Gang

From Free net encyclopedia

(Redirected from Gangs)

For other uses of the word, see Gang (disambiguation).

A gang is a group of individuals who share a common identity and, in current usage, engage in illegal activities. Historically the term referred to both criminal groups and ordinary groups of friends, such as Our Gang. Some anthropologists believe that the gang structure is one of the most ancient forms of human organizations.

Some commentators use "gang" to refer to small, informal, and disorganized "street gangs", while "syndicate" or "organized crime" are used to refer to larger, more powerful organizations, such as the Italian-American Mafia, which may control entire legitimate businesses as "fronts" for their illegal operations.

The word "gang" generally appears in a pejorative context, though within "the gang" itself members may adopt the phrase in proud identity or defiance.

1 Gang activities
2 Gang identification
3 Gang types
4 Gang members
5 Gang warfare
6 See also
7 External links

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Gang activities

Most commonly, the word "gang" refers to street gangs or sometimes "youth gangs", groups who take over territory or "turf" in a particular city and are often involved in "providing protection", often a thin cover for extortion, as the "protection" is usually from the gang itself, or in other criminal activity. Since roughly the 1970s, street gangs have been strongly connected with drug sales (especially crack cocaine). Some commit burglaries, car theft, and armed robbery. Most members retain their gang affiliations when sent to prison (see prison gang). Many gangs use fronts to demonstrate influence and gain revenue in a particular area. These clandestine bases may include restaurants, bars, casinos, race tracks, strip clubs, or other business.

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Gang identification

Most gang members have identifying characteristics unique to their specific clique or gang affiliation. The Bloods for instance wear red bandanas and the Crips blue, allowing the two sides to "represent" their alliances through flags. Any disrespect of a gang member's color by an unaffiliated individual is grounds for a violent retaliation, often by multiple members of that gang. Tattoos are also common identifiers. For instance, a triangle of tree circles is a blood identifier and an "18" above the eyebrow is a common 18th street gang member tattoo. Tattoos help a gang member gain respect and help add the essence of dedication for life. They can not only be inked on, but burned as well with all matter of instruments from lighters and cigarettes to powerdrill bits heated and then drilled into the flesh.

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Gang types

Apart from street gangs, there are motorcycle gangs (such as Hells Angels, the Gypsy Jokers, Mongols, Vagos, etc.), as well as other clubs that might be designated as gangs based around other shared hobbies or activities. These gangs tend to go international with their activities as soon as they can. The Crips in Los Angeles are famous for bringing their terror in a similar fashion to other cities around the world such as New York and most recently in Barbados.

There are also numerous prison gangs or Security Threat Groups (such as the Mexican gang la Eme—the Mexican Mafia), organized criminal mafias (a term deriving originally from the Italian, but now also applied to the Russian Mafia).

There are also ethnically identified gangs, such as Asian criminal gangs (Such as the Chinese triads, Korean gangpeh, and the Japanese yakuza) as well as Chinese-American identified, and that many gangs (especially prison gangs) maintain some ethnic majority or stereotype.

Street gangs tend to be less organized than Mafias, Such as the Chinese triads, The infamous italian mafia crime families.

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Gang members

Individual members of gangs may be referred to as gangsters or "gangbangers".

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Gang warfare

Gang warfare is the conflict between opposing gangs.

Gang warfare is commonly held over turf boundary disputes, the takeover of an area in order to bring in narcotics to push on the streets, personal rivalries, or simply the fact that the opposing group is different in some way. Gang warfare takes a huge toll on cities, families, and communities involved, especially many cities in South/Central America and South Africa where the levels of

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