Gang History

Dion O'Banion -Leader of Chicago's Northside Irish gang in the late 1920's

Al Capone -Leader of Chicago's Southside Italian gang in the late 1920's- early 30's

GANG HISTORY

    Gangs have long existed in the U.S.(read more), but over the past 40 years there has been an increase in gang membership. It is estimated that there are 420,000 gang members in the State of California alone. There are four primary street gangs in the state of California. Two of them , Hispanic gangs known as the Nortenos, and the Surenos. Both can trace their roots back to the California state prison system. While the other two primary gangs typically African- American known as the Bloods and the Crips have roots in the Los Angeles Basin.

     Although Asian gangs are not as wide spread due to their population, their numbers are growing, and over time have become more sophisticated and violent. With gangs such as The Asian Boys, The Tiny Rascals and Born To Kill also known as (BTK) just to name a few. Caucasian gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood have over thirty years of murder, drug trafficking and extortion under their belts with gangs like The Skin Heads and The Nazi Lowriders following in their footsteps.

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A GANG?

According to the California Penal Code Section 186.22 defines a "criminal streets gang" as: "Any ongoing organization, associaiton, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary activities the commision of ...criminal acts...having a common name or common identifying sign osr symbol, and whose members individually or collectively engage in, or have engaged in , a pattern of criminal gang activity."

GANG COLORS

Gang participation is sometimes recognized by certain colored clothing that is worn. Regardless if your child is a gang member or not these colors can be mistaken for gang membership by other gang members. Two of the most typical colors representing Hispanic, African American and Asian gangs are the colors RED & BLUE

WARNING SIGNS

• May notice a change in behavior at home and in school, failing grades. Dislike and refusal to submit to authority (school, parents, police)
• Change in type of clothing worn, such as style and colors. Friends and associates dress similar.
• Gang graffiti scribbled on notebooks and other places around the home. Myspace page displays gang pictures, monikers, symbols.
• Hangs out in areas and with people known to be gang affiliated.

Download our anti-gang brochure a great tool for parents/educators 135kb pdf

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