Street gangs in the United States have a long and complex history dating to the early 1800s.^[1] The most publicized street gangs in the U.S. are African-American; black gangs were not recognized as a social problem until after the great migration of the 1910s.^[2] An exception was noted in 1853 Philadelphia.^[3]. Some have argued that increasing gang activity is directly related to decreases in adult mentors, school failures, decreases in after-school programs and similar failures by the adults in the lives of children. While kids from more affluent neighborhoods may turn to other less dangerous alternatives, children from poorer neighborhoods often turn to gangs both as protection and a place to find love and understanding. A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity and, in current usage, engage in illegal activities. ...

The history of European-American youth gangs extends as far back as the 1780s. Although lacking a definition, the gangs then were characterized by young people hanging out on street corners.^[4] It is thought these early groups formed to protect their localities from other similar groups of youths.^{[citation needed]}

Herbert Asbury^[5] depicted some of these groups in his history of Irish and American gangs in Manhattan. He described how gangs would fight for territory, control of criminal enterprises, and simply for the love of fighting. Asbury's book was later used by Martin Scorsese as the basis for the motion picture Gangs of New York. Herbert Asbury (September 1, 1889 – February 24, 1963) was an American journalist and writer probably best known for his The Gangs of New York, which Martin Scorsese adapted into a 2002 film. ... Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (b. ... Gangs of New York is a 2002 film set in the middle 19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. ...

Gangs in the 19th Century were often multi-ethnic as neighborhoods did not display the social polarization that has segregated different ethnic groups in the postmodern city (see Edward Soja). A host of European nationalities including English, Scottish, Irish and German could be found in the same neighborhoods. This made territoriality for gangs much more important than ethnic homogeneity.^[2][6] Edward Soja (b. ... English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo-Americans) are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England. ... Scottish Americans or Scots Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the northwest European nation of Scotland. ...

There were at least 30,000 gangs and 800,000 gang members active across the USA in 2007,^[7][8] up from 731,500 in 2002 and 750,000 in 2004.^[9] By 1999, Hispanics accounted for 47% of all gang members, Blacks 34%, Whites 13%, and Asians 7%.^[10] African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ... A European American, or a Euro-American, is an American of European descent. ... An Asian American is a person of Asian ancestry or origin who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ...

History

A new wave of urban street gangs were formed in the American urban ghettos in the late 1960's, while the United States attempted to fight both the Vietnam War and the war on poverty at home. Limited funding, incoherent local and national plans to combat inner-city poverty, and escalated police and military violence against blacks and immigrants all aided towards the conditions which would eventually give birth to gangs across the United States, including the infamous Bloods and Crips of Los Angeles, California. ^[11] Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California street gangs. ... The blue bandanas worn by most Crip gangs. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article is about the U.S. State of California. ...

The Crips were formed out of the poor socio-economic and repressive conditions which African-Americans living in Los Angeles were subject to in the late 1960's. As police continued to jail black youths in seeking to destroy the Black Panther Party, The Crips were formed in 1969 by Raymond Washington, loosely acting as a community organization which aimed to help disenfranchised African-American communities of L.A. The Bloods quickly followed, with a mandate to protect the community from external violence. ^[12] As job cuts continued to rise and employers began to hire from the cheaper labour pool of the expanding Latino immigrant community, ^[13] unemployment rates of African-American men reached as high as 50% in several areas of South Central Los Angeles, ^[14] opening up large recruitment markets for the burgeoning gangs. The increasing social isolation felt by African-American communities across the nation continued unabated in the 1980's and 90's, leading to higher rates of social pathologies, including violence. ^[15] The blue bandanas worn by most Crip gangs. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Predominantly Christianity and Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was an African-American organization established to promote civil rights and self-defense. ... The blue bandanas worn by most Crip gangs. ... Raymond Washington is generally accepted as the person who started the gang that would later become known as the Crips. ... The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California street gangs. ... South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural area lying to the south and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. ...

As gang members and factions continued to grow, the introduction of crack cocaine (cheap and highly addictive) to American cities would prove fatal. Crack money now could be used to purchase unprecedented amounts of weaponry, and as newly armed gang members began to fight over 'turf', or the territory in which gangs would run their lucrative drug-trades, violence soared, ^[16] as the FBI's national data of gang-related homicides show: From 288 in 1985 up to 1362 in 1993 ^[17] As gang-violence accelerated, so too did police violence against African-American communities, which culminated in the arrest of Rodney King which sparked the 1992 Los Angeles riots. In the aftermath of the riots, leaders of the Bloods and the Crips announced a truce (spearheaded by Compton's then mayor Walter R. Tucker, Jr.), and in May 1992, 1600 rival gang members converged on Imperial Courts, a main housing project of Watts, Los Angeles, California to demonstrate their new-found companionship. But after only a few months of relative harmony, tensions between Los Angeles County's more than 100,000 gang members (in February 1993) began to raise the murder rates, rising to resemble previous levels ^[18] A pile of crack cocaine ‘rocks’. Crack cocaine is a solid, smokeable form of cocaine and is a highly addictive drug popular for its intense psychoactive high. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Rodney Glen King (born April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California) is an African-American taxi driver who, in 1991 was stopped and then beaten by Los Angeles Police Department officers (Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno and Sergeant Stacey Koon) after being chased for speeding. ... For other uses, see Los Angeles riots (disambiguation). ... The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California street gangs. ... The blue bandanas worn by most Crip gangs. ... Walter R. Tucker, Jr. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Watts is a residential district in southern Los Angeles, California. ...

Although various institutions and initiatives were introduced during the 1990's, including the Grant Research Evaluation and Tracking (GREAT) inter-state computer tracking system, which tracks the movements of 2,000 known gang members, and the Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention act of 1998, gangs continue to plague American inner-cities. Oakland, L.A. Saw 113 drug- and/or gang-related homicides in 2002 alone, and 2003 sported similar figures ^[19] Many cities across America are still experiencing the effects of gangs on their streets, such as Baltimore, Maryland, whose gang problem is a major theme of HBO's critically acclaimed series The Wire. Oakland is the name of several places in the United States of America: Oakland, Alabama Oakland, California (The best-known city with this name) Oakland, Florida Oakland, Maine Oakland, Maryland Oakland, Michigan Oakland, Missouri Oakland, Nebraska Oakland, New Jersey Oakland, Oklahoma Oakland, Oregon Oakland, Pennsylvania Oakland, Rhode Island Oakland, Tennessee... Flag Seal Nickname: Monument City, Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: Get In On It (formerly The City That Reads and The Greatest City in America; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location Location of Baltimore in Maryland Coordinates , Government Country State County United... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... The Wire may refer to: British music magazine The Wire American television show The Wire The telegraph service. ...

In 1994 Mary "Beth" Pelz, a sociologist at University of Houston–Downtown, said that Texas lacked "a rich history of street gangs" compared to other parts of the United States. She said Houston area gangs began to branch out to newer developments in the 1980s.^[20] One Main Building One Main Building as seen from the merger of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou Commerce Street Building The University of Houston–Downtown, often called UH–Downtown or UHD, is a four-year college in Houston, Texas. ...

The 1995 murder of Stephanie Kuhen in Los Angeles, California lead to condemnation from Bill Clinton, the President of the United States, and a crackdown on Los Angeles-area gangs.^[21][22] According to a 2006 Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth, many street gangs in Texas have no organized command structures. Individual "cliques" of gangs, defined by streets, parts of streets, apartment complexes, or parts of apartment complexes, act as individual groups. Texas "Cliques" tend to be headed by leaders called "OG"s (short for "original gangster"s) and each "clique" performs a specific activity or set of activities, such as controlling trafficking of recreational drugs and managing prostitution in a given area.^[23] Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine published in Austin, Texas. ... For clique in graph theory, see Clique (graph theory) For clique in professional wrestling, see Clique (professional wrestling) For The Clique, the group of Victorian artists see The Clique A common feature in cliques is an Outcast, the party in which are shunned, ostracized and left out. ...

In 2009, David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, said that a lot of violence in inner cities in the United States is mislabeled as "gang violence" when in fact it involves small, informal cliques of people.^[24] The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a criminal justice college in New York City which has about 12,000 FTE (full-time equivalent) students, including traditional, pre-career undergraduate students and those pursuing master’s degrees in several disciplines. ... The City University of New York (CUNY; acronym pronounced ), is the public university system of New York City. ...

Organized gangs

Hallsworth and Young (2005)^[25] describe an organized gang as a group of individuals for whom involvement in crime is for personal gain (mostly financial, though could be otherwise, sexual gratification as with pedophile rings). For most, crime is their 'occupation'. These groups operate almost exclusively in the grey and illegal marketplace where market transactions are unregulated by the law. Organized crime or criminal organizations are groups or operations run by criminals, most commonly for the purpose of generating a monetary profit. ...

Transnational organized crime groups may be involved in crimes ranging from drug trafficking, human trafficking, piracy, money laundering, extortion, and gambling, to acts of terrorism, to political assassination. The complexity and seriousness of the crimes committed by global crime groups pose a threat not only to law enforcement but to democracy and legitimate economic development as well.^[26] Transnational Organized Crime (Transnational Crime), is criminal activity, orgainised across national borders. ... Panamanian motor vessel Gatun during the largest cocaine bust in United States Coast Guard history (20 tons), off the coast of Panama. ... For other uses, see Human trafficking (disambiguation). ... The Cathach of St. ... Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial transactions in order to conceal the identity, source and destination of the money in question. ... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person either obtains money, property or services from another through coercion or intimidation or threatens one with physical harm unless they are paid money or property. ... Gamble redirects here. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Assassin and Assassins redirect here. ...

Criminal organizations exercise disproportionate control over the illegal means and forces of crime production. Members are likely to have mutated out of gang-members who are often used to service their needs. Motives that impel membership of these groups are similar to those that motivate business people in the legitimate economy.^[who?]

Organized crime groups are not homogeneous. Some will be amateur affairs operated and managed by incompetent people. Others, however, will demonstrate more market acumen and more ruthlessness. These individuals may be difficult to trace because they will be more competent at hiding their activities. They may also have the financial muscle to acquire considerable legal protection through well paid lawyers and accountants.^[who?]

There are numerous organized crime groups and they can be found in the majority of small to medium sized cities at varying degrees of size and organization. All large cities will house some kind of organized crime group. A further distinction could be made with what are often termed organized crime syndicates.^{[citation needed]}

There are a number of widely known crime organizations as such whose operations span the world. Perhaps the most famous are the American Mafia (often portrayed in New York mob movies), the Irish Mob, the Chinese Triad Society, the Japanese Yakuza, the Mexican Mafia, and the Russian Mafia. Other large cities also play host to unique types of organized criminals. For example, London's East End is home to a number of traditional crime families, and was the home of the infamous Kray Twins, and Boston's Irish Mob was portrayed in the Martin Scorsese film "The Departed". Recently, Chicago's Folk Nation has broken out from a street gang into international business and is thought by many to be the newest entity of the organized crime world. The Irish Mob, or Irish Mafia, is one of the oldest organized crime groups in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century. ... For other uses, see Yakuza (disambiguation). ... -1... The Russian Mafia or Russkaya Mafiya, Red Mafia, Krasnaya Mafiya or Bratva (slang for brotherhood), is a name given to a broad group of organized criminals of exclusively Russian, non-Jewish ethnicity which appeared in the former Soviet Union territories after its disintegration in 1991. ... The East End of London, known locally as the East End, is an area, with no formal authority or boundaries, that spans a number of administative districts of London in England. ... Ronald Ronnie Kray (24 October 1933 – 17 March 1995) and Reginald Reggie Kray (24 October 1933 – 1 October 2000) were identical twin brothers, and the foremost organised crime leaders dominating Londons East End during the 1950s and 1960s. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... The Irish Mob, or Irish Mafia, is one of the oldest organized crime groups in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century. ... Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (b. ... The Departed is a 2006 crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... The Folk Nation (colloquially known as Folks) is an alliance of street gangs based out of the Chicago area which has since branched throughout the United States specifically in the Midwest[1] and the south. ... Organized crime or criminal organizations are groups or operations run by criminals, most commonly for the purpose of generating a monetary profit. ...

Prison gangs

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Prison gangs, like most street gangs formed for protection against other gangs. The goal of many street gang members is to gain the respect that comes from being in a prison gang. Prison gangs use street gangs members as their power base for which they recruit new members. For many members reaching prison gang status shows the ultimate commitment to the gang. Valdez, A, "Gangs Across America" (2007) A prison gang is a gang that is started in a prison. Some prison gangs are transplanted from the street, and in some occasions, prison gangs "outgrow" the penitentiary and engage in criminal activities on the outside. Many prison gangs are racially oriented. Gang umbrella organizations like the Folk Nation and People Nation have originated in prisons.^[27] Prison gang is a term used to denote any type of gang activity in prisons and correctional facilities. ... The Folk Nation (colloquially known as Folks) is an alliance of street gangs based out of the Chicago area which has since branched throughout the United States specifically in the Midwest[1] and the south. ... People Nation is an alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago area. ...

One prominent example of a prison gang is the Aryan Brotherhood, an organization known for its violence and calls for white supremacy. On July 28, 2006, after a six year federal investigation, four leaders of the gang were convicted of racketeering, murder, and conspiracy charges. Founded in the mid 1960's, the gang, known as the 'Brand' or the 'Rock' in the federal and state prison systems, is famous for being affiliated with the white supremacist paramilitary hate group the Aryan Nations, with the Nazi Low Riders prison gang acting as the Aryan Brotherhood's foot soldiers. Besides fostering pseudo-theological hate, racism, sexism, violence, and intimidation, the Aryan Brotherhood is involved in drug trafficking, extortion, gambling, protection rackets, and murder inside and outside of prisons.^[28] The Aryan Brotherhood, (also known as the AB or The Brand) is a prison gang numbering about 15,000 members in and out of prison. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person either obtains money, property or services from another through coercion or intimidation or threatens one with physical harm unless they are paid money or property. ... Gamble redirects here. ...

In the mid-1980s, the Aryan League, an alliance between the Aryan Brotherhood and Public Enemy No.1, formed. The sub-gangs (in collaboration with their wives and girlfriends who take jobs at banks, mortgage companies, and motor vehicle departments) work together in identity theft schemes.^[29] Money from the identity theft operations is used to fund the gangs' methamphetamine business. A gang hit list discovered in the Buena Park investigation has police worried that the gangs are using stolen credit information to learn the addresses of police and their families.^[29] Once out of prison, gang members tend to regroup on the outside and often cross gang lines to further their criminal careers.^{[citation needed]} One example of this is David Lind, an Aryan Brotherhood member, who joined the Wonderland Gang with several non-AB fellow prison inmates in 1981. Post prison gang activities can be brutal, as evidenced by the ruthless quadruple murder of the Wonderland gang (see "Wonderland Murders") which Lind narrowly escaped.^{[citation needed]} The Aryan League (also National Socialist Aryan League) are an Iranian Neo-Nazi political party. ... The Aryan Brotherhood, (also known as the AB or The Brand) is a prison gang numbering about 15,000 members in and out of prison. ... Public Enemy No. ... The Wonderland Gang was an organization of drug dealers who dominated the Los Angeles cocaine trade in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... The Wonderland Murders, also known as Four on the Floor or Laurel Canyon Murders, occurred in Los Angeles in 1981, when four people were killed in a drug-related plot that involved porn star John Holmes and was masterminded by nightclub owner and gangster Eddie Nash. ...

There has been a long running racial tension between African American and Mexican American prison gangs and significant race riots in California prisons where Mexican inmates and African Americans have targeted each other particularly, based on racial reasons.^[30] According to gang experts and law enforcement agents, a longstanding race war between the Mexican Mafia and the Black Guerilla family, a rival African American prison gang, has generated such intense racial hatred among Mexican Mafia leaders, or shot callers, that they have issued a "green light" on all blacks. A sort of gang-life fatwa, this amounts to a standing authorization for Latino gang members to prove their mettle by terrorizing or even murdering any blacks sighted in a neighborhood claimed by a gang loyal to the Mexican Mafia.^[31] An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... The ethnonym Mexican-American describes United States citizens of Mexican ancestry (14 million in 2003) and Mexican citizens who reside in the US (10 million in 2003). ... Prison gang is a term used to denote any type of gang activity in prisons and correctional facilities. ... A race riot or racial riot is an outbreak of violent civil unrest in which race is a key factor. ... This article is about the U.S. State of California. ... -1... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Prison gang is a term used to denote any type of gang activity in prisons and correctional facilities. ... A fatwā (Arabic: ; plural fatāwā Arabic: ), is a considered opinion in Islam made by a mufti, a scholar capable of issuing judgments on Sharia (Islamic law). ... Murder is the crime of causing the death of another human being without lawful excuse, and with intent to kill or to cause grievous bodily harm. ...

In the armed forces

The FBI's 2007 report on gang membership in the military states that the military's recruit screening process is ineffective, allows gang members/extremists to enter the military, and lists at least eight instances in the last three years in which gang members have obtained military weapons for their illegal enterprises.^[32] "Gang Activity in the U.S. Armed Forces Increasing", dated January 12, 2007, states that street gangs including the Gangster Disciples, Bloods, Crips, Black Disciples, Hells Angels, Latin Kings, The 18th Street Gang, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Mexican Mafia, Maravilla, Norteños, Sureños, Soma, Vice Lords, Black P. Stones, Tiny Rascal Gang, Asian Boyz gang, Friends Stand United, Armenian Power, Trinitario, Nuestra Familia, Outlaws, Bandidos, and Logan Heights, criminal organizations including the American Mafia, the Chinese Tongs, the Chinese Triads, the Irish Mob, the Israeli mafia, the Japanese Yakuza, Los Zetas, and the Russian Mafia, and various white supremacist groups including the Ku Klux Klan have been documented on military installations both domestic and international, although recruiting gang members violates military regulations.^[33] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... // The history of the Gangster Disciples begins with Larry Hoover, who entered and rose through the ranks of the Chicago gang circuit in the 1960s and took control of the gang in 1974 by leading a series of increasingly powerful alliances. ... The Bloods are one of the Los Angeles, California street gangs. ... The blue bandanas worn by most Crip gangs. ... The Black Disciples (often abbreviated as BDN or BDN III) are a large African American street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. ... 18th Street Gang, also known as Eighteen St. ... Mara Salvatrucha refers to large gangs in Central America and the United States. ... -1... Norteno Graffiti in Yuma AZ The Norteños (Spanish: for Northerners), also Norte, are affiliated with Nuestra Familia (Our Family), are a coalition of traditionally Latino gangs in Northern California[1]. A member of these gangs is a Norteño (male) or Norteña (female); based on Spanish usage. ... This article is about the Vedic plant and ritual. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Almighty Black P. Stone Nation (often abbreviated BPSN or BPS) the A.B.P.S.N is a black Chicago-based Street Gang estimated to have more than 42,000 gang members. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Armenian Power, also known as AP is an Armenian street gang located in Los Angeles. ... The Trinitarios, a family also known as 3NI, started in the late 1980s in the New York state prison system. ... Nuestra Familia (Spanish for Our Family) are a group of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. ... Bandidos Washington State The Bandidos Motorcycle Club is an outlaw motorcycle club with a worldwide membership linked to organized crime including drugs and prostitution. ... A tong (Chinese: å ‚; Cantonese Yale: tong4; Pinyin: táng; literal: hall) is a Chinese American secret society. ... The Irish Mob, or Irish Mafia, is one of the oldest organized crime groups in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century. ... For other uses, see Yakuza (disambiguation). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The Russian Mafia or Russkaya Mafiya, Red Mafia, Krasnaya Mafiya or Bratva (slang for brotherhood), is a name given to a broad group of organized criminals of exclusively Russian, non-Jewish ethnicity which appeared in the former Soviet Union territories after its disintegration in 1991. ... Members of the second Ku Klux Klan at a rally during the 1920s. ...

The FBI believes that gang members may enlist in the military to escape their current environment or gang lifestyle. Some gang members may also enlist to receive weapons, combat, and convoy support training; to obtain access to weapons and explosives; or as an alternative to incarceration. Upon discharge, they may employ their military training against law enforcement officials and rival gang members. Such military training could ultimately result in more organized, sophisticated, and deadly gangs, as well as an increase in deadly assaults on law enforcement officers.^[34] A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... “Fights” redirects here. ... A weapon is a tool used to kill or incapacitate a person or animal, or destroy a military target. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

A January 2007 article in the Chicago Sun-Times reports that gang members in the military are involved in the theft and sale of military weapons, ammunition, and equipment, including body armor. According to a conversation recorded by an undercover FBI agent, one U.S. soldier may have stolen military body armor with intentions to supply Chicago gangs with the stolen equipment.^[35] The Sun-Times began investigating the gang activity in the military after receiving photos of gang graffiti showing up in Iraq. A 2006 Sun-Times article reports that gangs encourage members to enter the military to learn urban warfare techniques to teach other gang members.^[36]

In 2006, Scott Barfield, a Defense Department investigator, said there is an online network of gangs and extremists, and that: "They're communicating with each other about weapons, about recruiting, about keeping their identities secret, about organizing within the military."^[37]

Illegal immigration

One of the concerns of increased illegal immigration is gang related activity - as proved by programs such as Operation Community Shield, which has detained over fourteen hundred illegal immigrant gang members.^[38] MS13 publicly declared that it targets the Minutemen, a anti-illegal immigration group^[39] who take it upon themselves to control the border, to "teach them a lesson",^[40] possibly due to their smuggling of various Central/South Americans (mostly other gang members), drugs, and weapons across the border.^[41] A confidential California Department of Justice study reported in 1995 that 60 percent of the twenty thousand members of the 18th Street Gang in California are illegal immigrates.^[42] A warning sign at the international boundary between the United States and Canada in Point Roberts, Washington Illegal immigration to the United States refers to the act of foreign nationals voluntarily residing in the United States in violation of U.S. immigration and nationality law. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... Mara Salvatrucha is a Los Angeles-based, predominantly Salvadoran, gang that is also active in Central America. ... The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, often confused with The Minuteman Project, Inc. ... 18th Street Gang, also known as Eighteen St. ... This article is about the U.S. State of California. ...

See also

• Subculture
• Gangster
• Gangs in Australia
• Gangs in Canada
• Gangs in the United Kingdom
• Gangs in New Zealand
• List of California street gangs
• Crime in the United States
• List of gangs in the United States

References

v • d • e Gangs in North America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Canada · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama1 · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago1 · United States In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... This article is about members of a gang or criminal organization. ... There are numerous gangs in New Zealand, of varying criminality, organisation and ethnicity. ... This is a list of street gangs operating or formerly operating in California. ... This graph shows a sharp drop-off in violent crime since 1993. ... Borges redirects here. ... The Houston Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. ... The Christian Science Monitor (CSM) is an international newspaper published daily, Monday through Friday. ... L.A. Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized newspaper (a so-called alternative weekly) in Los Angeles, California. ... Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine published in Austin, Texas. ... TIME redirects here. ... This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged, gives an overview of states around the world with information on the extent of their sovereignty. ... Dependencies and other territories Anguilla · Aruba1 · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Greenland · Guadeloupe · Martinique · Montserrat · Netherlands Antilles1 · Puerto Rico · Saint Barthélemy · Saint Martin · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Turks and Caicos Islands · United States Virgin Islands World map of dependent territories. ... 1 Territories also in or commonly considered to be part of South America.