Consequence of Gang Involvement

Consequence of Gang Involvement
Gang membership can severely hurt one's health and future.
Gang members may be killed or injured.
Many put themselves in danger of disease, prison, and death.
Many become dependent on alcohol and drugs.
Gang members usually drop out of school, limiting their chances for higher education or good employment.
They are likely to be involved in crime throughout the rest of their lives.
They may commit serious and violent crimes that lead to lengthy jail time.

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Joining a gang

Joining a gang
Joining a gang is like entering enemy territory. Belonging to a gang has a warlike existence where beatings and shootings happen all the time. Typical scenarios of joining a gang involve violence and rape. Boys usually have to fight several other gang members at the same time-this is called being "rolled-in" or "walking the line." Girls may be forced to have sex with several gang members or fight other female gang members. New members may be required to prove themselves by beating up an innocent person, robbing a store, or shooting someone-including drive-by shootings. If you break the rules after joining a gang, your punishment may be death.
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Learn More about Gangs

Learn More about Gangs


Gangs can be organized around race or ethnic group, money making activities, or territory.
Gangs usually claim a particular area of town which they call their "turf.” They spend much of their time fighting rival gangs to keep them out of this territory.
Most gang members are males ranging in age from 8 to 22 years old. Females, especially Asian and Hispanic, are moving away from the traditional role of being merely girlfriends of gang members and are forming their own gangs.
Gangs wear particular items, styles, brands, or colors of clothing. Some gangs wear bandannas of a certain color or baseball caps of a specific team. Some gangs mark their bodies with tattoos with their gang symbol or name.
Gangs often use special hands signs or handshakes to tell others the gang to which they belong.
"Gangsta” rap paints a realistic picture of daily gang activity. The lyrics glorify violence, abuse of women, and disrespect for authority, especially the police.
Contrary to what you may think, gangs are not around to help you. These groups of young people break the law, beat up people, and murder.
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Helping America’s Youth Initiative

Helping America’s Youth Initiative

In his 2005 State of the Union Address, President Bush announced a broad effort to engage all Americans in helping young people become healthy adults. He asked First Lady Laura Bush to lead this important effort, which became known as the Helping America’s Youth initiative. Helping America’s Youth is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community.
Research has shown that supportive relationships are crucial to an adolescent’s well-being. By becoming actively involved in the lives of young people in their community, grandparents, teachers, mentors, clergy members, neighbors, coaches, and other community members can support parents and help youth become community assets, making better choices that lead to healthier, more successful lives.
The Helping America’s Youth Web site at www.helpingamericasyouth.gov provides information about the initiative and access to the Community Guide to Helping America’s Youth, an online resource to help communities assess their needs and resources and link them to effective programs to help youth in their neighborhoods and towns. The online tool helps determine what works best in order to make positive differences in children’s lives
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Miscellaneous Gang Legislation

Miscellaneous Gang Legislation
New York S 120.06. Gang Assault in the Second Degree
A person is guilty of gang assault in the second degree when, with intent to cause physical injury to another person and when aided by two or more other persons actually present, he causes serious physical injury to such person or to a third person. Gang assault in the second degree is a class C felony.
New York S 120.07. Gang Assault in the First Degree
A person is guilty of gang assault in the first degree when, with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person and when aided by two or more other persons actually present, he causes serious physical injury to such person or to a third person. Gang assault in the first degree is a class B felony.
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Graffiti (2)

Graffiti (2)

New York 60.28. Authorized Disposition; Making Graffiti and Possession of Graffiti Instruments
When a person is convicted of an offense defined in section 145.60 or 145.65 of this chapter, or of an attempt to commit such offense, and the sentence imposed by the court for such conviction includes a sentence of probation or conditional discharge, the court shall, where appropriate, include as a condition of such sentence the defendant’s successful participation in a graffiti removal program pursuant to paragraph (h) of subdivision two of section 65.10 of this chapter.


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Graffiti

Graffiti
New York 145.60. Making Graffiti
1. For purposes of this section, the term "graffiti" shall mean the etching, painting, covering, drawing upon or otherwise placing of a mark upon public or private property with intent to damage such property.
2. No person shall make graffiti of any type on any building, public or private, or any other property real or personal owned by any person, firm or corporation or any public agency or instrumentality, without the express permission of the owner or operator of said property.
Making graffiti is a class A misdemeanor.
New York 145.65. Possession of Graffiti Instruments
A person is guilty of possession of graffiti instruments when he possesses any tool, instrument, article, substance, solution or other compound designed or commonly used to etch, paint, cover, draw upon or otherwise place a mark upon a piece of property which that person has no permission or authority to etch, paint, cover, draw upon or otherwise mark, under circumstances evincing an intent to use same in order to damage such property.
Possession of graffiti instruments is a class B misdemeanor.
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Gang-Related Definitions

Gang-Related Definitions
New York S 120.06. Gang Assault in the Second Degree
A person is guilty of gang assault in the second degree when, with intent to cause physical injury to another person and when aided by two or more other persons actually present, he causes serious physical injury to such person or to a third person. Gang assault in the second degree is a class C felony.
New York S 120.07. Gang Assault in the First Degree
A person is guilty of gang assault in the first degree when, with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person and when aided by two or more other persons actually present, he causes serious physical injury to such person or to a third person. Gang assault in the first degree is a class B felony.
New York 9 NYCRR § 301.3. Types of Activities Not Allowed
The following activities are not allowed on State property:
(d) Gang activity as defined herein:
(1) The term gang as used herein means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary activities the commission of one or more criminal acts, which has an identifiable name or with the identifying sign or symbol, and whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of gang activity.
(2) The term gang member means any individual who is part of, associated with, or otherwise affiliated with a gang as defined in paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
(3) Gang activity means the commission by a gang member, in a singular commission, attempt to commit, conspiring to commit, or the solicitation of a criminal act, on State property in the presence of two or more other gang members.
(4) A pattern of gang activity means the commission, attempt to commit, conspiring to commit, or solicitation of two or more criminal acts, provided the criminal acts were committed on separate dates or by two or more persons who are members of, or belong to, the same gang.


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What Can I Do to Help Stop Violence in School?

The best option of all is to stay out of gangs in the first place.

What Can I Do to Help Stop Violence in School?

Gangs are one of the most violent influences that affect our schools today. We can help stop violence in our schools with this list of ideas. Some require only individual action; some require a concerted effort. Some address immediate issues; others address the problems that cause violence.
1. Adopt a school. Help students, faculty, and staff to promote a sense of community in the school and with the larger community through involvement in a wide range of programs and activities.
2. Help to strengthen links between school services and the network of community services that can help students and families facing problems.
3. Join with school and law enforcement in creating and sustaining safe corridors for students traveling to and from school. Help with efforts to identify and eliminate neighborhood trouble spots.
4. Help students through such opportunities as job skills development, entrepreneurship opportunities, and internships.
5. Encourage employees to work with students in skills training, youth group leadership, mentoring, coaching, and similar one-to-one and small group activities. Make your facilities available for these activities when possible.
6. Provide anger management, stress relief, and conflict resolution training for your employees. They can help build an anti-violence climate at home, at school, and in the community. You might gain a more productive working environment, too!
7. Speak up in support of funding and effective implementation of programs and other resources that help schools develop an effective set of violence prevention strategies.
8. Offer your professional skills in educating students on costs and effects of violence in the community (including their school). Public health personnel, trauma specialists, defense and prosecuting attorneys, and judges are among those with important messages to deliver.
9. Help employees who are parents to meet with teachers by providing flexible hours or time off; encourage employee involvement in sponsoring or coaching students in school and after-school activities.
10. Develop a non-violent competition, including speech, dance, painting, drawing, singing, instrumental music, acting, play writing, and other creative arts. Get youth to help suggest prizes. Make it a community celebration.
11. Report crimes or suspicious activities to police immediately. Encourage employees and families to do the same.
12. Establish business policies that explicitly reject violent behavior by employees or others on the premises.
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Common Myths about Gangs

Common Myths about Gangs


My gang will protect me, and I will feel safe.
Wrong! While you may believe that joining a gang will protect you from bullies or other gang members, being in a gang greatly increases your chances to be a target for rival gang members. You are far more likely to be injured or killed if you are in a gang. Many former gang members report that they had to change their lives dramatically as a gang member. They could no longer wear clothing they used to wear. They got into fights while attending school with rival gang members, and ended up dropping out of school. They felt unsafe going out of their neighborhoods, and they couldn't ever be sure where rivals might confront them. Even if they got out of gangs, their rivals didn't forget them. They still had many enemies who might hurt or kill them
Other people will respect me more if I am in a gang.
Wrong! Respect in many gangs really means fear. If you join a gang, you will constantly have to commit crimes in order to keep other gang members afraid of you. At any age, respect is something you can earn by getting an education and accomplishing goals in your life. Respect in the gang culture will go away the first time you fail to hurt someone who insults you or puts you down. That kind of respect isn't real, and it doesn't last.
Joining a gang means I'll have lots of friends.
You will have friends, but you'll also make lots of enemies--the members of rival gangs. Also, your friends who haven't joined the gang may stop wanting to be around you. Your gang may not approve if you have friends or date people outside the gang. They may question and test your loyalty, and insist that you hang out only with them.
My gang will be just like a family.
Wrong! Real families don't force people to commit crimes to get respect and love. Real families accept you and love you for who and what you are. Even if your family is having problems, being in a gang will not solve them--it will only make things worse. If you join a gang, your family members may become targets for rival gangs. Joining a gang will only increase the number of fights you have with your parents. You will eventually get into trouble with the law, and your parents and family members will be hurt and disappointed. You will set a bad example for your brothers and sisters. You will not find the kind of love you're looking for from a gang.
I'll make lots of money if I'm in a gang.
Most gang members make very little money being part of a gang. Those who do, usually end up doing time. Plus, if you're in a gang, it's far more likely that you'll drop out of school because of problems with rival gang members. Getting your education is the key to making money--not joining a gang.
I can never get out of my gang.
Wrong! Gang members decide to leave the gang lifestyle every day in cities around the U.S. It is a myth that the only way to leave a gang is by dying. Most gang members who leave are able to live normal lives, going to school and working just like everyone else. However, in some cases, getting out of a gang isn't easy, and you may have to leave your home, school or community in order to be safe. It IS easier to get into a gang than to get out of one, but you can choose to leave the gang life today.
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WARNING SIGNS (Gang Problem)

WARNING SIGNS (Gang Problem)

You should be concerned if your child:
Admits to gang involvement;
Is obsessed with one particular color of clothing or shows a desire for a particular logo over and over;
Wears sagging pants (this in and of itself is not indicative of gang activity);
Wears excessive jewelry with distinctive designs and may wear it only on either the right or left side of the body;
Is obsessed with gangster-influenced music, videos and movies to the point of imitation;
Withdraws from family with an accompanying change in demeanor;
Associates with undesirables and breaks parental rules consistently;
Develops an unusual desire for privacy and secrecy and may completely rearrange living quarters to create more privacy;
Uses hand signs while with friends and practices them at home;
Or there is evidence or the appearance of:
Physical injury (such as being beaten) and then child lies about the events surrounding the injury;
Peculiar drawings or language on school books (may appear later as tattoos or brands);
Unexplained cash or goods, i.e., clothing and jewelry; or &
Possible use of alcohol and drugs with attitude change.
Advise Your Children They Should Not:
Associate with gang members or "wannabe/gonnabe" gang members;
Identify or communicate with gangs;
Hang out near or where gangs congregate;
Wear gang-related clothing where gangs are known to gather or traverse;
Attend any party or social event sponsored by gangs or their associates;
Take part in any vandalism or graffiti activity.
The responses to the immediate questions below can help you tell if a kid is in a gang and what to do about it

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Tips for Parents (Gang Problem)

Tips for Parents (Gang Problem)
Impress upon your child the importance of school and good grades.
Spend quality time with your children
Get involved in your child's school activities.
Establish rules, set limits and be consistent, firm and fair in punishment.
Encourage good study habits.
Respect your child's feelings and attitudes and help them develop self-esteem.
Watch closely for negative influences.
Improve your own self-esteem so your children can model themselves after the most important "role model"… YOU.
Tips for Parents/Educators
Help children develop self-control.
Help children deal appropriately with problems.
Get involved in community-oriented prevention and intervention programs. Urge others to become involved. Volunteer at your child's school. Gangs are a community problem and their influence does not stop at any particular boundary.
Listen to your children. Communicate with them about their concerns and fears.
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Mexican/Salvadorian Gangs

Mexican/Salvadorian Gangs
Origin:California Mexican/Salvadorian street gangs have been broken up into two main factions. One faction is known as Southern 13's or Sur who are controlled by the Mexican Mafia. The other fraction is known as the Northern 14's or North who are controlled by the Nuestra Familia. The Sur and the Norte gangs have now expanded out of California and migrated west for various reasons. They wanted to expand their drug operation, trafficking networks and wanted to leave the violence behind. Some of these Gangs/Organizations even have international ties, i.e., the 18th Street Gang (XV3)(IVIII), Mara Salvatruche (MS) and the Florencia 13 (F13). These gangs have a traditional base as the case of the Maravilla gangs and the White Fence gangs of East Los Angeles that date back to the early 1900's.
The Mexican Gang:Members of the NYC were first noticed in 1996, when police responded to violent assaults occurring in weddings, baptisms, and birthday parties frequently by a large group of Mexican immigrants.
Mara Salvatruche:MS is comprised of mostly Salvadorians. The group was started to protect themselves from the largest street gang in California known as the 18th Street Gang (Mexican descent). Uninformed individuals mistakenly believe all Salvadorian gang members belong to MS. This is an unfair assessment since correctional staff has identified Salvadorian descendents claiming affiliation or membership with Mexican gang groups.
The meaning of Mara Salvatruche: Mara meant gang since it was used by the Maravilla gangs in East L.A. Salva for El Salvador and Truche for beware. MS has become known for their violent history. One of the terrifying aspects of the older veterans of MS members is that they have received Special Forces training from the CIA at their homeland. They have migrated to the United States. Some members have been identified to be former guerilla soldiers who were trained and considered experts at sabotage, explosive manufacturing and are familiar with high power automatic weapons. MS has continued its illegal activity and have been documented and observed in the following counties and states: Texas, Washington, D.C., Nebraska, Oregon, Washington State, Canada, Virginia, the five boroughs of New York, Nassau County, Suffolk County and also have been identified on Riker's Island.
Rank Structure:The Mexican Gangs are loosely structured. There is only one leader and few enforcers. Usually, the leader is the individual who started the gang and/or is the smartest; meaning educated here in the US and knowledgeable about the way of life on the streets. The enforcers, who are manipulative, are the wilder more brazen gang members willing to commit robberies, and assaults.
Identifiers:
Gang members usually dress in very baggy jeans or khaki pants with baggy shirts.
Gang members will tattoo the name or initials of their gangs on parts of their body. Tattoos such as the Mother Guadeloupe a happy/sad face and the words "mi vida loca" have been observed and could signify gang membership.
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NYC CRIPS

NYC CRIPS
Origin: Crips were founded in west Los Angeles by Raymond Washington who organized local African American street gangs in the mid to late 60s. There are many theories. The terminology Crip derived from one such theory was from a motion picture "Tales of the Crypt". Other theories suggest that the name "Crip" evolved from the word "Crib" which was the name of a faction of the "Slausons" which was at the time the largest African American street gang in South Central Los Angeles. Yet another theory suggests that an identifier for the Crips was a walking cane, producing the word "Crip" from the word "Crippled".
During the 1980's several sets of the "Crips" developed strong-holds in California and rapidly migrated to the East Coast. Sets are currently active in New York, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. Crips arrived in New York in the early 90's and mainly resided in an area known as Harlem. They fashioned the "Harlem Mafia Crips" and helped establish several other "Crip" sets such as the Rollin 30's Crips, 92 Hoover Crips and the Rollin 60 Crips. Today there are hundreds of Crip sets operating throughout the five boroughs and neighboring counties.
Philosophy:Crips believe in representing their set often described by gang members as Volume 2. Representing is expressed by placing graffiti and tagging in the neighborhood where their set dominates or they want their set to dominate. Crips represent by a show of colors and bang from the left. They believe that it is all about making money. Status is often achieved by the amount of money a particular member generates for his set.
Membership:Originally "Crips" were primarily African American males and females ranging from age 12 to their early 20's. As they migrated throughout the United States they became a multi-racial gang and have no real age limitations. The initiation process is referred to as "locing-in" or "courting". A male who wants to become a member of a specific "Crip" set must commit a crime in the presence of a LOC (male Crip member). Common crimes committed include: drug dealing, drive by shootings, extortion's, murders, etc. Some sets allow members of the organization to be physically "jumped-in" by members of that set. They refer to this practice as the "Kangaroo walk" or "bullpen". Female gang members are known as Loc-ets and similar to their blood counterparts are "jumped-in" or "sexed in" by multiple members of that set.
Rank Structure:
There is no common leadership or council who can direct multiple Crip sets. Those Crips who influence others often attain leadership status. O.G. (Original Gangster) status is achieved through a reputation of banging and representing for an extended period of time.
Communication: Crips are known to communicate by using hand signals, code words, writing in code, wearing clothing in a certain fashion and the use of graffiti. Example: The word COLORS would have a slash or line placed through the center of the O and the L because these letters are used in the spelling of the word BLOOD. Crips when writing the word BROOKLYN would replace the B with a C as such "CROOKLYN".
Common Tattoos:
Tattoos usually indicate set affiliation (U.G.C.), Volume 2 (representing your set), eight ball (kinship we have with Folk Nation), Six point star (Life, Love, Loyalty, Honor, Peace, Respect), coded numbers indicating set representation, etc.
Identifiers:
Six known Crip colors are: Light Blue, Blue, Gray (war), Orange, Black, Purple (O.G. or assassin), White.
Clothing is worn in combination with the colors listed above. Crips refer to each other as cousins or cuzz when conversing with other Crips. Crips also may wear a blue and clear beads combination around their neck and/or wrist. Crips are in alliance with Folk Nation. Crip graffiti symbols include the 6 point star, a pitch fork pointing upward, a rabbit with his right ear folded down, "C" with upwards arrow, etc.

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UBN Gang

UBN Gang
Origin: East Coast Bloods were founded on Rikers Island in 1993 by Omar Porter (O.G. Mack) and Leonard McKenzie (O.G. Deadeye). The duo met on Riker's Island while they were both being detained in the George Motchen Detention Center also known as C-73. These two detainees formed the first two sets of what is now known as the East Coast Bloods. The first set was 9-Trey Gangster and the second set was 1-8 Trey. O.G. Mack and O.G. Deadeye are considered the "Godfathers" or O.G. (Original Gangster) of the East Coast Bloods. The two recruited inmates to form the Bloods to fight off the Neta and Latin King gangs within the facilities. Membership:Bloods are predominately African American males. However, they will recruit any race of people who believe that they are oppressed such as Hispanic, White, Chinese, etc. The average age range is from 16 to 35 years old. Males and females are required to know blood history and codes before they are accepted into the gang. Some sets on Riker's require an individual to "put in work" or "eat food" (cut or slash someone) before they were considered blood. Members are known to place tattoos or three burn marks on their right upper biceps. A small percentage of females join the organization and are known as Bloodettes. Females usually perform sex acts on male bloods to join the organization. Philosophy:Bloods believe that in society and correctional institutions they will always fight oppression or what they believe to be oppression and retaliate against people who oppress. Being a member of the Bloods is a way of life and banging is a way of life. Identifiers: Colors worn: Green, Brown, Red or Red and Black Known to possess a red bandanna, which is worn around ones mouth covering the nose and the mouth tying in the back of the neck.Bandannas are also worn affixed on top of the head or hung out the rear right side of the member's pocket.Beads with the colors: Red, Black or Green are worn around the neck or around the right wrist or ankle. Professional sports apparel such as the Chicago Bulls jacket and cap are displayed to signify that you are a member of a particular set - a member of the U.B.N.Communication:Bloods are known to communicate by using hand signals, graffiti, or what is known as stacking. Bloods also speak in code type language and never pronounce the letter "C". Example: Cigarettes would be pronounced Wigarettes, etc. When writing or corresponding with family or other gang member individuals belonging to the Bloods will also cross out the letter "C" or replace the letter with the number 3 which represents the third letter in the alphabet when communicating in letters to disrespect the Crips. Example: 3rips - the three represents the C. East Coast Bloods have developed a complex system of codes that they transmit messages through written correspondence with other Gang members in other institutions or state correctional facilities or even the general public. Correspondence such as this is known as sending "KITES".Organizational Structure: As of mid 90's: Superior = 1012nd Superior = 102Minister of Defense = 103Advisor = 104Head of Security = 105Commanding Officer = 106Captains = 107Lieutenants = 108/109Soldiers = 110Currently on Riker's Island: (we have seen a restructuring of the organization)5 Star General4 Star General3 Star General2 Star General1 Star GeneralGang members incarcerated in facilities are now ruled by a committee of 5 or more members voting. Common Tattoos:Bloods are known to have tattoos of a Bulldog, M.O.B. (Member of Blood) or U.B.N. (United Blood Nation) they could have three Burn Marks on their right upper biceps, wrist or hands. Females are known to have three burns on their right ankles or below their waist. Three burns are intended to represent a Dog Paw and the positioning of the burns would indicate which set of the East Coast Bloods the individual shows allegiance.
President, Vice President, Recruiter, Secretary, Sergeant Oat Arms and Enforces
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NETA ASSOCIATION

NETA ASSOCIATION
Origin: In 1979, Carlos Torres Iriarte a.k.a. "Carlos La Sombra" (The Shadow), an inmate at La Princesa (The Princess) Correctional Facility on the Island of Puerto Rico, organized the inmates under the "Association Neta". He created this association in an attempt to create a power base to enact prisons rights and stop the abuses that the gangs known as 27 or Insectos were implementing. Carlos La Sombra died for his cause on a basketball court while being detained in a Puerto Rico Correctional facility. The Association Neta membership thrived and became the most feared prison gang on the Island of Puerto Rico, NYDC started to identify and track the Neta Association in the late 1980's on Rikers Island. Association became an extremely violent gang and was involved in multiple gang-related incidents. Membership:Majority Hispanic Males. Some Females do participate their age range from 14-50 years of age. This organization ultimately will accept any race or religion. They will even accept alternative life style and mental observation housed inmates within a correctional facility. Identifiers:Hand salute: Crossing two fingers Colors worn: Black, White and Red Tattoos: Using the word Neta or their hand saluteNeta Association follows a strict set of rules and regulations. There are 25 rules and regulations that are strictly enforced.These rules are known as "Norms".Neta members come together in observance of their fallen members on the 30th of each month.Organization: Established hierarchy including a President, Vice President, Recruiter, Secretary, Sergeant Oat Arms and Enforces.
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LATIN KINGS GANG

LATIN KINGS GANG
Latin Kings are the oldest, largest and most organized Hispanic Street Gang, which has its roots dating back to the 1940's in Chicago, Illinois. Latin King Documents reveal a man by the name "Gino Gustavo Colon" (a.k.a. Lord Gino) is considered the "SUN" of the Almighty Latin King Nation in Chicago and has been for a long time. Latin King Headquarters is located on Beach and Spaulding in Northwest Chicago.
Louis Felipe and his family were Cuban immigrants who moved to a Chicago suburb when he was seven years old. By the time he reached his fourteenth birthday he was recruited and joined a local street gang called the pee wee kings. In 1985, Louis Felipe moved to the Bronx, New York and was detained and later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in state penitentiary.
On January 20, 1986 in the confines of Collins Correctional Facility in New York a new era was born when Louis Felipe emerged as "King Blood", the Latin Kings master scriber, penning a 42 page manifesto setting forth the history, rules, regulations and goals of the Latin King Nation. This manifesto described in detail how Kings were to act and how to become knowledgeable about Latin King Culture. Example Latin King Documents are always written on yellow paper and signed in Black ink. If a member of the Latin Kings uses white paper and blue ink, the person writing the letter will always start the letter with this phrase on top of the letter. "EXCUSE THE WHITE PAPER AND BLUE INK" and will always sign the document with his Latin King name and A.K.A.
Antonio Fernandez, better know as "King Tone" was the leader or Inca of the Almighty Latin King Queen Nation. He claims to have transformed a deadly prison gang into a Community-based organization. He has enemies - the Cops, the Feds, the turncoats among his own Kings and the Bloods who seem to be slashing everyone in sight. Currently serving a 12-year federal prison sentence.
Meaning of the Five Points: RESPECT HONESTY UNITY KNOWLEDGE LOVE Rank Structure Crown Position:1st Crown President - Black Onyx2nd Crown Vice President - White Pearl3rd Crown Warlord - Emerald4th Crown Treasurer - Red Ruby5th Crown Advisor - Gold/AmberLatin King Characteristics: Consider themselves to be a community-based organization Preach Hispanic pride/heritage Their religion is called Kingdism (meetings are often conducted during these gatherings) Strictly enforced constitution or manifesto (Rules/Regulations) Motto: Cowards die many times before their death. Latin Kings never taste death…..But once" (Amor Del Rey) Main focus is to control drug trafficking and internal gang discipline both within prison and outside of prison in the local community. Membership:Primarily Hispanic. Male and Females (commonly referred to as Kings and Queens). Who are required to recite the Latin King pledge, prayer, and must be prepared to rise to the occasion for this or her King. Identifiers - People Nation Symbols:Hand salute or shake when greeting another member. Three-point crown or five-point crown or people nation Tattoos. Black/Gold Beads or clothing. Graffiti such as 360 strong / ALKN/ALKQN/three point crown or five point crown/A.D.R. Common Terminology/Communication:Latin Kings while incarcerated in NYDC custody have been found to be in possession of many different types and use a coded systems example.REY - Male KingREYS - Female KingA.D.R. - Love for the KingA.L.K.Q.N. - Almighty Latin King Queen NationLions Jungle - Latin King Codes - Nine page documented7000 - Kings Word5000 - I love you, King LoveB.O.S. - Beat on SightT.O.S. - Terminate on SightLatin Kings are considered extremely dangerous and organized within the confines of the prison population and within the community in general. Their criminal activity has been known to but not limited to extortion, murder and drug trafficking. Louis Felipe a.k.a. "King Blood" was the founder and considered the Godfather/Inca of the New York division. He was convicted in federal court of ordering numerous murders while he was incarcerated in a New York State penitentiary. Currently, he is serving a life + sentence in a Federal penitentiary. Currently, the Department of Correction has approximately 310 active Latin Kings assessed in the Super Base System.
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Analytical Models

Analytical Models

Two analytical models—a problem-solving model and a gang-problem triangle model—are suggested throughout this monograph to help communities understand and develop effective solutions to local gang problems. The two models are briefly discussed here to familiarize the reader with them.
The problem-solving model that is applied to gang problems in this monograph is often referred to as SARA, an acronym for the four steps involved in the process—scanning, analysis, response, and assessment. Communities first initiate the problem-solving process by searching for and identifying gang problems—scanning. This involves narrowing the community’s view of a general gang problem to a more specific problem, such as gang graffiti, drug sales, or drive by shootings. Each problem necessitates a different response.
The second stage of the problem-solving process—analysis—involves investigating the specific gang problem in greater detail. The gang-problem triangle model, described in the next section of this chapter, is useful for analysis. This gang-problem triangle model can help break gang problems into parts to be analyzed more easily. In general, analysis helps a community understand the nature of its gang problem—what form it takes, which is harmed and how and when the problems occur. Even a common gang problem such as graffiti can be analyzed: When do the graffiti incidents occur?
Where do they usually happen? What type of tool is used to apply the graffiti? Only when a community can answer basic questions about the who, how, when, and where of a gang problem is it time to develop a response to the problem.
Having identified their gang problems and thoroughly analyzed them, communities can develop specific responses directed to these harms. Typically, community groups hear about an innovative program for addressing gang-related problems and try to implement that program without regard to the unique characteristics of their local gang. This is a natural response although usually not effective. Implementing afterschool activities for 7th through 10th graders, for example, is likely to have little impact on a gang problem in which 12th graders are causing the harm. Communities following the SARA model, however, can conceptually link specific problems with specific local responses.
The final stage of the problem-solving process assesses the effectiveness of the response. Assessment can determine whether the problem was eliminated or reduced. Assessment also can be used to change the response, improve the analysis, or even redefine the problem. Assessment means more than deciding that the gang went away. A well-planned assessment may indicate that neighbors are less fearful, the incidence of graffiti is reduced, or drive by shootings has diminished. These reductions of harm are important outcomes that should be thoroughly documented.
As referred to previously, the gang-problem triangle model is a method of analyzing or developing a deeper understanding of local gang problems and pointing to fruitful avenues of response. This analytical model stems from the concept of a fire. Three elements are needed for a fire: Fuel (something that will burn), heat (to set the fuel on fire), and oxygen (without which the fuel will not burn). If one of these three elements is missing, the fire will never start. If one element is removed, a burning fire will go out. Part of a firefighter’s job is to determine which of the three elements will be easiest to remove. If one thinks about each element as representing a side of a triangle, one can easily visualize that removing a side of the triangle will cause it to collapse.
Similarly, three elements must be present before gang-related harm can occur: An offender, a victim, and a place. An offender is someone who is motivated to commit an offense, such as painting graffiti or committing a robbery. A victim is a desirable and vulnerable target who must be present for the harm to occur. And, of course, there must be a physical place in which the victim and the offender converge, usually at the same time.
If these three elements show up over and over again, removing one of the three elements can break the pattern of offending and prevent future harm.
By identifying the elements that are easiest to remove and working to remove them, communities can significantly reduce their gang problems.
An important part of the gang-problem triangle is recognition that there are third parties with responsibilities for each side of the triangle. Controllers are people who try to prevent potential offenders from committing crimes. Guardians are people who try to prevent harm from coming to potential victims. Managers are people who oversee places where harm occurs. Thus, in an incidence of gang graffiti, one could consider parents or teachers as controllers, police as guardians of the victims in areas where graffiti occurs, and building owners as managers of the places where graffiti occurs. Identifying the people responsible for victims, offenders, and places where crime occurs and involving them in the development of crime prevention programs is necessary if communities are to reduce or prevent future gang problems.
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Understanding Gangs and Gang problems

Understanding Gangs and Gang problems

Contemporary gangs—variously known as youth, delinquent, street, or criminal gangs—have become a widespread threat to communities throughout the Nation. Once considered largely an urban phenomenon, gangs have increasingly emerged in smaller communities, presenting a challenge that severely strains local resources.
There is a growing wealth of academic literature about the nature of gangs; the scope and type of their activities, their organizational structure, and their leadership (see bibliography in Appendix A). These books and articles provide a valuable starting point for those interested in expanding their understanding of contemporary gangs. A close reading of the literature points to the inevitable conclusion that all gang problems are local in nature.
Whether rooted in neighborhoods, representing a rite of passage, providing surrogate families, or providing access to economic opportunity, most gangs are inherently local. Even large-scale gangs with reputed nationwide networks attract local youths and take advantage of local opportunities to carry out gang activities.
Local problems require local solutions. That is the focus of this monograph.
To address the growing concern about gangs, the Police Executive Research
Forum (PERF) has developed this monograph, Addressing Community
Gang Problems: A Practical Guide. It is a useful tool providing guidance for agencies in developing individualized responses to local gang problems.
This monograph evolved from a PERF project funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in 1994 involving communities in four cities. Although serious concerns about gang problems permeated each community, PERF found a dearth of programmatic materials designed to offer meaningful guidance to community groups, which often included residents, business owners, municipal government employees, schools, criminal justice personnel, and others. As part of its work with BJA, PERF developed a manual that offers a process to solve gang problems. That manual, entitled Addressing Community Gang Problems:
A Model for Problem Solving, a companion to this monograph, has been published by BJA.
Community-based organizations, however, often need more in-depth guidance on specific issues related to gangs. This monograph provides the reader with a practical foundation for understanding the diverse nature of gangs, the problems they pose and the harms they cause, and the two analytical models for addressing gang-related problems.
This monograph includes a brief theoretical overview of key gang issues relevant to community groups and discusses some specific approaches to analyzing and responding to gang problems. It by no means sets forth all the possible responses to gang problems, but it does provide practical guidance—including worksheets and planning documents—to assist community groups. Each chapter can be used separately to address specific community needs.
This monograph and the manual, Addressing Community Gang Problems: A
Model for Problem Solving, complement a companion document published by BJA entitled Urban Street Gang Enforcement. The Urban Street Gang Enforcement monograph focuses exclusively on enforcement and prosecution strategies to protect against urban street gangs and presents strategies to enhance the prosecution of gang-related crimes.

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Evaluating Anti-Gang Efforts

Evaluating Anti-Gang Efforts

Evaluations provide invaluable information for decision makers, document the program so it may be replicated elsewhere, and enable public agencies to justify program costs.
Evaluation steps include:
q Specifying goals and objectives related to the reduction of harm associated with gang problems.
q Specifying the target population and time during which the program will operate.
q Describing the program’s activities in detail, directly linking activities with program objectives.
q Constructing a logic diagram of the program that represents the cause and- effect relationships between activities and accomplishments.
q Developing comparisons that show whether the program had the intended effects on the target population.
q Specifying other factors that might account for changes in the target population.
q Designing data collection instruments.
q Developing and analyzing comparisons, which is the data analysis portion of the evaluation.
q Drawing conclusions.
A process evaluation addresses the elements that characterize the operations and functions of a program, such as organizational structure, policies and procedures, human and technical resources, goals and objectives, and activities.
Process evaluations enable managers to shape the program and make midcourse corrections if necessary. Process evaluations also link objectives and strategies. A third use is providing helpful information to other communities interested in building on a particular gang initiative in the future.
Finally, process evaluations garner support for the program from participants and others in the community.
A logic diagram is a valuable tool that traces a program’s elements from the goals to the specific activities. By presenting a graphic illustration of a program’s logical structure, this diagram aids the evaluation process, helps managers implement and operate the program, and spells out activities. In addition, this exercise points toward potential measures of effectiveness.
Data needs will vary with each program’s focus, activities, and specific strategies. Process evaluations use both quantitative and qualitative data, with emphasis usually on the latter. Questions that focus on characteristics such as program emphasis and possible barriers to implementation often require a detailed knowledge of the program and its target. This is best accomplished with qualitative data that allow the evaluator to glean program insights. Open-ended interviews are useful tools because they provide flexibility for the respondent to elaborate and for the interviewer to explore.
Some types of quantitative data are appropriate for assessing program growth and development. Interim process measures, such as the number of youth reached in programs and the number and type of arrests, tell the evaluator and program staff whether the project’s process objectives are being met and whether the program is moving in the intended direction. Evaluation of the effects of a program involves several design issues that decide the scope and focus of the impact evaluation. These issues include causality, the proper unit of analysis, the various levels of effects expected, the selection of appropriate data, the basics of data collection, and quasi experimental designs.
The unit of analysis for an impact evaluation corresponds to the focus of program activities. If the action being taken aims at individual-level change (for example, improving parenting skills of teenage mothers), an impact assessment must focus on the individual level of their parenting behaviors.
On the other hand, if the focus of project activity is to reduce fear of gangs among residents in an area, the neighborhood is the proper unit of analysis.
As with other aspects of evaluation, decisions about appropriate measures depend on project objectives and activities. One of the most basic issues about any measure is its validity. Data needs depend on the type of change sought by the intervention. Appropriate use of data depends on the nature of the program and interventions.
Whatever kind or combination of data is appropriate; it must be collected systematically and uniformly throughout the evaluation. The instruments or protocols needed will vary depending on the design and the kind of data sought.
Obviously, the ideal is a well-implemented program with a high level of success. Whatever the outcome, however, a well-conceived evaluation in which the process and impact portions are linked enables evaluators to make an informed assessment.

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Civil Remedies for Gang-Related Harm

Civil Remedies for Gang-Related Harm

Virtually every crime is also a tort—that is, a civil wrong against people, businesses, or the community for which the perpetrator is civilly liable in damages, subject to court injunction, or both. Gang activity is also likely to violate several civil ordinances, and gang members can be held responsible for the harm they create by these violations. Furthermore, civil remedies
can reach other people who make it easier for gangs to operate by their failure to comply with local ordinances or commercial regulations.
Someone is responsible for every site where gangs inflict harm, because he or she owns it, manages it, lives there, or works there. The keys to clearing up the harm that a problem place presents are to identify
(1) The people responsible for the problem,
(2) The people responsible for the place, and
(3) The pressures that can be brought to bear on those responsible to remedy the problem. The pressures that can be brought to bear (other than criminal prosecution) fall into two general categories: civil suits for nuisance or trespass and civil code enforcement.
Civil lawsuits ordinarily seek to collect damages for injuries to the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s property, or to prohibit the defendants from engaging in some kind of conduct. Private Citizens, including private organizations and public officials can both file civil lawsuits.
An injunctive suit seeks a court order to stop a present harm or prevent future harm. A damage suit seeks money for injuries that have already been inflicted. An injunction is the most powerful of the equity decrees. Violation of an injunction is contempt of court and can be punished by fine or jail or both.
If trespassing gang members cause serious damage to property, they are civilly liable. For example, if gang members set fire to a house, they can be sued for damages as well as prosecuted for arson. Gang members may have no assets at the time of their offense, but civil judgments against them can be renewed for long periods of time, as much as 40 years in many States. Whatever they acquire in the future is subject to attachment to pay the judgment.
Nuisance is a legal concept that applies to physically damaging neighboring property, reducing its value, or reducing its enjoyment. Nuisance also takes into account the neighborhood’s general nature and refers to continuing abuses rather than isolated incidents.
Even if an owner and tenants have not themselves committed any specific crimes or offenses, they remain responsible for how their property is used and what happens there. Therefore, legal action can be directed at owners, tenants, or both to compel lawful use of the property, even though they have done nothing illegal.
There are both private nuisances and public nuisances. The difference is that the harm that a public nuisance creates does not affect just one or two neighbors; rather, it affects the general public. For example, public nuisances such as prostitution or crack houses have a negative impact on every property in the vicinity.
Nuisance statutes, ordinances, and cases usually refer to “nuisance abatement.”
Abatement essentially means getting rid of the nuisance—doing whatever is required to bring the problem to an end. Abatement orders can impose specific conditions for continuing to operate a property, including establishing a system for screening tenants and installing security systems to keep gang members off a property. Abatement can be an invaluable remedy to gang-related harms. Examples of nuisances subject to abatement include drug trafficking, prostitution, gambling, trafficking in stolen goods, illegal liquor sales, and public drunkenness, harassment of passers-by, loud noise, and excessive littering.
It is common in residential zones to regulate how many people can live in a residence, at least in terms of a family. When gangs take over a house, they often violate these occupancy limits.
Trespass refers to an owner’s right to exclusive possession of his or her property and involves coming onto another’s property. Ordinarily, trespass must be an intentional rather than a negligent or inadvertent invasion of someone else’s property. But there are important exceptions involving street gangs. Conduct that is reckless or extremely dangerous can be a trespass even though the perpetrator did not specifically intend to invade the victim’s property. Drive by shootings certainly fall into the category of reckless conduct.
There are several civil remedies for trespass: a suit for damages and an injunction or a suit to oust the trespasser. A trespass is not a criminal trespass unless it is a breach of the peace. The trespasser must intend to violate the rights of the landowner, and the trespass must carry with it at least some implicit intimidation or threat of a breach of the peace.
While precise wording may vary, criminal trespass statutes usually forbid going on, attempting to go on, or remaining on the property of another without authority or after being forbidden to do so. Notice against trespass can be either written or oral and can be given in several ways, including personal communication, posting signs on the property, or fencing the property.
The owner can designate agents, including police officers, to warn trespassers that they are trespassing and ask them to leave. Refusal to leave the premises after notice is a criminal trespass, meaning officers can make an immediate arrest or seek an arrest warrant allowing them to make an arrest later.
Scarcely any aspect of living in a modern American city is untouched by the city’s regulatory power. This power to regulate business stems from the city’s responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens.
Businesses cannot operate in zones where they are not permitted. Beyond the zoning code, there are building, fire, health and sanitation, and business-licensing codes. When gangs occupy or dominate buildings, they often damage them in ways that violate building codes. They may block exits, overload electrical circuits, clog plumbing, or destroy security devices. A fire escape that is down rather than in its retracted position may show that gang members are using it to get in and out of a building.
Open windows and smoke coming from a building may show that people are cooking with open fires because there is no gas or electric service in the building. Such activity clearly violates fire codes.
Many places of amusement can also become centers of gang activity. In addition to complying with their basic business licenses, sites such as arcades, poolrooms, and dance halls must comply with fire, health and sanitation, and food service codes. Those that serve alcohol must also have liquor or wine and beer licenses and must comply, for example, with minimum drinking-age statutes.
Many gang-related problems arise on rental properties, which are usually subject to intensive local regulation. Rental properties that have fallen under the control of gangs are frequently in violation of several code provisions.
City authorities can take action against both tenants and owners to remedy the problems.
Not even vacant buildings and lots escape regulation. Weeds on lots must be kept trimmed. Lots themselves must be free of litter. City codes also require that unoccupied buildings be secured against unauthorized users and vandals. Neighbors can call on code enforcement to make sure that owners meet these obligations.
Why have civil remedies not been put to better use? There are at least three major reasons for this failure: fear of retaliation, difficulty of getting public officials to cooperate, and congestion in the courts. The fear of retaliation in gang-dominated neighborhoods is the greatest obstacle to getting neighborhood cooperation in confronting problems.
The first step may be to get the neighbors to unite—to seek safety in numbers.
If citizens are afraid to come forth, then public officials should provide means for them to communicate their concerns without exposing themselves to gang retaliation.
The best chance of getting swift legal action is to bring matters into the courts of limited jurisdiction (also called small claims courts). Involved parties should look for ways to keep within the jurisdiction of these faster moving courts, which allow the disputing parties to try their cases without lawyers and have simplified procedures and relaxed rules of evidence.
Most code violations and less serious criminal offenses come before courts of limited jurisdiction and can be disposed of promptly. Landlord-tenant courts are often special divisions that can also handle cases promptly.
Many gang-related problems are essentially landlord-tenant problems that can be taken to those special divisions.
Complicated nuisance suits may end up in courts of general jurisdiction, where it may take a long time for them to be resolved. But if plaintiffs are seeking injunctions rather than damages, they can often get their cases expedited because of the irreparable injuries they suffer by delay.

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Addressing Gang Problems through Strategic Planning

Addressing Gang Problems through Strategic Planning

Communities with emerging or existing gang problems must plan, develop, and implement comprehensive, harm-specific responses that include a broad range of community-based components.
No universal strategy works to address all gang problems. The complexity of today’s gangs suggests the need for a comprehensive, multifaceted effort that targets the reasons youth join gangs. Such an effort may involve three programmatic approaches:

q Develop strategies to discourage gang membership.
q Provide avenues for youth to drop out of gangs.
q Empower communities to solve problems associated with gangs through collaboration with law enforcement, parents, schools, youth, businesses, religious and social service organizations, local government officials, and other community groups in a comprehensive, systematic approach. Coalitions are dynamic, single-focused learning and task groups that evolve from the common purposes and needs of diverse organizations and individuals. Through commitment, compromise, and careful planning, they may often be capable of effecting great change in their member organizations and in the communities they serve.
It is essential to involve the formal leaders—elected officials, appointed leaders, agency heads, and ministers—as well as the informal leaders— people who influence others by their words and actions. Communities should actively involve all community components that have a potential interest in responding to gang problems. When it is effective, strategic planning promotes team building, a sense of ownership, enthusiasm, and an environment that maximizes a coalition’s chances for success. It is the process by which an organization’s guiding members envision the organization’s future and develop the procedures and operations necessary to achieve that future.
Strategic planning can help law enforcement, community-based social services agencies, schools, citizens’ groups, and other interested community components establish a common mission and common priorities and minimize parochial perspectives in favor of broader goals. The most effective community efforts use successive levels of networking—cooperation, coordination, and collaboration—to achieve the desired goals and objectives.
With commitment from all participating organization heads, a strategic planning team should be created that includes representatives of all participating organizations, such as law enforcement, schools, parks and recreation departments, religious organizations, elected officials, and citizens’ groups. Additional members of the strategic planning team may include key interested individuals, such as youth who may have valuable information about potential obstacles and ways to overcome them.
The coalition’s mission statement is the starting point for the strategic plan, from which all other strategic elements flow. The mission statement should include a statement of philosophy (values and beliefs) as well as a purpose on which all members agree.
An important question facing the strategic planning team is whether the coalition has the ability to accomplish its mission—to intervene effectively in the community’s gang-related problems by developing and implementing a comprehensive, harm-specific response. The organizational assessment should involve obtaining information on critical issues and ranking the coalition’s strengths, weaknesses, future opportunities, and threats. After the strategic objectives have been established (with defined target dates) and tested against the critical issues and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the planning team should identify ways in which the coalition might achieve these objectives.
Action plans for a harm-specific response to local gangs will vary according to the nature of a community’s problems, needs, targeted audiences, and finally, the identified strategic objectives. A coalition may select action plans that include particular methods for identifying current and potential gang members, facilitating conflict resolution among gangs, or working toward graffiti abatement.
At its implementation phase, the strategic plan is delivered to participating organization heads. It then becomes important for the organization heads to become visibly involved in the plan’s implementation, publicly committing to it and demonstrating this commitment by dedicating the necessary resources and designating the appropriate personnel to ensure its success. A well-designed and well-executed communication strategy, targeting both participating organizations and the community at large, can help ensure successful strategic plan implementation.
The evaluation step in program development and implementation should not be overlooked. Program planners need to know how well the overall plan is working and how to improve it. The strategic planning team should conduct evaluations of the strategic plan during implementation and make any necessary changes to ensure the objectives are being met and the coalition’s mission is being accomplished.

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Needs Assessments for Gang Problems

Needs Assessments for Gang Problems

A needs assessment is often the first step in planning a comprehensive solution to the “gang problem.” It can help uncover hidden problems, set priorities, and (perhaps most important) help develop a communitywide consensus about what to do. Needs assessments provide local policymakers with an alternative, unbiased source of information? This information is vital if policymakers and service providers are to spend their time and money where it will do the most good.
The consensus-building role of the needs assessment has proved especially useful in many places. As long as funding for social programs remains scarce, communication, coordination, and cooperation among service providers is necessary to eliminate duplication and to ensure that the people with the greatest needs are served.
There are four steps to conducting a needs assessment: laying the groundwork, identifying current activities, identifying and setting priorities, and developing a consensus.
In assembling the team to conduct the assessment, responsibility for big decisions must rest with a large, comprehensive group of “movers and shakers” (the advisory board), while responsibility for implementing the assessment stays with a small team (the assessment team).
With few exceptions, the assessment team’s first step should be to find out whether anyone has ever conducted a youth needs assessment before. Then three questions need to be answered. First, should the assessment focus on primary or secondary prevention? Second, should the assessment focus on all youth problems or only those very closely related to gangs?
Finally, should the assessment team consider all neighborhoods in the city or only those in greatest need?
It may help to conduct the assessment in stages. For example, a city with limited knowledge and resources but a serious gang violence problem may start by assessing the potential for gang violence in each neighborhood, with the goal of increasing direct law enforcement efforts. Once the police, prosecutor, and probation agencies know where to focus their immediate efforts, the assessment team can turn its attention to primary prevention opportunities.
The board should be kept apprised of where the assessment team is at all stages of the process. Letting the advisory board members in on the nuts and bolts will give them ownership of the project and improve the chances that they will accept the results.
The next step in conducting a needs assessment is to identify what services are actually being delivered, where, when, to whom, and if possible, with what effect. Assessors also need to know what services cost and who pays for them.
It is usually enough to implement what is sometimes called a “snowball sample.” That is, the assessors interview knowledgeable members of the advisory board and review readily available documents to get a first-cut list of service providers. Then they interview the directors of these agencies, collecting necessary information and also asking them to name other agencies that provide similar services. Thus the sample increases in size, like a snowball rolling down a hill.
In most cases, a survey of youth, parents, service providers, and others is the centerpiece of the needs assessment—and the most important and difficult part. A series of steps is required to complete a needs survey:
q Decide what to ask.
q Decide whom to survey and how.
q Frame the questions.
q Pretest the survey draft.
q Conduct the survey.
q Analyze and report the results.
The survey will ask about the social service needs of gang-involved and at-risk youth. Useful results can be obtained from at least four separate groups: at-risk and/or gang-involved youth themselves; their parents; service providers, including guidance counselors, employment trainers, public health nurses, and others; and community leaders, including presidents of neighborhood associations, elected officials, and business leaders.
In conducting a survey, the key is getting a representative sample, not merely a large one. The easiest way to ensure a representative sample is to draw a sample at random from throughout the population and to get a high response rate.
People rarely turn down interviewers who come to their door—response rates of 80 percent are fairly common. Telephone interviewers typically get lower response rates—60 to 80 percent. Mail surveys usually get the worst response rates, varying from 10 to 70 percent. Unfortunately, mail surveys are much cheaper than telephone surveys, which are much cheaper than personal interviews.
Interviewing is almost certainly the best method to use in surveys of community leaders and service providers. For surveys of youth and parents, the safest course of action is to contract with a local university or market research firm to conduct in-person or telephone interviews.
If mail surveys are used, rank ordering is usually simple for both assessors and respondents, so it is probably the best method to use. Questions about the importance of various needs should form the bulk of the survey, but other questions may be needed as well. For example, if the team suspects that current gang prevention programs may be ineffective, it may ask service providers and community leaders for their opinions on those programs.
Maintaining a high response rate requires watching return rates carefully and issuing follow-up letters or phone calls when needed. The principal results of a needs assessment survey can usually be presented in a few pages of text (perhaps six or eight) that summarizes the most important results and relationships and backs them up with a few simple tables.
A second approach to identifying the highest priorities requires collection of social indicators—basic statistics that show the extent of bad outcomes.
For example, the police department can supply the number of aggravated assaults in which the victim was under 20 years of age, which in many places is a good measure of gang violence. The school district can measure the number of fights in schools and the dropout rate for each school and grade. The State employment office can supply the youth unemployment rate. These statistics can then be used to track the size of the problem over time and to compare the size of one city’s or neighborhood’s problem to those in other cities and neighborhoods.
Developing a consensus around a set of priorities is vital to the long-term success of gang prevention and reduction efforts. The solution will probably take continuous and concentrated effort over a long period, and a stable vision backed by widespread agreement is critical to success.
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Gang Graffiti

Gang Graffiti

Graffiti can be petty annoyances by juvenile vandals, attempts at artistic expression, or signs that street gangs have moved into the neighborhood.
The public has become concerned about graffiti in the last 10 to 15 years for three reasons: the invention of the spray-paint can, enabling taggers to quickly make big, colorful graffiti that are hard to remove; graffiti on buses and subway cars, which move all over a city; and the association of graffiti in citizens’ minds with gangs. There is an important distinction between two major categories of contemporary graffiti. Tagger graffiti, or what some people call street art, are personal expressions of the taggers, and they are an end in themselves, not a threat of something else. Gang graffiti, on the other hand, are intended to represent the presence of a gang. They convey a threat of gang violence in the neighborhood.
In New York City, subway graffitists came to be known as “taggers” because they signed their work with their chosen nicknames or tags. To the tagger, the important thing was “getting up,” that is, putting his or her tag on as many surfaces as possible. While artistic quality and uniqueness were also important, a tagger’s reputation rested on sheer volume.
Tagging is now occurring all over the United States and the gap between taggers and gangs is being closed. Taggers often form into groups called “crews” and adopt crew tags. The larger a tagger crew, the more it begins to look and acts like a street gang. While street gangs look down on individual taggers with disdain, they are more likely to regard large crews as a threat that must be dealt with. Then the two begin to act like Rival Street gangs, even though the crew may have started out with less dangerous purposes.
When graffiti are thought to be gang graffiti, they create the impression that the unknown graffitists are gang members, suggesting menace and violence. Gang graffiti tell police officers who is in what gang, what gangs are claiming what territories, who is challenging whom, and who is trying to move or expand. Gang graffiti can become dialogue between gangs and eventually a record of gang wars—from initial territorial claims, to challenges to individuals and gangs, to records of individual deaths. Graffiti are the gangs’ daily newspaper, printed for all to see.

Graffiti are easy and cheap to put up and entail relatively low risk for the gang graffitist, particularly when compared to other forms of gang activity.
Even the risk of getting caught is not terribly threatening to the gang graffitist because legal sanctions, if they are imposed at all, are not heavy.
All three sides of the gang-problem triangle—offender, victim, and place— are involved in graffiti. Both taggers and gang graffitists are offenders in the gang-problem triangle. Taggers often target particular victims, such as a public transit system. And gang graffitists often target other gangs in their graffiti. Everyone involved relies on “tools”—the instruments offenders use to commit their offenses and the instruments and devices that guardians and managers use to defend themselves and their property.
Spray-paint cans on which different cap sizes can be interchanged are the favorite tools of graffiti writers.
The broad categories of graffiti sites are fairly obvious: residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, public, and transitional spaces. Residential properties are at greatest risk of becoming targets of graffiti when the residents and surrounding neighborhood have little stake in the property.
Commercial and industrial sites most at risk are those that have broad surfaces on which graffitists can write and those distant from other buildings with exterior surfaces visible to passers-by.
Public recreational areas have been particularly tempting targets for both taggers and gang graffitists. Problems get very serious when gangs take over public places as their own domain, intimidating and endangering ordinary citizens. Of public spaces, schools are the most likely to have trouble with gang graffiti simply because gang members, like other youth, have a right to be in school as students.
Matching problem properties with responsible people is most difficult with open public and transitional spaces—parks, streets, and street corners.
Graffiti are often seen on bridges, street and traffic signs, and billboards.
The managers of these spaces, employees of the government agencies responsible for maintaining them, are seldom present because maintenance does not require daily attention.
It is important for a community to have an anti-graffiti policy, which may fall to the local government, businesses, community residents, or a combination of these stakeholders. A combination approach is most likely to succeed.
Graffitists do not invest heavily in their art, preferring to shoplift rather than buy their spray-paint cans. So an effective first step is to encourage stores that sell spray paints to make them difficult to shoplift.
Quick removal of graffiti is a standard anti-graffiti recommendation, the underlying idea being that graffitists soon tire of having their work obliterated and give up. Also, removing graffiti shows that the community will not tolerate them. Taggers may regard removal campaigns as a challenge—a game between them and the community—but even taggers ultimately tire of the game.
When property owners are cleaning or repairing surfaces that have been hit, they should consider taking steps to make them less vulnerable. Designers of new structures should take their vulnerability to graffiti into account.
If they cannot change the surface, perhaps they can alter access to the surface.
The essential problem with both criminal and civil approaches is that graffitists are hard to catch. One alternative to sanctioning offenders is sanctioning victims. Some ordinances require graffiti removal within a relatively short period of time, perhaps a few days. Fines are imposed on property owners who fail to clean up their property promptly.
The final step of a graffiti policy is assessing the results of the community’s responses. The assessment should determine whether graffiti has completely disappeared from the community or at least been so reduced in quantity and offensiveness that the community no longer regards them as a serious problem.

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Gang Involvement in Drugs and Violence

Gang Involvement in Drugs and Violence

America has become a society almost preoccupied with gangs—especially their relationship to drugs and violence. While it is true that violence among gang members has escalated and involvement in drugs has been a feature of gang life for many years, gangs are now increasingly and almost exclusively blamed for the drug and violence problems of the last decade.
This is partly because gangs have grown in number and diversity across the Nation, affecting both large cities and smaller communities.
During various times in American history, particularly the 1970s and 1980s, gangs have received considerable media attention. Moreover, in movies, television, radio, newspapers, and even documentaries, the image created about gangs was consistent—they were heavily involved in the drug trade and exceptionally prone to violence. Based on media accounts, the public believes gangs are extremely violent, are involved in drug trafficking, are highly organized, and are a pervasive part of the social landscape.
Gangs and the media both benefit from exaggerated portrayals of gangs and gang life. The media attempt to increase their profits by providing the public with sensationalized stories that relate to crime and violence. Increasingly, the media achieve this goal by attributing these events to gangs. As the media continue to portray gangs in this negative light, gang members gain a reputation of being tough and savvy, enhancing their standing in their communities.
Another media distortion about gangs relates to their ethnic and racial composition. Gangs are not exclusively a minority phenomenon. Most research has attributed gangs and their associated problems to elements in the social structure—either the social environment or the opportunities associated with being a member of a particular social class. Gangs and violence are associated with urban poverty, and gang life is seen as a source of social identity in the face of impoverished living conditions. Moreover, the social and economic opportunities and living conditions of some groups have not improved—or have become worse. Gang members now may be more likely to be motivated by the pursuit of profit than by the cultural or territorial reasons used in earlier decades.
One researcher groups gang characteristics into three categories—corporate, territorial, and scavenger. Corporate gangs focus their attention on making money. Territorial gangs focus on possession of turf, and gang members are quick to use violence to secure or protect what belongs to the gang. Scavenger gangs have very little organizational structure, and gang members are motivated by a need to belong to a group.
A number of gangs are involved in using and selling drugs, while others are involved in selling but prohibit use by gang members. Some gangs are highly organized, while others are fragmented, with individual members involved in drug dealing but acting independently of the gang. And still other gangs and gang members are heavily involved in using drugs but do not sell them.
The research community has found little evidence of a relationship between drug use in general and violent behavior. However, drug users do commit crimes to support their habits, which can lead to violent crime such as street robberies. Systemic violence, the type of violence most commonly associated with gangs, is a function of the illegal sale and distribution of drugs. This type of gang violence invades a neighborhood’s sense of community and poses a risk to innocent bystanders.
The best possible explanation of the relationship between gangs and violence is that it depends primarily on the gang’s organization. Some gangs are organized to fight, while others are organized to make money, and the level of violence associated with each gang depends on its type. In an expressive violent confrontation, the primary goal of violence is injury. The primary purpose of instrumental violence is to acquire money or property.
Gangs specializing in instrumental violence are strongest in disrupted and declining neighborhoods. Gangs involved in expressive violence are strongest in relatively prosperous neighborhoods.
Although gang-related violence appears to be increasing, there is little evidence to support the theory that gang involvement in the drug trade is responsible for a substantial proportion of homicides. Moreover, some scholars contend that the connections among street gangs, drug sales, and violence have been overstated by media reports, especially during the mid-1980s when gangs became involved in the crack cocaine trade. Gang involvement in violence and homicide is more often turf related than drug related. In one study of 288 gang-motivated homicides, only 8 were drug related. A 1992 study assessing the relationship among gangs, drug sales, and violence concluded that gang-motivated homicides were less likely than other homicides to involve drugs, and drug-motivated homicides were less likely to involve a gang member. Also, victims of gang motivated homicides were no more likely to have a history of drug arrests than other victims.

Addressing Community Gang Problems: A Practical Guide

Despite recent increases in the use of violence by gang members, especially if their organizational viability or their competitive edge in the drug market is challenged, much gang activity is fairly mundane. A study in Ohio found that gang members spent most of their time acting like typical adolescents—disobeying parents and skipping school.

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Defining the Community Youth Gang

Defining the Community Youth Gang

The term “gang” carries with it many meanings and evokes a number of images for people. Discussing some of their different characteristics as well as different perceptions about them may contribute to a working definition of gangs. The success or failure of communitywide attempts to address gang problems is likely to rest, in part, on how the problems are understood and diagnosed.
The media, the public, and community agencies use the term “gang” more loosely than the law enforcement community. Politicians and law enforcement officials tend to rely on legal parameters such as criminal behavior to define what constitutes a gang. Unfortunately, this perception fails to recognize that many gangs do not engage solely in criminal acts, or even highly visible ones. Compounding the definition problem is the inconsistent use of the term “gang related.” Police may classify an incident as gang related simply because the individual involved is a gang member.
There is no consensus on a standardized definition of a gang, but there is some agreement on the basic elements. Maxson and Klein developed three criteria for defining a street gang:
q Community recognition of the group.
q The group’s recognition of itself as a distinct group of adolescents or young adults.
q The group’s involvement in enough illegal activities to get a consistent negative response from law enforcement and neighborhood residents. The centerpiece of Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin’s typology of gangs is the concept of differential opportunity. According to this concept, individuals may become involved in gang life and crime simply because legitimate means of success are unavailable to them. Cloward and Ohlin also see a differential opportunity structure for illegitimate means of achieving success. The significance of this finding is that all opportunities—legal and illegal—are often unavailable to most inner-city youth.
Cloward and Ohlin conclude that young people are likely to join one of three types of gangs—criminal, conflict, or retreatist—because of differential opportunity. Criminal gangs are likely to exist in stable low-income areas where there are close relationships between adolescents and adult criminals. Conflict gangs develop in communities with dilapidated conditions and transient populations. When criminal opportunities do not exist, conflict gangs fight to gain social status and protect their integrity and honor. Retreatist gangs do not possess the skills to be considered criminal gangs. They retreat into a role on the fringe of society that usually involves heavy drug use and withdrawal from social interaction.

Addressing Community Gang Problems: A Practical Guide

A number of other gangs do not fit neatly into Cloward and Ohlin’s typology.
Tagger crews consist of youth banded together to create graffiti. The main reason for tagging, which is a form of vandalism, is to gain respect from fellow artists and, more important, from members of other tagger crews.
Communities can begin to develop strategies and programs to address their specific gang problems by analyzing the types of gangs affecting their neighborhoods. Communities must recognize that the ways in which gangs are defined will, to a large degree, determine the extent of the gang problem in a neighborhood. Moreover, even when one definition is used, such as the law enforcement definition, this too varies from one jurisdiction to another.

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Gang Problems

This Blog is part of Bureau of Justice Assistance report to help the community stop the gang problem

Gang Problems

Contemporary gangs—variously known as youth or delinquent gangs and street or criminal gangs—have become a widespread threat to communities throughout the Nation. Once considered largely an urban phenomenon, gangs have increasingly emerged in smaller communities, presenting a challenge that severely strains local resources.
All gang problems are local in nature. Whether rooted in neighborhoods, representing a rite of passage, or providing surrogate families or access to economic opportunity, most gangs are inherently local. Even large-scale gangs with reputed nationwide networks attract local youth and take advantage of local opportunities to carry out gang activities.
This monograph presents a problem-solving model that is applied to gang problems. This model is often referred to as SARA, an acronym for the four steps involved in the process—scanning, analysis, response, and assessment.
Communities first initiate the problem-solving process by searching for and identifying gang problems—scanning. The second step of the problem- solving process—analysis—involves investigating the specific gang problem in greater detail. In general, analysis helps a community understand the nature of its gang problem—how it is manifested, who is harmed and how, and when the problems occur. Having identified their gang problems and thoroughly analyzed them, communities can proceed to the third step and develop their local response. The final step of the problem solving process is an assessment of the effectiveness of the response. It can also be used to change the response, improve the analysis, or even redefine the problem.
The gang-problem triangle is a method of analyzing or developing a deeper understanding of local gang problems and pointing to fruitful avenues of response. Three elements must be present before a gang-related harm can occur: an offender, a victim, and a place. If a person thinks about
each element as representing a side of a triangle, he or she can easily visualize that removing a side of the triangle will cause the triangle to collapse. An important part of the gang-problem triangle is recognizing that there are third parties with responsibilities for each side of the triangle. Controllers are people who, acting in the best interest of potential offenders, try to prevent them from committing offenses. Guardians are people who try to prevent harm from coming to potential victims. Managers are people who oversee places where harm occurs. Identifying the people responsible for victims, offenders, and places and involving them in the development of plans and programs is necessary if communities are to reduce and prevent future gang problems.


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