National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations In Partnership With Federal Bureau of Investigation National Drug Intelligence Center Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Bureau of Justice Assistance National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations 2005 NATIONAL GANG THREAT ASSESSMENT National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations This document was prepared under Grant Number 2003-DD-BX-0311 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of BJA or the U.S. Department of Justice. 2005 National Gang Threat Assessment CONTENTS FOREWORD .............................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................v GENERAL TRENDS ...............................................................................................................vi REGIONAL TREND ................................................................................................................vii Northeast ..........................................................................................................................vii South .................................................................................................................................vii Midwest .............................................................................................................................vii West ..................................................................................................................................vii INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................ix METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................................1 GANGS AND DRUGS ............................................................................................................1 GANGS AND ORGANIZED CRIME ...................................................................................2 Asian Organized Crime .....................................................................................................3 Russian Organized Crime .................................................................................................3 GANGS AND TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................3 Cell Phones .......................................................................................................................3 Computers .........................................................................................................................4 Internet ..............................................................................................................................4 GANGS AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ..............................................................5 Domestic Terrorist Groups .................................................................................................5 International Terrorist Groups ............................................................................................5 Terrorist Recruitment in Prisons ........................................................................................5 PRISON GANGS ......................................................................................................................5 HISPANIC GANGS ..................................................................................................................7 Prominent Hispanic Gangs ................................................................................................7 Migration of Sureños Into the Southwestern United States ...............................................9 Identifying and Distinguishing Hispanic Gangs .................................................................10 Gang Coordination and Alliances ......................................................................................10 Foreign Law Enforcement Efforts to Combat Gangs .........................................................10 National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations i FEMALE GANGS ....................................................................................................................10 GANGS AND INDIAN COUNTRY ......................................................................................11 OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE GANGS ....................................................................................12 Drug Trafficking .................................................................................................................13 Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Expansion .................................................................................14 COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO GANGS ...........................................................................14 Community ........................................................................................................................14 Law Enforcement ...............................................................................................................15 NORTHEASTERN REGION .................................................................................................16 General Trends ..................................................................................................................16 Gang Presence and Migration ...........................................................................................16 National Gangs ..................................................................................................................17 Drug Trends .......................................................................................................................18 Criminal Activity .................................................................................................................19 SOUTHERN REGION .............................................................................................................20 General Trends ..................................................................................................................20 Gang Presence and Migration ...........................................................................................21 National Gangs ..................................................................................................................21 Drug Trends .......................................................................................................................23 Criminal Activity .................................................................................................................25 MIDWESTERN REGION .......................................................................................................25 General Trends ..................................................................................................................25 Gang Presence and Migration ...........................................................................................25 National Gangs ..................................................................................................................26 Drug Trends .......................................................................................................................28 Criminal Activity .................................................................................................................29 WESTERN REGION ...............................................................................................................29 General Trends ..................................................................................................................29 Gang Presence and Migration ...........................................................................................30 National Gangs ..................................................................................................................30 Drug Trends .......................................................................................................................33 Criminal Activity .................................................................................................................34 OUTLOOK ..................................................................................................................................36 NOTES ........................................................................................................................................56 ii 2005 National Gang Threat Assessment FOREWORD Once found principally in large cities, violent street gangs now affect public safety, community image, and quality of life in communities of all sizes in urban, suburban, and rural areas. No region of the United States is untouched by gangs. Gangs affect society at all levels, causing heightened fears for safety, violence, and economic costs. Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), this report is the result of a collaborative effort among the members of the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations (NAGIA). NAGIA is composed of the leadership of 15 state and regional gang investigators associations,