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Essay / Analysis of Street Gang Culture and Popularity mainSlangThe 21 RulesPeace Treaties Between Bloods and CripsCon conclusionIntroductionThe Purpose of This The purpose of this article is to study the characteristics that constitute street gang culture. The reason we chose this topic for this article is the fact that gang violence is becoming a crucial problem in the United States and many other countries around the world. In the United States alone, approximately one million teenagers are part of a street gang. However, this problem is not new, and people in the United States have been victims of gang violence since the early 1800s. Currently, although street gangs do not keep official records, there are approximately 33,000 gangs in existence. street in North America (Grabianowski, 2007). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayA central question in this study concerns the cultural components of these street gangs. Because gang members tend to view these gangs as family units, the study of their cultural components will resemble other studies in sociolinguistics that concern family, language, customs, etc. The properties of these gangs street practices are not yet fully understood due to the prevailing secrecy. among the members of these gangs. There is even an unwritten code (the G-Code) that prevents these members from divulging information about their gang activities. Knox (2000), Klein (1995-2006) and Keever (nd) have already mentioned the patterns and nature present in these gangs. In addition, Pacheco (2008) developed a guide highlighting all the characteristics present in street gangs like those studied in this article, the Crips and the Bloods. To do this, two of the main African-American street gangs controlling the American territory were selected. . The characteristics of these gangs such as gang loyalty, symbols, rituals, hierarchy within the gang, graffiti, tattoos and non-verbal communication used by gangsters will be analyzed. Finally, a brief introduction to the so-called peace treaties between the two selected gangs will be presented. MethodIn order to study this topic, two of the most infamous street gangs in the United States were chosen, the Crips and the Bloods. Information about these gangs was found in the documents presented in the previous section and on websites owned by the United States government. Of particular relevance to this article are studies conducted by Henry R. Pacheco, a member of the Gang Investigators Association in the United States. Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey and is certified as a Law Enforcement Gang Specialist by the New York and Virginia Associations of Gang Investigators (Pacheco, 2010).Theoretical BackgroundThe concept of cultureThe first term that needs to be explained is the concept of culture, what constitutes a culture and how it functions. Several researchers have attempted to define what culture is, but because culture is a very abstract term, definitions vary among researchers. Schudson (1989) has already explained what elements constitute a culture. According to this academic, culture is not something that works or does not work. It is not something forced or done to a man; it is constitutive of the individual. This is the prerequisite and stateof humanity (Schudson, 1989). Another possible definition of what culture is was provided by Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, who in 1871 defined culture as "that complex whole which comprises knowledge, belief, art, morals." , law, custom and all other abilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Finally, more recent studies have defined culture as “the rules for playing the game of life” (Samovar et al., 2014: 11). Gangs According to the National Institute of Justice, “there is no universally accepted definition of the term “gang” in the United States” (National Institute of Justice, 2011). This institution offers two different definitions, the federal definition and the state definition: Federal definition: A gang is an association of three or more individuals who identify themselves by adopting a group identity. These individuals tend to be more collectivist than individualist. This group identity is used as a way to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. This is done by adopting a common name, slogan, signs, symbols, tattoos, a specific color of clothing and even graffiti. The main objective of these groups is to engage in criminal activities. Gangs tend to adhere to rituals, provide protection, exert control over a certain territory, and have an identifiable structure. State Definition: A criminal street gang is any organization of three or more people whose primary activity is the commission of crimes. They have a common name, sign, or symbol and engage in a pattern of criminal gang activity (National Institute of Justice, 2011). Map of the Blood, Crip, Hoover and Piru gangs of South Los Angeles (Google maps). Cultural Elements of Street GangsThe main elements studied in this article are tattoos, graffiti and slang. Pacheco (2008) already distinguished two of these elements, paying attention to the importance of each in street gang culture. Tattoos: “Gang members may have tattoos specific to their gang, group, clique, etc. or can convey their status or represent a region, as in the case of “Sureños” and “Norteños” (Pacheco, 2008: 24). Pacheco also stated that some tattoos appear to be generic in nature, not allowing identification of members, however, members of gangs such as those belonging to "MS-13" and "La 18" tend to have tattoos the number of their “barrio” everywhere. their bodies. Additionally, he recognized teardrop tattoos as representations of the pain of losing gang members, committing murder, or spending time in prison. For most gangs, tattoos represent their commitment to the group. Graffiti: In gang culture, spray painting can vary from "tagging" words or names to more complex or masterful images or messages . Spray painting can show which gangs are fighting, arguing, or arguing. They can also call in gangs or check their territory. Pacheco distinguishes different types of graffiti made by street gangs: Tagger – These are tags made by gang members (nicknames) and elaborate pieces. The purpose of this type of graffiti is to intimidate rival gang members, mark the territory they control or send a specific message. “They are territorial rather than regional” (Pacheco, 2008: 25). Hate graffiti: This type of graffiti is used by gangs who write racial, cultural or religious insults. Some gangs may paint over a tag or symbol belonging to a rival gang. This is done by crossing these labels with the specific colorof a gang. Slang: This type of spoken language has been used by gangs since their beginnings as a means of communication between other members and rivals. This specific terminology varies depending on which gang you belong to. This slang can sometimes be confusing. Additionally, gang members tend to use sign language to show which gang they belong to. Some slang terms are "cuz" (used as a friendly name among Crips), "MOB" (Money Over Bitches), "G" (gangster), "slobs" (derogatory term used to identify Bloods), "ADDIDAS » (All day I criticize all the slobs)…Crips and BloodsCripsThere are several theories explaining the founding of this mainly African-American gang based in Los Angeles, California. An unofficial version states that the gang was founded by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams who united their previously established gangs to fight against other neighboring gangs. Washington was found dead in 1979 after being shot in a drive-by shooting. Williams was executed by the state of California in 2005, although he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize while in prison. Another version claims that the Crips were not always the violent gang they are today. Apparently, the Crips were founded to fight against the oppression and police brutality suffered by African Americans. According to this version, supported by The Black Panthers, a revolutionary socialist organization founded by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton in October 1966, the group's name stood for Community Resources for Independent People (Brown, n.d.).Initiation ProcedureAs in any other cultural organization , there are several ways to join the Crips. Depending on the neighborhood, initiation procedures vary: getting beaten up by other gang members, committing a crime, fighting rival gang members, or even killing someone. Once you are considered a member, you are treated like family, respected and protected by the rest of the members.GraffitiA feature commonly found in Crip graffiti is the six-pointed star. Another way to recognize Crip graffiti is to check if a letter “b” is crossed out on the graffiti. This is done in order to insult their rivals, the Bloods. Crips generally avoid writing the letter "b" because it represents their rival gang. It is also common to find messages such as "happy c-day" on social networks, avoiding the use of the letter "b". Regardless of the legal action that shoplifting may involve, according to Bertheaud (2011), most graffiti done by street gangs is done with spray paint stolen from unmonitored hardware stores. Finally, another common symbol for Crips is the number 187. This number is the code for first degree murder in the California penal code (Bertheaud, 2011). Figure 1 is a clear example of the typical Crip label found in suburban Los Angeles. The letters "b" are crossed out, there is a six-pointed star, a six-pointed crown and the letters "BK", meaning Blood Killer, appear next to it. Tattoos Representative symbols found in tattoos worn by members of the Crip include the six previously mentioned. -a spiked star, a three/six-pointed crown, “BK” meaning Blood Killer, Crip LOB, meaning “lords of the brotherhood”… Another symbol commonly found in Crip tattoos is the letter C designed in tongue signs. for “All day I destroy a slob”. Slob is a derogatory term used to criticize the Bloods (Hamilton, 2013). Blue from the Shoe: When a member of the Crip wears blue from their shoes to the top. “CC” or Double “C”: The double Cis used by members of the Crip whenever they need to replace the letters "CK" (for Crip Killer) in any word. Cuddy: Slang term for the word buddy, again replacing the letter "B" with a letter "C". Crip Walk or C-walk: The C-Walk is a dance invented by the Crips which consists of moving the feet to spell the letters CRIP. Drinking Milk: A term used only by members of the Crips to target or assassinate a rival. This term was stolen from the Bloods in the 1990s when Blood members who were in prison created a way to disrespect other members in the prison. CIP: CIP stands for Crip In Peace, used as a substitute for RIP (Rest in Peace). It is used when another Crip member has died (Urban Thesaurus, n.d.). Rap Singers Who Are Crips Many well-known artists in the hip hop scene joined a gang when they were teenagers and got into trouble with the law. Some of them are active members and many others have a distinct affiliation with the gang. CripsCJ Mac Rollin' 60's CripsDaz Dillinger 21st Street CripsLil' C Style 19th Street CripsSome of them, like Snoop Dogg, even dedicated songs to their gang. Although Snoop Dogg claims to have never joined a gang, he is affiliated with the Rollin' 20's Crips. The song Crip or Die by Snoop Dogg describes what it's like to be a Long Beach Crip. He sings about loyalty to the gang, describes it as family, and even states that the gang is more important than his own life. This loyalty is a trait representative of gang culture, where once you enter, the only way out is death. “Around here, you scream or die...all day long, you scream or die...when you're young, you Crip or die...that's the first thing you learn on the Eastside » (Snoop Dogg, 2015). The BloodsThe Bloods are a street gang based in Los Angeles, California. This gang bases its activities on drugs, theft, murder and other criminal activity. Their representative color is red and they are long-time rivals of the Crips. The gang was founded in the early 1970s due to the spread of Crips throughout Los Angeles at the time. The Bloods were formed as a group aimed at fighting the Crips. . Members of different gangs, like those around Piru Street, united and banded together to protect themselves against the Crips. However, the fact that these gangs were together in the fight against the Crips did not prevent infighting between the different gangs that made the Bloods. Besides the color red, Bloods have unique identifiers, such as specific hand signs, tattoos (a dog Paw and the Triple Os, a physical mark often made from the heated barrel of a gun). The Bloods began to expand in the early 1970s, throughout Los Angeles, however, they were even smaller than the Crips. For this reason, the Bloods have become particularly aggressive and violent. The Bloods took advantage of the rise of crack cocaine in the 1980s and began focusing on drug trafficking. This newly discovered way of making money allowed the gang to expand beyond California, even reaching the East Coast, eventually outnumbering their New York rivals (EncyclopÆdia Britannica, n.d.). Symbols and Identification Bloods are known to adopt the color red as their own, however, some sets of Bloods have chosen to use black, pink, orange and even green, depending on their origin. In recent years, gang members have decided to stop using their representative colors to avoid police. The colors are worn as an indication of pride in their gang alliance and as an element of terror to non-gang members andopponents. Gang members will represent their group by “signaling” or wearing bandanas. These handkerchiefs or “flags” can be worn around the head, face, wrists, lower legs or in their back pocket. Having a bandana is extremely important to a gang member since it is given at the time of initiation into the group. Tattoos Gang members usually have at least one tattoo/mark representing their gang. As previously noted, members of the Bloods wear a "dog leg" made using the heated barrel of a handgun. They are usually burned on the limb's right arm. This mark may be referred to by gang members as the "triple Os" and can also be found on Bloods graffiti. Additionally, Blood's tattoos include the gang name, a five-pointed star/crown (Dowe, 2011), tears, blood. drops, pitbulls, etc. These tattoos tend to be given when a member is initiated and each tattoo represents the member's rank. Finally, these tattoos are usually shown to rivals as a means of intimidation. Blood Graffiti Typical symbols on Blood Graffiti are the five-pointed star, the letters CK (Crip Killer), the five-pointed crown and the "Triple Bone”, always painted red. Hand SignsGang hand signs have different meanings. They are typically used whenever a gang member wants to greet another member, intimidate non-gang members, and silently warn rivals. “These hand signals are ways of displaying loyalty to the group and letting others know who they are dealing with” (Keever, 1999). The Bloods have distinctive hand signs that tend to be different from those of their rivals. Bloods are known for using non-signals. verbal communication as a means of transmitting messages to other members. Their way of walking, their standing position and their gestures convey a wide range of hidden messages. Figure 6. Compilation of body gestures made by members of the Blood. (St. Petersburg Police Department, 2008)SlangOriginally, the coded language used by The Bloods was designed as a way to prevent correctional officers from understanding inmates' communication, then translated to the streets as a way to communication between members. A common way of greeting Bloods members is to say "SuWoop!" » (sound similar to that emitted by a police siren). This greeting is greeted by saying “Blaat! (the sound of an automatic gun). Slang Term Meaning Bklyn I Trust Him Mad Dog All Day Manhattan Don't Trust Him Manhattan I Trust Him The 21 Rules The Bloods have a set of rules that they must follow to be accepted by the gang. If disrespected, gang members risk being beaten and even killed by other gang members. Although these rules are supposed to be secret, former gang members who wish to leave the gang have provided police with information about the gang's hierarchy and rules. . Given the nature of the subject, the author of the list below remains anonymous.Peace treaties between the Bloods and the CripsMany associations have tried to put an end to gang violence since the appearance of street gangs. Peace treaties between the Crips and the Bloods have surfaced several times throughout the history of both gangs. The most famous peace treaty between these two rival gangs is the one known as the "Watts Gang Truce". This truce was declared a day before the infamous Los Angeles riots in which the city of Los Angeles went up in flames after the four LAPD officers who beat Rodney King were declared.
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