1940s) o Mexical Mafia (1960s) ngs o a Sureno alliance in Los Angeles (1960s) o South of Bakersfield Latino G 10 3/8/2010 Surenos • Identifiers: o Color Blue o Number 13 or X3 or XIII o Words “south” or “Sur” o “trece” and 3 dots o Replace “e” with “3” ngs o Eyebrow slashes a o Letter “M” or “S” o Tattoos •Rivals: o Nortenos, People • Call Nortenos “buster” or “sodbuster” Latino G 18th Street Gang •18th Street Gang • Under Sureno umbrella • Area of Origin: – Los Angeles, CA • Colors and number: – Black, Grey, and Blue ngs – Number 18 a • Rival: Nortenos and Florencia Latino G Florencia 13 • Florencia Gang • Under Sureno umbrella • Area of Origin: o Los Angeles ngs o 1950s a o Florence Ave. Latino G 11 3/8/2010 Florencia 13 • Identifiers: o Color Blue o Number 13 o “Effe” and “Effe 13” •Rivals: ngs o Nortenos a o 18th Street Latino G ngs a Latino G ngs a Latino G 12 3/8/2010 Brown Pride • Brown Pride • Members may deny “gang” membership • Identifiers: – Brown and Blue/Red ngs a – Num ber 13/14 – Letters BP • Rivals: Depends on alliance Latino G Nortenos • “Northerner” in Spanish • Associated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang ngs • Identify strongly with Mexican heritage a • Area of Origin: o North of Bakersfield o 1960s (Tennis shoe war) •Rivals: Latino G o Surenos Nortenos • Identifiers: o Color Red o Number 14 or XIV or X4 o Letter “N” o “Norte” ngs o Tattoos a Latino G 13 3/8/2010 Nortenos • Identifiers: o Huelga Bird o UNLV attire o NorCal references o NFL and NBA attire o Cross out letter “S” ngs o 5-point star a • Call Surenos “skrapa” or “SuRat” Latino G ngs a Latino G Latin / Queens • Originally Puerto Rican gang • Associated with People Nation ngs a • AfOiiArea ofOrigin: – Chicago – 1940s Latino G 14 3/8/2010 Identifiers: • Colors Yellow (Gold) and Black • 5-pointed crown • Lion’s Head ngs (the lion King) a • Number 5 • 5-pointed star Latino G • Identifiers: o Number 360 o Pitchforks down o ALKN or ALQN o “Amor de rey” ngs • Rivals: a o Crips o Surenos o Folk Nation Latino G Hybrid Gangs and Other Groups • Asian Gangs • Native American Gangs • East Europpgean “Gangs” • Insane Clown Posse • Straight Edge • Tagger Crews 15 3/8/2010 Asian Gangs • Origins in California o Tiny Rascal Gang (TRG) o Asian BoyZ • Usually ethnically restricted • More loosely organized, Other Gangs mostlyyy hybrid g ang s • Highly Mobile (nomadic) • Not turf-oriented Hybrid & Asian Gangs • Tend to be low-profile • Indicators: • Colors green, black, blue, red, purple • Cultural tattoos (dragons) Other Gangs • 5 dot tattoos (()like dice) • Burns • Scars (intentional) Hybrid & Asian Gangs • Indicators: • 4 or 5 “Ts” (love, money, prison, crime, revenge) • Cultural tattoos (dragons, eagles, etc.) Other Gangs • Oakland A’s hats • Crip or Blood indicia Hybrid & 16 3/8/2010 Native American Gangs • Growing problem on reservations and nearby communities • Tend to be unstructured and informal • May use LA gang names Other Gangs • PillPresence in all Washington reservations Hybrid & Native American Gangs Other Gangs Hybrid & Insane Clown Posse • A rap group that performs hardcore music termed “horrorcore” • Known for dark & violent lyrics • Followers called Juggalos and Juggalettes Other Gangs • Accept use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and promiscuous sex Hybrid & 17 3/8/2010 Insane Clown Posse I stab people like everyday folks skinny people any people I chop off their throats My stabbin's are ninja like very quickly, hey by the time you feel it I'm like 3 blocks away I stabbed the newspaper guy and took his little truck now I stab people and drive away I'm like puttputtputtputt I love waffle house, I stab people there Other Gangs their so shitty and dumpy they don' ttevencare even care I love stabbin' people, def leopard remember them when I cut their fuckin drummers are off, you can ask'em Hybrid & Insane Clown Posse • Don’t see themselves as a gang • Little group structure, members see themselves as individuals • Can be a gang by definition • Found across the country Other Gangs • More urban / suburban • May be violent – known to carry hatchets / axes • Identifiers: • “hatchet man” • face paint Hybrid & Insane Clown Posse • May 2006: Jacob Robida (18) killed several persons in a Massachusetts gay bar using first a hatchet and then a handgun.