Criminal Investigations Youth Gang investigations

• Street Gang: an association of youthful individuals, generally ranging in age from 13 to early 20s 
• who exhibit:
• 1) a gang name and recognizable symbols
• 2) A defined geographic territory
• 3) regular meeting patterns
• 4) an organized, continuous course of criminality

1920s

846,000 members to 31,000 gangs

• 1) 90% are males
• 2) majority are black or hispanic males.
• 3) white males, pacific rim males, and female population is increasing

Common traits: leave or are expelled for violent behavior from school early

membership is multigenerational (parents, children) Father or other family member was a gang member (uncle)

• female gang members:
• 1) early sexual activity
• 2) delinquency
• 3) strong susceptibility to peer pressure

• Female gangs:
• often a branch of male gangs
• some form fully independent gangs
• over 100 "girl gangs" active in the US

• 1) Founding members: Original Gangster (OG) - Held in high esteem
• 2) Hard-core Members: 16 - 24 yrs old, totally dedicated to gang life
• 3) new members: Baby gangsters (BGs) - 12 to 16 yrs old, drug couriers, small time drug dealers, and wannabes.
• 4) street lookouts: Tiny gangsters (TGs)

• a) often affiliated gang members
• b)some are outsiders who hope using graffiti will help them to gain acceptance into a particular street gang.
• c) often opperate in groups known as tagging crews

• Gangs are responsible for
• expressive violence: Destructive behavior, no practical purpose. (violence for the sake of violence) ... opposite of Instrumental violence (violence that has a purpose, or a goal for well being)...

expressive violence: takes form of random beatings, arson, auto theft, and frequent use of firearms

if it meets 1 of these criteria 

1) Recruitment: crimes related to recruitment- such as intimidation by word or action

2) Identification: crimes related to- tagging, gang signs, symbols, colors etc.

3) Vice: Crimes related to vice: typically involving the distribution of drugs; cocaine, crack, meth, marijuana, pcp, or heroin.... may also involve gambling, or prostitution

4) Extortion: crimes related to efforts to exact payment- as tribute to, or "protection" from individuals or businesses

5) Retaliation: Criminal acts of revenge for real or imagined insults against the gang by rival street gang members

5) Prestige: Crimes related to glorify the gang or to gain rank or peer status within the group

6) Internal conflict: Crimes stemming from internal conflict or power struggles within the leadership or rank and file of the gang.

8) Territory violations: crimes related to turf wars- guarding a gang's turf, or showing disrespect to another gang's territory

• 1) juveniles account for 20% of all violent crime
• 2) far out of proportion to their population number
• 3) gangs account for a large proportion