NCJ Number
149039
Date Published
Unknown
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Black street gangs in California are traced back to the 1920's in this gang awareness course for police officers, and patterns of criminal gang activities are addressed.
Abstract
In the early 1920's, blacks migrated to California and settled in South Central Los Angeles. In keeping with the times, many blacks emulated the "tough guy" image of Mafia figures and dressed accordingly. Their criminal activities included bookmaking, bootlegging, loan sharking, and prostitution. By the 1950's, neighborhood social groups emerged that engaged in recreational activities and also in periodic confrontational actions. In the 1960's, these social groups established territorial claims and the incidence of violent assaults among gang members increased. Common criminal gang activities in the 1960's included strong-arm robberies, illegal dice games, burglaries, auto thefts, assaults, and drug sales. Although gang violence subsided somewhat in the mid-1960's, gangs such as the Bloods and Crips were still prevalent in Los Angeles. The vocabulary of black street gangs is noted, as well as the use of graffiti, tattoos, and hand signs. Profiles of typical gang members are included.