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. .