Street Gangs in America

1. Street Gangs in America

2. What is a gang? A gang is a group of three or more people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity

3. Why do people join gangs? Four primary reasons • Poverty • Peer Pressure • Boredom • Despair

4. Why do people join gangs? Poverty • Many gangs exist mainly as a moneymaking enterprise. • Stealing and dealing drugs • Gang members can make relatively large amounts of money. • People who are faced with a lack of money may turn to crime if they can't earn enough with a legitimate job. • This partly explains why gangs exist in poor, rundown areas of cities. • However, not everyone who is poor joins a gang, and not every gang member is poor.

5. Why do people join gangs? Peer pressure • Gang members tend to be young • Gangs intentionally recruit teenagers • Young people are very susceptible to peer pressure. • Live in a gang-dominated area • Go to a school with a strong gang presence • Many of their friends are joining gangs • Peer pressure is a driving force behind gang membership in affluent areas.

6. Why do people join gangs? Boredom • Nothing else to occupy their time • Youths sometimes turn to mischief to entertain themselves. • Gangs are already in the neighborhood provide an outlet. • Might form their own gangs. • Many youths and even gang experts use boredom as an excuse.

7. Why do people join gangs? Despair • If poverty is a condition, despair is a state of mind. • People who have always lived in poverty with parents who lived in poverty often see no chance of ever getting a decent job, leaving their poor neighborhood or getting an education. • They are surrounded by drugs and gangs, and their parents may be addicts or non-responsive. • A neighborhood gang can seem like the only real family they'll ever have. • Joining a gang gives them a sense of belonging and being a part of something important that they can't get otherwise. • In some cases, parents approve of their children joining gangs, and may have been a member of the same gang in the past.

8. Gangs • Sur 13 • Bloods • Crips • Gangster Disciples • MS-13

9. Sur 13 • Sureños (Southerns) • Members of the original Mexican Mafia (La Eme) • Took the name of Sureños to separate themselves from those in northern California (Norteños)

10. Sur 13 • Main sources of income are: • Retail-level distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine • In prison systems and in the community • Extortion of drug distributors on the streets • Also involved in other criminal activities • Assault, carjacking, home invasion, homicide, and robbery

11. Bloods • Formed to compete against the influence of the Crips • Colors are red • Originally a faction of the Crips known as the Pirus Street Gang • Broke off during an internal gang conflict and joined with other small groups • Bloods membership is between 5,000 to 20,000 • Active in 123 cities and in 33 states.

12. Bloods • Sources of income • Street-level distribution of cocaine and marijuana. • Transportation and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, and to a lesser extent, PCP (phencyclidine). • Other criminal activities • assault, auto theft, burglary, carjacking, drive-by shooting, extortion, homicide, identification fraud and robbery.

13. Crips • Started in 1969 in Los Angeles • One of the largest and most violent street gangs in the United States • Estimated between 30,000 to 35,000 individuals • Colors are blue

14. Crips • Crips gangs operate in 221 cities and in 41 states. • Main source of income for Crips gangs • Street-level distribution of powdered cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and PCP (phencyclidine). • Other criminal activities include • Assault, auto theft, burglary and homicide.

15. Gangster Disciples • Formed in Chicago, Illinois, in the 1960’s. • Estimated between 25,000 to 50,000 members • Majority of whom are African-American males • Active in 110 cities and in 31 states.

16. Gangster Disciples • Main source of income • Street-level distribution of cocaine, marijuana and heroin. • Other types of criminal activity include • Assault, auto theft, fraud, homicide and money laundering. • Symbols of gangster disciples include • Six point star, representing • Life, Love, Loyalty, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding • Pitch fork

17. Mara SalvatruchaMS-13 • Originated in Los Angeles • Spread to Central America, Mexico and other parts of the United States • One of the largest Hispanic criminal street gangs in the U.S. • Estimated to have between 30,000 to 50,000 members and associate members worldwide • Between 8,000 to 10,000 members residing in the U.S.

18. Mara SalvatruchaMS-13 • Involved in the smuggling of illicit drugs into the U.S • Primarily powdered cocaine and marijuana. • Also involved in the transportation and distribution of drugs throughout the U.S. • Other criminal activities include • Alien smuggling, Assault, Drive-by shooting, Homicide, Identification theft, Prostitution, Robbery and Weapons trafficking.

19. Vice Lords • Second largest and one of the oldest gangs in Chicago • Estimated between 30,000 to 35, 000 members • Mostly African American males • Operate in 74 cities and in 28 states • Primarily in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.

20. Vice Lords • The main source of income is • The street-level distribution of cocaine, heroin and marijuana. • Other criminal activities include • Assault, Burglary, Homicide, Identity theft and Money laundering.