CRIMINAL STREET GANGS

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1 The Orange Police Department s gang unit, also known as T.A.R.G.E.T. (Tri Agency Resource Gang Enforcement Team), consists of one sergeant, three detectives, three street suppression investigators, one probation officer, one district attorney, and one investigator from the District Attorney s Office. The mission of the gang unit is to protect the citizens of Orange through proactive suppression of gang activity and related crime. The gang unit provides education to the community (parents, schools, and business leaders), in an effort to intervene with the youth well before they interact with the criminal justice system. Gang intervention truly lies in the hands of the parents and the schools. The gang unit is responsible for proactive enforcement, thorough investigations, and aggressive prosecution of all gang members who commit gang crimes. Therefore, the overall objective of the Orange Police Department s gang unit is to develop a partnership with the community to help effectuate our goals, and keep our community safe. CRIMINAL STREET GANGS Criminal Street Gangs in America can be traced back to the early 19 th Century. These original gangs formed as a response to social and economic oppressions facing the country at the time and have since evolved into today s gangs. California Penal Code Section defines a Criminal Street Gang as a group of three or more people with a common name, sign or symbol whose members engage in criminal or anti-social behavior. Criminal Street Gangs are very traditional in that they normally claim a turf and abide by a strict code of conduct. A gang s turf normally includes the neighborhood of the gang members as well as the area surrounding the neighborhood. Gangs often name themselves after the city or area where they exist (ex: Orange Varrio Cypress / OVC ) or after a political, ethnic or social condition or belief (ex: Nazi Low Riders / NLR ). 1

2 Gangs utilize graffiti as a sign of communication. Gang graffiti gives a written warning, a greeting, marks off turf, can be an insult and identifies the gang and its members. Gang members also use hand signs to communicate within their gang and to other rival gangs. There are various types of criminal street gangs, including: White Supremacist Gangs, African-American Gangs, Hispanic Gangs, Asian Gangs, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, Occult Gangs, Multi-Racial Gangs, Female Gangs, Prison Gangs. Gang members also abide by an unwritten code of conduct that regulates the activities of its members. Gangs expect loyalty from their members and respect from rival gangs and the general public. Loyalty is often shown when gang members commit crimes for the gang (including assaults, thefts and vandalisms). Gang members also receive respect by committing crimes and promoting an atmosphere of fear and violence within the community. TAGGER CREWS Tagging Crews are one of the more recent arrivals in street gang sub-culture. Unlike Criminal Street Gangs, Tagging Crews are different in that they usually do not have ethnic barriers, do not claim turf and primarily write graffiti. Like Criminal Street Gangs, Tagging Crews are organized into groups (called crews ) and members have nicknames (or monikers ). Most Tagging Crews have names involving usually no more than two to three letters or numbers. Tagging Crews often name themselves after beliefs and/or actions (ex: D2D Down to Destroy / PNS Paint Non Stop). Taggers view themselves as artists, not vandals, who write graffiti to express their artistic abilities. Tagging Crews do not normally claim territory. Taggers aspire to put up as much graffiti as possible over as large of an area as possible. Taggers are thrill seekers who try to place graffiti in dangerous places, such as freeway overpasses, buildings and trains. As opposed to gang graffiti, tagger graffiti is often very intricate and detailed. Taggers often place a great deal of pride and time into completing their graffiti. Taggers look at themselves as the downtrodden, often saying that they are oppressed by societal regulations and criminal laws that prevent them from placing their art on others property. Tagging Crews often have a hierarchy, with a piecer, or a skilled tagger responsible for intricate pieces of graffiti, often being the head of a crew. Like Criminal Street Gangs, Tagging Crews have rivals. Taggers often battle their rivals with graffiti as opposed to physical violence. In some cases, Tagging Crews also fit the definition of a criminal street gang. While most Tagging Crews do not resort to physical violence, some Tagging Crews have evolved into Tag-Bangers. Tag-Bangers are a combination of taggers and gang bangers. Tag-Bangers still commit graffiti vandalisms but also deal in other criminal enterprises, such as assaults, narcotic and weapons possessions. 2

3 CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE Provides sentencing enhancements for gang members and associates Allows for certain misdemeanors to be prosecuted as felonies Allows for all members or associates who are present during the commission of a gang crime to be prosecuted, not just the perpetrator Orders gang members to register with the local police department after being released from custody (P.C ) SIGNS OF GANG MEMBERSHIP Monikers (nicknames) Style of clothing Hand signs Graffiti Jewelry Weapons Tattoos Photographs Gang slang (language) COMMON GANG TATTOOS Tattoo Meaning Clock without the hands Doing time in prison Spider webs on elbow or shoulder Doing time in jail or prison Star on elbow Served time in Orange County Jail Laughing face/crying face Smile now/cry later SWP Supreme White Power X3 or 13 The 13 th letter of the alphabet M stands for the prison gang Mexican Mafia (EME) SUR Sureno or Southerner 714 Orange County (Area code) th letter of the alphabet is O, the 3 rd letter of the alphabet is C (Orange County) 100% Pure Pure white Brown Pride Proud of Hispanic Heritage White Pride/Power Proud of White Heritage Swastika Nazi/White Pride Celtic Cross White Supremacy Iron Cross Nazi Thunderbolts Earned for act of violence Three dots on hand Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life 3

4 WHAT IS A GANG? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS California Penal Code (f) defines a gang as: 3 or more people Who share a common sign or symbol And either individually or collectively engage in a pattern of unlawful/criminal activity, such as robbery, sales of narcotics, vandalism, assaults, murder, and several other identified crimes, which ware committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, in the furtherance of, or in association with a criminal street gang, with the intent to promote or further the gang or the individual s social or economic status WHAT IS A PATTERN OF UNLAWFUL/CRIMINAL GANG ACTIVITY? (California Penal Code (e) provides a list of 25 recognized crimes) Two or more of the following offenses: 1) Assault with a Deadly Weapon 2) Robbery 3) Murder 4) Sale of Controlled Substances 5) Shooting at an inhabited dwelling 6) Discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle 7) Arson 8) Intimidation of witnesses or victims 9) Grand Theft 10) Grand Theft Auto 11) Burglary 12) Rape 13) Looting 14) Money Laundering 15) Kidnapping 16) Mayhem 17) Aggravated Mayhem 18) Torture 19) Felony Extortion 20) Vandalism 21) Carjacking 22) Sale or Delivery of a Firearm 23) Possession of a Firearm on their Person 24) Terrorist Threats 25) Vehicle Theft 4

5 WHY JOIN A GANG? Individuals join gangs for various reasons. Most common is the need to belong. Individuals who join criminal street gangs come from all social and/or economic backgrounds. Some of the common reasons are: Values and beliefs Heritage Peer pressure or protection Status WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAGGER AND GANG GRAFFITI? Gang Graffiti gives a written warning, a greeting, marks off turf, can be an insult and identifies the gang and its members. Gang Graffiti is usually only done in one color (unless another gang has crossed out the graffiti) and oftentimes appeared to have been hastily done. Tagger Graffiti is often very intricate and detailed. Taggers often place a great deal of pride and time into completing their graffiti and look at their finished product as a form of art. Tagger Graffiti is often multi-colored and is sometimes done in large bubble letters. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ART AND VANDALISM? The difference between art and vandalism boils down to one word: PERMISSION. If a person has the permission of the property owner to place his/her graffiti on the property, the graffiti is done legally. When a person does not receive consent from the property owner, the graffiti is vandalism and is illegal. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRAFFITI? ART Legal graffiti based on permission COMMUNICATIVE Done to make a statement HATE Done against racial or ethnic groups GANG Usually territorial and intimidating TAGGER Usually nomadic and done for fame *The social and economic burden gang members inflict on society is enormous. Parents, schools, communities, and the local government must act in partnership to intervene, prevent, and suppress gang activity to ensure that gangs do not continue to decay and plague our society. 5

6 Gang related World Wide Web site links: