THE BARE BONES…
FOLK NATION
Crips
-The Crips is one of the largest gangs in the United States. Founded in Los Angeles during the late 1960s, the Crips gang developed and rose in strength due to the breakdown in the community leadership of the African American community following the LA riots. As the gang began to profit from the sale of narcotics, crack cocaine, more sets were developed and moved different cities. Currently there is an estimated 800+ Crips sets in the United States with the gangs membership being between 30,000 and 35,000 members. Many of the local Crips sets throughout the United States are loosely structured and independent from the original Crips set in Los Angeles. Sets can range in size from 3 to 100 members and can be either structured and highly organized drug organization or unstructured groups of juveniles who engage in local crime.
-In the Maryland, Virginia area majority of the Crips sets are loosely structured neighborhood gangs that follow the Crips “culture” in terms of colors, clothing, tattoos and graffiti. Members are typically involved in the street-level sale of drugs as well as robberies, thefts, and assaults. Like all gang members, they are opportunist when it comes to committing crimes.
Identification:
– Blue
-Ranging from tattoos to hand signs, the images depicted below are some of the more common identifiers among the gang. The color blue is often used on apparel to indicate affiliation with the gang, which is in opposition to the red color worn by the rival Bloods. Blue bandanas, blue rags, and calling each other “Cuzz” and “Blood Killas” (BK) are frequent identifiers of the gang. Moreover, the letter B will often be replaced with the letter C to prevent affiliation with the Bloods. The most common identifiers other than the color of Blue are the six point star and six point crowns.
Members:
Crips members throughout the United States are predominantly African American. However, in the Maryland Virginia area there are several cases of members being Caucasian and Asian. Typically, members consist of men from their early teens to their mid-twenties. In the more highly organized Crips sets, men may hold leadership position into their late twenties to early thirties. These sets are also likely to be more violent in order to protect business and drug territory over rival gangs.
Rivals:
-Bloods and Blood affiliates or alliance
MS-13
Mara Salvatrucha was formed in the 1980′s because of the Civil War that was occuring in El Salvador.
The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, whose members were called Salvatruchos or Surenos, and the group called Mara created MS-13 for means of protection. In the beginning, only Salvadorians could join Mara Salvatrucha. But over time, MS broke the racial barrier and now it includes members from all over Central America.
Identification:
-Blue
-Black/Gold
-Tatoos such as Mara, MS-13, 13, Trece, or even Salvadorian Pride.
Members:
-Once you join Mara, you are in for life.
-Ages vary from 11-40
-About 5,000 strong in the D.C. Metropolitan Area.
Rivals:
-18th Street Gang
-Salvadorians With Pride (SWP)
Gangster Disciples
-The Gangster Disciples is an African American gang with national presence. In the last several decades it has made a name for itself as being one of the four most violent gangs in Chicago. The Gangster Disciples are known to be active in 35 states. Several of its members are known to be active and retired military. The gang is well known for the distribution of narcotics and white collar crimes.
Identifiers:
-Blue and black are the colors with which the gang identifies.
-Symbolism plays a large part in the Gangster Disciples’ culture. The primary symbol with which the gang associates is a six-pointed star. Resembling the Star of David, the intent of this symbol is to honor founder David Barksdale. The respective points on the star each represent Life, Love, Loyalty, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding. A pair of three-pointed pitchforks is also a symbol commonly associated with the Gangster Disciples. The total of six points on the pitchforks is also meant to resemble the Star of David. Graffiti that contains a heart with wings, an inverted shepherd’s cane, an inverted pyramid, or an inverted cross.
Members:
The vast majority of the Gangster Disciples are of African American descent. There is an application form and a background check conducted that investigates each aspiring member. Although convicted male offenders control the gang’s activities, females are not excluded and are often treated as equals by male members. Male members and female members are referred to as “Brothers of the Struggle” and “Sisters of the Struggle”.
PEOPLE NATION
Bloods
-The Bloods gang originated in the streets of Los Angeles in the 1970s as a response to the Crips and the violence they imposed on the streets. In the 1980s, driven by profits from the distribution of crack cocaine, the ranks of the Bloods swelled, inducing many “entrepreneurial” members to migrate to other cities to set up new markets. The glorification of “gangster life” through movies such as “Colors” also encouraged youth throughout the country to emulate the Bloods culture, symbols and colors.
-Bloods on the east coast are often referred to as the United Blood Nation (UBN). The UBN was founded by African American inmates in the New York City Department of Corrections in 1993 to protect themselves from attacks by Latino prison gangs. In the mid-Atlantic regions, UBN is organized into a loosely structured association of smaller street gangs known as “sets”. UBN sets are most active in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
-Bloods in Maryland and Virginia are typically independent gangs although members may know or be related to Bloods in other areas. Most Maryland and Virginia Bloods groups have either a line of communication or a lineage that can be traced to the New York/New Jersey faction of the UBN. There is considerable evidence of links with Bloods members from New Jersey and New York in housing complexes where these gangs are active. Some families move from NJ/NY to get away from gang activity but end up bringing youth who then identify themselves with these gangs to the area.
Identification:
– Red is the most commonly associated color of the bloods.
-The most common identifiers for Blood members include colors, clothing, symbols, jewelry, tattoos, and graffiti. They typically create graffiti depicting the upside down symbols of rival gangs. A common Bloods symbol is a five-pointed star or a varying representation of the number five. Gang members often craft their own personal necklaces made from red beads.
Members:
-The majority of Bloods members are African America males, although some sets are known to recruit female members and members from other races and ethnic backgrounds. Members range in age from early teens to mid-twenties; however some hold leadership positions into their late twenties and occasionally their thirties.
Rivals:
Crips or Crips Nation, affiliates or alliance
Latin Kings
Like many gangs, the Latin Kings started out as barrio crew that steadily grew to gang status.
The Latin Kings are a predominatly Hispanic gang, with many Puerto Ricans involved in it. Unlike many gangs who have many leaders in different factions, the Latin Kings are united under a single leader. LK has also broken the racial barrier, just like Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street Gang.
King Eddie aka Lord Bomba, the Latin Kings have become known as one of the most violent and most organized gangs around. After King Eddie was killed, the leadership was taken up by an unnamed king and Lord Gino.
It isn’t uncommon for the leader and another member to execute one for disrespecting the crown of the kings. Once you become a King or Queen, you are “crowned” for life. Some King chapters even have formed their own religion called Kingdism. They are known to use church after school programs to recruit new members.
Identification:
-Black/Gold
-The Latin King colors are Black and Gold; gang markings consist of a 5 or 3-point “sacred crown,” Writings of LK, ALK, ALKN, ALKQN abbreviations (or the whole words); and drawings of the Lion and/or the King Master. The five pointed crown represent, love, respect, sacrifice, honor and obedience. Other markers include black and gold beaded necklaces and rosaries. Latin King Symbolism is usually accompanied with the name and number of the Tribe, region or city of the gang. The Latin Kings are of the People Nation, and therefore, represent everything to the “left”.
Members:
-Latin Kings members are of a number of Hispanic and Latino backgrounds. Gang members are most often of Puerto Rican and Mexican-American background.
-Gang membership is estimated to be tens of thousands and has a presence both on the street and in prison. The age of its members vary greatly, from young school aged children to individuals in their 40s and 50s.
Rivals:
-Everything to the “right” meaning Folk Nation.
Vice Lords
-The Vice Lords are said to have begun in 1958 in the St. Charles juvenile Correctional facility by a group of kids from around 16th street on the west side of Chicago.
-The Vice Lords is the oldest street gang in Chicago. Members are predominantly African American. The Vice Lords comprises major factions such as the Conservative Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords, and Four Corner Hustlers. Each faction has distinct membership and leadership that is not as structured as the Gangster Disciples. The Vice Lords’ drug trafficking networks operate in Chicago, neighboring counties, and surrounding states.
-“If you ain’t conservative you don’t deserve to live.” “All is well/Fluid for life” Branches include the Conservative Vice Lords, Unknown Vice Lords, Insane Vice Lords, Renegade Vice Lords, Mafia Insane Vice Lords, Cicero Insane Vice Lords, Spanish Vice Lords, Traveler Vice Lords, Outlaw Lunatic Travelor VLs, Ebony VLs, Gangster Stone VLs, Imperial Insane VLs and the Undertaker Vice Lords and 4vl’s. In prison the 4 Corner Hustlers are associated with the Vice Lords.
Identification:
-Black/ Gold or Black/Red
-Although there are many sets, all incorporate emblems with a bunny wearing a bow tie, a Martini Glass, a Top Hat, Cane, Gloves, Dollar Sign, 5 Point Star and a Crescent Moon.
Members:
-All but mostly black
Rivals:
-Gangster Disciples, VLs will turn the GDs’ pitchfork upside down to show disrespect.
18th Street
-The 18th Street gang was formed in the 1960s.
-During the 1960s, the Clanton Street gang, a well-established Hispanic street gang, was in its second generation.
– Youth in the local neighborhood wanted to join the gang, but the membership of Clanton Street was limited to those youth who were American citizens from a pure Hispanic background. Youth who were undocumented immigrants or of mixed ancestry were not allowed to join the gang. Although turned away by Clanton Street, these juveniles still participated in criminal activities. Like many young juvenile offenders, they were arrested and sent to juvenile detention facilities.
The 18th Street gang was the first Hispanic gang to break the racial membership barrier. This willingness to step across racial lines allowed rapid and unchecked growth in the gang’s membership, which was largely composed of immigrants and multi-racial youths. 18th Street also recruited heavily from the populations of illegal immigrants entering the United States from Mexico and South/Central America.
For example, West Side 18th Street “jumped in” 50 members of a tagger crew known as KWS, Kings With Style. KWS members were known by law enforcement to be involved in robbery, assaults, drive-by shootings, and murder. 18th Street gang members, though primarily turf-oriented, also travel to other areas and states for membership recruitment and illegal activities. This tendency to travel explains 18th Street’s wide-scale presence in many different states.
Identification:
-Red/Brown/Black
-Members of 18th Street frequently adorn their bodies with tattoos. The most common tattoo is that of the number 18 (XVIII). The tattoos can be located anywhere on the body, and some members will cover their entire body with 18th Street tattoos, including placing an 18 on their foreheads or above their eyebrows. The number “666″ can also be used to represent 18th Street. The tattoos also might indicate the clique of 18th Street to which the individual belongs.
Members:
-Hispanic mostly, will allow all races
Rivals:
Crips and Crip Alliance
Vatos Locos
Originally a Mexican gang, the Vatos Locos has also broken the racial barrier that many of the common street gangs today have.
Refer to Vice Lords for more information
Through the Eyes of the Rescuers 