The introductory section focuses on the history of Hispanic gangs from the early 1900's to the present. It also describes the physical appearance of Hispanic gang members including their knit caps, Pendleton shirts, other characteristic clothing, tattoos, and preferred vehicles. A detailed section is devoted to the "placa," (i.e., the Hispanic use of graffiti) which consists of symbolic representations of the gang and its individual members and is used to mark territory. The concluding section explains the concepts of residence and territoriality with Chicano gangs of Los Angeles. While gang experts traditionally assumed that members live in the territory they defend as their turf, this may no longer be true. Today it is possible for nonresident Chicanos to become gang members of a particular territory. Evidence suggests that nonresident gang members may be even more violent in defending territory than the resident ones. In addition, gangs are such long standing and established phenomena in the Chicano neighborhoods of Los Angeles that a gang member's move to another neighborhood only involves either staying with the old gang or joining a new, resident gang. However, there is no getting away from the gangs. 25 references