NCJ Number
147227
Date Published
1991
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This publication from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) provides an overview on the growing problem of violent street gangs in the United States.
Abstract
Gangs are listed in alphabetical order by State, followed by the city in which they operate. Each gang's history, philosophy, characteristics, identification markers, membership statistics, and demography are explained, and their criminal activities described in summary. Most gangs are comprised of males in their teens and early 20's, not very structured, and located in low- and middle-income neighborhoods. Increasingly, they are resorting to use of illegal weapons and explosives to carry out acts of violence. They are typically associated with illegal drugs. Most gangs display some kind of identifier-- colors, tattoos, symbols, and graffiti--while others tend to be discrete. Sports team jackets and baseball caps are popular among black gangs, while baggy pants and oversized long shirts are fashionable among Hispanic gangs. Some of the most notorious gangs, such as the Crips, the Bloods, and the Jamaican Posses, are addressed in another ATF publication. Index, figures