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PRISON GANGS IN THE COMMUNITY - A BRIEFING DOCUMENT FOR THE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS (CA)

NCJ Number
56070
Date Published
1978
Length
138 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES OF FOUR MAJOR CALIFORNIA GANGS ARE TRACED. THEIR PRISON ACTIVITIES AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRISON AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE DOCUMENTED.
Abstract
CONFIDENTIAL TESTIMONY FROM INFORMANTS, OFFICIAL COURT TESTIMONY, AND INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PRISON OFFICIALS ARE USED TO DEVELOP THIS PICTURE OF THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD (A WHITE PRISON GANG WHICH IS INVOLVED IN BANK ROBBERY AND HOMICIDE IN THE COMMUNITY), THE BLACK GUERILLA FAMILY (WHICH ENGAGES IN DRUG TRAFFIC AND ALSO HAS REVOLUTIONARY AIMS), LA NUESTRA FAMILIA (A LATINO GANG WITH STRONG RURAL BRANCHES WHICH ORIGINATED IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS AS A DEFENSE AGAINST THE MEXICAN MAFIA), AND THE MEXICAN MAFIA (WHICH BEGAN IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS ABOUT 1957 AND IS INVOLVED IN A WIDE RANGE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY). IT IS EMPHASIZED THAT THE GANGS HAVE GROWN OUT OF STRONG NEEDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IN PRISONS THE GANGS PROVIDE PROTECTION TO THEIR MEMBERS. ON THE STREETS THEY PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A SOURCE OF FUNDS. RECRUITMENT OF JUVENILE MEMBERS ON THE STREETS AND IN YOUTH CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS DOCUMENTED. SEVERAL PROJECTS STARTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH GANGS ARE DESCRIBED. THESE PROJECTS RECOGNIZE THAT GANG MEMBERSHIP EXERTS STRONG APPEAL. THE FOCUS IS ON ABATING GANG VIOLENCE BY INVOLVING THE YOUTH IN POSITIVE ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDING NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO OFFSET GANG INFLUENCE. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A DISCUSSION OF THE EFFECTS OF PRIVACY LEGISLATION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES WHICH RELY ON INFORMANTS, THE 'BY-LAWS' FOR LA NUESTRA FAMILIA, AN EXAMINATION OF YOUTH GANG WARFARE (SEE NCJ 56071), AND AN ARTICLE ON GANGS IN EAST LOS ANGELES (NCJ 56072). REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)