Hybrid gangs

2.c

Formation of new youth gangs is a very common practice in the country nowadays. Although they pretend to be like the traditional old gangs and use their names, they are not representatives of those gangs by any means. They are more like copycats or hybrid gangs.

Traditional gangs were mostly based on color, culture, ethnicity, race, etc. However, there are no such things in gangs nowadays. They may belong to any culture and even use colors of other gangs, even their rival gangs. A common example of this practice is Crips using red color instead of their traditional color, which is blue. This can be the case with symbols and signs which they use in their tattoos and graffiti. However, the traditional or older gangs may have similarities in the code of ethics or leadership, but this is not the case with hybrid gangs.

Law enforcement institutions and other informants must realize this thing that if someone is wearing black or blue may not be a Gangster Disciples or a Crip. And those who are wearing red may not be associates of the Blood. All of us should be aware of gangs nowadays.

Federal law has defined the term “criminal street gang” as “an ongoing group, club, organization, or association of five or more persons that has as one of its primary purposes the commission of one or more of the criminal offenses described in subsection (c); the members of which engage, or have engaged within the past five years, in a continuing series of offenses described in subsection (c); and the activities of which affect interstate or foreign commerce.” ~18 USC § 521(a)

The department of justice in the United States has a definition of a gang as an association of at least three individuals whose members:

·      Represent their selves collectively and share a common name, identity, identification sign, tattoos, slogans, graffiti, hairstyle, clothing, and physical markings.

·      Engage in any criminal activity with a clear purpose.

·      Define rules related to joining or ruling the gang.

·      Hold regular meetings.

·      Protection is provided to its gang members from other gangs or criminals.

·      Have control over a specific territory or region.

·      Guard their common interest or objectives against their rivals.

·      Their structure is identifiable.

All these actions are undertaken with an objective of imparting fear to carry criminal activities and strengthen the reputation, power, and economic state of the association. ~2015 NGIC National Gang Report