Juvenile Justice in America SOC 106 Part 8

Juvenile Justice in America SOC 106 Part 8: Peers and Delinquency: Juvenile Gangs

1. Motorcycle gangs - 1945: WW II over - 1, 000 s of veterans return - rejected accepted values - war = exciting / home = boring a. Ride motorcycles - high speed = excitement - seeking thrills / danger - Harley Davidson / Indian = power - West Coast = never seen before

- 10 to 30 young men - roaming highways / adventure - causing problems / crime (1) Hollister, CA – 1947 - 4 th of July - AMA = dirt hill climb - 100 s = contestants / 1, 000 s = spectators (a) POBOB’s - Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington

(b) 7 officer police force - 750 bikers - tore town apart (c) Highly publicized - introduced society - informed police (2) Three important traditions - 4 th of July run - one-percenter image - not part of sub-cult = “citizen”

(a) 4 th of July run - AMA = hill climb - different parts of country - gangs make run every year - heavily policed (b) One-percenter image - after Hollister = AMA president - only 1% of M/C riders - violent / criminal acts - image stuck - M/C gangs = one-percenters

(c) Bikers = get all citizens of Hollister - started calling others = citizen - set themselves apart - named those who did not belong (3) Riverside, CA – 1947 - 1, 000 s attended AMA run - rioting / destruction / two deaths (a) Riverside – 1948 - riders returned - another riot occurred

(b) Police chief - blamed violence - visiting “outlaws” - term now applies - outlaw motorcycle gangs / OMGs (4) After Hollister - POBOB enrollment increased significantly - new members / new ideas / changes made - members voted = change club name

(b) Most fashioned after Hell’s Angels (5) 1950 s / 1960 s = OMGs became symbol - younger / rebellious generation - good times / general lawlessness (a) Hollywood - media / movies / music - helped mushroom effect Rider (b) Hell’s Angels on Wheels / Easy - mostly = Wild One

2. Organizational structure - 900 OMGs various cities / states - white male members - growing black one-percent clubs a. National president - founder of club - resides at / near national club - final say (1) Territorial / regional representative - “vice president”

- handles problems in assigned region (2) National secretary/treasurer - club’s money - collects dues = local chapters - changes / drafts by-laws - records of national meetings - usually more educated member (3) National enforcer - reports to president - handles punishments

- retrieves colors - bodyguard for president b. Local clubs - own hierarchy - similar throughout (1) Chapter president - strength / leadership / personality - claim position / voted in - word is law - follows national guidelines

(2) Vice president - hand picked - second-in-command (3) Secretary/treasurer - best handwriting / addition ability - records meetings / takes minutes - collects dues / pays bills (4) Sergeant-at-arms - maintains order - strongest member / loyal / enforcer

(5) Road captain - maps runs / fuel stops / food stops - carries club money (costs / bail) - law enforcement contact c. Club members - rank and file (1) Full member - fully accepted / dues paying - carry out decisions of leadership - sworn to live by club by-laws

(2) Probate / perspective member - club hopefuls - one month to one year on probation - prove worth - commit a felony - nominated by regular member - unanimous approval (3) Associate / honorary member - proven value / usefulness - people who help club - allowed to party / go on runs

(4) Biker women - OMGs male dominated / chauvinistic - treated as playthings - victimized (prostitution / drug dealing) - bought / sold / traded / given away (a) Mamas / sheep - belong to the club - do what they want with - some allow to wear “colors” - ‘Property of _____’ on back

(b) Old ladies - wife / steady girl of member - wear ‘property of’ colors 3. Constitution / by-laws - one form or another - accepted standards of conduct - outlines administrative procedures a. Typical by-laws - membership requirements - fines for misconduct

- acceptable “behavior” during runs - similar matters (1) Colors - proudest possession - duty uniform / claim to membership - refer to: gang emblem / sleeveless denim jacket / leather jacket - never washed once initiated (2) Motorcycle - second most important

- damage / loss = violation - minimum = 500 cc / American made - strong bond: member / chopper (3) Criminal activities - motorcycle thefts - prostitution - narcotics - illegal weapons - Mafia connections (enforcers) (4) Investing illegal profits

- mobile catering companies - motorcycle repair shops - wrecking yards - massage parlors - investment firms - apartment houses - resort hotels - tow companies - bars - ice cream shops - private residences - tanning salons

(5) Mobility - sophisticated clubs - avoid colors - cars / business suits - greater security b. “Big Five” - Hell’s Angels / Outlaws / Pagans / Bandidos / Sons of Silence (1) Hell’s Angels – 1950 - Fontana, CA / formerly POBOB’s

(a) WW II veterans - name of WW II bomber (b) Mother chapter - San Bernadino, CA - moved to Oakland in mid-1960 s (c) 33 US chapters - 18 foreign chapters (d) 500 to 600 patch wearing members - wealthiest / most powerful

(2) Outlaws - Chicago – 1959 - largest OMG (a) 25 US chapters - 6 Canadian chapters (b) 1200 to 1500 members (c) 15 eastern states (3) Pagans

1959 - Prince George’s County, Maryland – - structure slightly different - no fixed mother chapter - “mother club”: 13 to 18 member heads - Northeast chapter activity (a) Philadelphia = biggest / powerful - well disciplined in criminal (b) 44 chapters

(c) Closest ties to organized crime - hit men / enforcers = LCN (4) Bandidos - aka: Bandido Nation - Houston, Texas – 1966 - Corpus Christi mother chapter state) (a) 26 chapters - south / northwest (Washington (b) 500 members / 2000 associates

(5) Sons of Silence aka: Iron Horsemen (a) Southern states to Colorado - chapters in 20 states (b) European chapter - Germany (c) 1, 000 – 1, 200 members c. Additional gangs

- 520 smaller gangs - 25 = chapters in 5 or more states - by-laws (examples) (1) All persons must be 18 years of age for membership. (2) All prospective new members must be sponsored by an old member. (3) All prospective new members must complete a probation period.

(4) Each new member will pay (club sets fee); the national headquarters initiation fee. his (5) Each member will pay monthly dues to chapter, set by the local president. (6) No member shall transfer from one chapter to another without the permission of both presidents and pay a transfer fee to the national

jurisdiction, he will abide by their by-laws and president. (8) Any member caught using the needle will lose his colors and everything that goes with them. (9) Harley Davidson or Indian motorcycles will be the only bike used while in this club.

1. Black gangs - two most notorious = Crips / Bloods - other major gangs = East Coast - Vice Lords / Black Disciples / etc. a. Beginning - late 1960 s = aware - Los Angeles area - crossed country today - Vice Lords = claim first organized black gang b. Development

- youth in neighborhood - protection - other youth “gangs” c. Los Angeles gangs - two separate groups - Crips / Bloods (a. k. a. Pirus) (1) Further divided into ‘sets’ - identify by local names - street names / parks / neighborhoods - landmarks in area

- call neighborhood = “hood” (2) Non-traditional in nature - no formal structure - older members = most influential - called “OG’s” = original gangsters drugs (a) Late 20 s to early 30 s - high rollers: access to money / - reputation for violence (b) Influence over younger members

- use to sell drugs - commit violent acts (3) Early 1900 s - black youth formed groups - express themselves - singing / music / dancing (a) Involved in local criminal activity - beginning of black street gangs (b) Free time for youth / young adults

d. Today’s gangs - late 1960 s / early 70 s - police = violence between gangs - little done to combat - society did not care - stayed in their neighborhoods (1) Primary age group - 12 to 20 years old - average = 18 - most violent - prove themselves / be accepted

(2) Violence level - extremely high - South Central LA = at war - fight over: turf / insults / looks / etc. (3) Cocaine trafficking = violence - expansion into other areas - throughout country (4) Changed philosophy - first: controlling particular neighborhood - now: making large amounts of money

(5) Dress - colors - Crips = blue - Bloods = red - ‘du rag’ = head / out of pocket - colorful jackets (sports teams) - baggy jeans (6) Graffiti - not stylish - spray can - mark territory / make threats

2. Latino / Hispanic gangs - first organized = turn of century (1900 s) a. East Los Angeles - more Latino than black gang members - main concern is territorial - called “controlling dirt” b. Leadership - handed down - fathers to sons - family oriented

(1) “Veteranos” - long standing gang members (2) “Machismo” - major part gang member makeup (3) Insult machismo / family - direct challenge c. Dress - Pendelton shirts / baggy cotton pants (tan color) - slip on leather shoes / hairnets / “du rags”

- tattoos = artwork - cover their body d. Graffiti / Placa - highly stylized / mark their turf - greeting / threat / challenge / recognition 3. Skinheads - surfaced in Europe (1970 s) - white hate group - racially motivated crimes - based on race / religion

a. Throughout US - active in northwest - Nazi symbols - bastardized religious symbols - literature / vandalism b. Aligned with white supremacist groups - White Aryan Nation (WAR) - League of Aryan Workers (LAW) (1) Dress to intimidate - shaved heads / mohawk / close cropped

jacket (a) Bomber style jacket / green flight / spiked black leather jacket (b) Braces (suspenders) (c) T-shirts - pride logos (d) Doc Marten boots - steel tipped (e) Army fatigues / blue jeans

- pant legs rolled up - show combat boots (f) Colored shoelaces - white / red = supremacists - yellow = recently injured someone (2) Identify with white supremacy philosophy - seen through dress (a) Swastika tattoos - indicate beliefs

(3) Groups are small - disorganized - supremacist groups capitalize - WAR / LAW / KKK / Aryan Nation c. Criminal activity - racially motivated extremist groups - serious assaults / malicious harassment (1) Who is recruited? - the “nobodies”

- individuals who feels set apart - believe they have nothing / no-one (a) Targeted audience - Pacific Northwest - blue collar white male youth - blame others for troubles (b) Low income / low income families - single parent - strong work ethic

(c) Recruitment - schools / literature / dances - hope: gain superiority / power - through intimidation (2) Initiation - ritual act of “jumping in” - 4 to 12 of strongest members - fists / feet = beat for set period of time (a) “Newbe” - cannot hold own = not admitted

(b) At-risk factors - academic problems - alienated from family / society - all income levels - male / female - 12 to 25 - drug / alcohol abusers - physically / sexually abused (victims) - “loners” - feelings of anger / hate / injustice - hate all types of authority

(3) Oregon / Washington - WAR Skins = White Aryan Resistance - Southeast Boot Boys - American Front - National Aryan Front - National Socialist Front 4. Satanic cults - Satanism - worship of the devil - teen dabblers / public worship / secretive cults - involved in criminal activity

a. Teen dabblers - great concern = police / youth counselors - mental / physical harm to selves / others (1) Exhibit obsessions - movies / videos / posters / books - heavy metal music - violence / rape / death / demonism (a) Dungeons and Dragons - occult attraction - social concern

witches (b) Designed to attract people - primarily youth - into supernatural world - closer: Satanism / demons / / warlocks (2) Identifying Satan worshippers - satanic symbols doodled on notebooks - wear symbols as jewelry / on t-shirts - decorate room - draw / tattoo on body

/ (a) Possessions - candles / incense / knives / bells chalice / bones / herbs (b) Body decorations / mutilations - blacken all fingernails - middle / little finger of left hand - signs of self-mutilation (c) Consistent wearing of black clothing - combined with symbols - major warning signs

b. Profile of Satan worshippers - satanic alters hidden from view - black candles / skull and bones - satanic symbols (1) Satanic diaries - Personal Book of Grimories (a) Focus of diaries - satanic rituals / group activities - talk of suicide - mutilations

(b) Contract with Satan - list / talk about thoughts of death (2) Heavy metal bands - favored by teens / young adults - Iron Maiden / King Diamond / KISS / WASP (We Are Satan’s People) (3) Children as victims - satanic cults “brain wash” youth - control minds / wills / subject to cruelty

(a) Beatings / starvation / electric shock / eating sexual assault / living in darkness / human flesh (b) Ritual takes place - child born again to Satan - married to Satan c. Five types of Satan worship (1) Religious

- publicly reject criminal activity - tax exempt status (2) Adolescents - “dabblers” - adopt certain symbols (3) Self-styled - use own fetishes - usually loners - obsessed with satanic themes

(4) Criminal satanic cults - criminal activity through Satan - Satanism is their lifestyle - involvement in sacrifices (5) Generational - two / three generations involved - secretive - criminal ritual activities d. At-risk factors - all income levels

- male and female (1) Academic problems - alienated from family / peers - ages 12 to 24 - drug / alcohol abuse - generally Caucasian - low self-esteem - strives for power / control - heavy metal music obsession - fantasy role-playing (games) - lack of humor

- negative feelings about school / future - high tolerance for pain / deviance - frequent thoughts of suicide / death - secretive (2) Be alert to: - drug use - backward writing - cruelty to animals - false sense of well-being - clandestine / secretive behavior - drop in grades

- loss of interest in friends / activities - exaggeration of emotions - preoccupation with death - black bedrooms / clothing - self-mutilation (3) Important dates of Satanic calendar - January 17 = Satanic Revels - February 2 = Candlemas - March 20 = Spring Equinox - April 30 = Valpurgisnacht - June 21 = Feast Day

- September 7 = Marriage to the Beast Satan - October 31 = All Hallows Eve - December 22 = Winter Solar Solstice 5. Asian gangs - early members = US refugees - 1985/86 = influx gangsters to Pacific Northwest a. Defining Asian gangs - three types - casual / informal / formal

(1) Casual - group of friends - commit crimes - operate by consensus = no leadership - participate in most violent crimes (2) Informal - a charismatic leader - membership fluctuates - transient in nature - in and out of gang - move between gangs

(3) Formal - defined leadership - chain of command - members loyal - no moving in and out / between gangs - primary crime = extortion b. Understanding Asian culture - strong emphasis on family - emphasis on education - mistrust of police / government agencies - generational conflicts = traditional vs. popular

(1) Information received by police - ages of youth not always accurate - look younger = give false age - say juvenile = avoid arrest / ticket (2) Family names - often same / similar - many = same first / last name - middle name different (a) Chang Low Ngai vs. Chang Lei Ngai - run last, first, middle initial

- give false DOB (cousin) (b) Culture - called Ngai Low / Ngai Lei - Chang = family name c. Crimes committed - primarily = prey on own community - extortion / assault / residential robbery/burglary - robbery = jewelry / grocery / convenience stores

- drug trafficking - stolen weapons = obsessed - auto theft - car stereos = favorite target of (2) Very mobile - travel “I-5 pipeline” - California / Oregon / Washington - weapons = martial arts / knives / guns all types / nunchakus d. Gang identifiers

- using gang names / identifiers / graffiti (1) Washington / Oregon names - Viet Crips / V Boys / HK Homies - Oriental Boys / Solo Boys / Red Cobras - Cambodians With An Attitude (2) At-risk factors - similar to other gangs = some unique (a) Alienated from family / society - male or female

youth (b) Ages 12 to 25 - cultural conflict = family and - divided from family (US / other) (c) Immigrated without family - no education - Amerasians especially (d) Anger with government agencies - language / cultural barriers - seek immediate gratification (money)

(3) Behavior / dress - typical gangster = not distinctive in dress - difficult to identify - effort = dress conservatively (a) Black baggy pants - jacket / white shirts favored - Red Cobra = red clothing - CWA = black hats / initials (b) New wave hair styles = popular

(c) Long black coats - tattoos - intimidate / impress - military theme