Gangs

Street gangs are pervasive throughout the United States, including Joliet. The following are some frequently asked questions about gangs. This information has been provided by the Gang Investigation Unit of the Joliet Police Department Criminal Investigations Division. It is intended to dispel some of the myths that sometimes surround street gangs.

Definition

A street gang is an organized group with an identifiable leader (formal or informal) that shows unity and loyalty, especially in times of conflict. An offense against one member is frequently considered an offense against all members. The gang often exhibits disrespect for established authority of any kind, independence, and a general lack of conventional morality. Members display antisocial and criminal behavior that sometimes results in their arrest. Eventually, members will probably adopt the gang’s "official" symbol and display the insignia in the form of a personal tattoo. The gang’s hand signs are also used to identify the individual as a member of that specific gang.

• Exclusivity - members cut themselves off from non-members;
• Criminal and antisocial behavior;
• Violent rivalries with other gangs; and
• Loyalty that overrides ethics or common sense - the gang comes first.

Gangs Around the U.S.

A 1995 survey found over 23,000 gangs and almost 665,000 gang members throughout the U.S.  Many primarily consist of members of one race, but others are becoming multi-ethnic.  By the 1970s about 80% of gang members were either African American or Hispanic.  Asian gangs have become more prominent since then, and girls are joining too.  The greatest constant has been ethnic composition (recently migrated), and lower class social standing.

The gang problem appears to be increasing, notably in the schools, with the majority of members in the age 12-25 bracket.  The peak age is around 17.  Cities with new gang problems report up to 90% are minors; cities such as Chicago, with long standing gang problems, report up to 74% adult membership.  Street gang patterns reflect not only chronic social problems associated with race, social class and immigration, but economic conditions, weapons availability, drug markets and turf issues as well.

Gangs vs Groups:  Knowing the Difference

There are four primary differences:

• Exclusivity.  Gangs tend to be exclusive:  members have little interest in associating with non-members.  Gang-involved young people cut themselves off from the influence of non-involved friends and family members.

• Crime.  Activity and attitudes are frequently criminal and antisocial in nature.  Gang crime originates for several reasons including profit, rivalries, building reputation, and "jumping in" rituals for new members.

• Rivalries.  Important points to understand about gang rivalries include the following:  anyone associated with a gang may be in danger from either known or unknown rivals.  Rivalries and traditional and are rarely questioned or evaluated.  They tend to be impersonal:  random retaliatory acts against a convenient victim or "set" are at least as common as acts which accurately identify and target the particular individual who committed the precipitating insult or offense.  Families and friends of members are seriously at risk of harm, as rivals do not consider their well-being.  Rivals don't necessarily cease to represent a serious danger just because an individual quits the gang.  Individual members have no control over the perceptions or actions of rivals.  Nor do they have control over - or often have an awareness of - events that may lead to violence where they may be the victim.

• Loyalty.  Members are expected to continue participation in the gang once they have been "jumped in".  They are also expected to remain involved in the activities which the gang as a whole feel are desirable, regardless of the individual member's personal feeling about such activities.

As a means of establishing loyalty and demonstrating their willingness to suffer or risk physical or legal consequences, new members generally must submit to "jumping in", and initiatory activity determined by the "set", which is usually violent, dangerous and/or illegal.  In many "sets", members risk serious consequences, including death, if they attempt to leave.

Reasons for Involvement

Lack of success in school, sports or other conventional activities sometimes leads to poor self-esteem for the individual, particularly if the student is ostracized by peers. Personal problems in the home may add to his/her distress. As such, the individual may turn to a street gang for acceptance and recognition by others. An individual’s vulnerability to a street gang can sometimes lead to a perceived need to join a gang, particularly if he/she resides in a gang-infested area. In some cases, an individual’s siblings or relatives may be members of a gang, resulting in familial gang involvement.

Warning Signs

With the exception of bona fide gang tattoos, there are few, if any, single indicators which can be taken as airtight guarantees that a particular young person is involved in gang activity.  The following list can serve as a guide.  However, if several of these become observable, they should serve as a red flag, and professional intervention should be sought.

• A sudden drop in grades and a lack of interest in school;
• New friends (boys or girls) who are "questionable" characters in the eyes of parents.  Extreme loyalty/exclusivity to core group of friends;
• Secretive/defensiveness about activities with friends;
• Disengagement from family;
• loss of interest in normal activities and interests;
• Delinquency issues with police;
• Out of control behavior:  curfew, runaway, defiant;
• Flashing of hand signs (hand gestures) to friends (or even when alone);
• New interest in "Gangsta" rap music (not soft Rap0;
• Changes in manner or dress and adopting gang-style clothing, jewelry, and/or tattoos;
• Gang graffiti or symbols on his/her personal property;
• Changes in vocabulary and use of gang slang;
• Changing a nickname to something more acceptable to a gang;
• Unexplained increase in his/her personal monetary income;
• Possession of commercially made or "makeshift" weapons;
• Possession of drugs or other controlled substances;
• Changes in health that may be due to drug/alcohol abuse;
• Unexplained threats/messages from callers who refuse to identify themselves to parents;
• Otherwise unexplained damage to property;
• Inability to account for time spent away from home;
• Curfew violations on a regular basis (17 years of age and younger).

Gang Culture:  Continuum of Mentality and Activity

• Emulating, experimenting with gang image
• Focus on socialization:  belonging, identity
• Infrequent, opportunistic property crime, tagging
• Bullying
• Free to cease activity without serious consequences
• No active rivalries (may, however, be victimized by other, more seriously involved gangs)

A word of caution:  The typical response at this phase is to minimize the importance of these early gang-like behaviors and attitudes because "They're only Wannabes".  Nothing could be more destructive and dangerous.  

If an individual is involved or a group has formed at this level, address it now and address it aggressively.  It is the only significant opportunity that you will have to be able to meaningfully address the needs, attitudes, and behaviors until much further down the road, by which time they will have caused themselves and others much distress and loss.

• Identity crystallizing around membership in the "set"
• Greater frequency of drug/alcohol usage
• More serious antisocial behavior:  intimidation, vandalism, etc.
• Heightened criminal activity:  extortion, theft, burglary
• Increased disruption at home and school
• Leaving may result in threats and/or consequences
• Fledgling rivalries:  posturing, making/defacing graffiti, assaults
• Young people at this phase may express concern about going out with backup from other members of the "set" because of potential problems with rivals.
• They may also express concern about severing ties with the set because of concerns about physical harm being done to them by fellow members.

• Exclusive relationships with set:  membership is core identity.
• Drug use may be at center of socialization
• Established criminal orientation:  person and/or property crimes
• May begin turf claiming (controlling territory)
• Likely to be out of school:  expelled, dropped out
• Criminal history likely, possible incarceration
• Leaving brings serious consequences, may not be an option
• Established, violent rivalries involving weapons

• Departure from non-gang society
• Criminal identity:  a "gangster"
• Incarceration accepted as an aspect of gang lifestyle
• May want to leave gang life
• Leaving a gang is not generally an option:  attempts may result in death
• "At War" mentality with rivals and police; injury to innocents acceptable

This is the phase that people in cities with recently emerging gangs associate with a "gang problem".  The reality is, however, that each of these phases represents a "gang problem", just of varying degree.

The simple truth, based on history over the past twenty years in the United States, is that if a community waits until level three and four activity is present, there is virtually nothing they will be able to do to bring the problem under control.  Dealing with the problem while it is observable at the earliest possible stage is the only way to respond.

Consequences

• Identification as a member of a specific gang by rivals to that gang through visual association;
• Constant conflict with other gangs (more enemies than friends!)
• Increased probability of arrest while in the company of gang members;
• Increased probability of injury or death while associated with "targeted" gang members;
• Drug/alcohol abuse;
• Personal retribution for offenses suspected to have been committed by his/her gang;
• Intimidation/victimization of siblings/family/friends due to gang affiliation.

Female Involvement

Girls are often intricately involved with street gangs, whether on the fringe as girlfriends, or as full-fledged members of an affiliated girl gang with a similar name. The initiation into the gang sometimes includes sexual assault. Male gang members often use their female acquaintances to hold or transport drugs or weapons as well as other contraband, or to provide false alibis when arrested or accused of criminal activity. In addition, they have used vehicles belonging to female acquaintances to conduct criminal activities, or their residences as "safe houses" or "party" houses.

Avoiding gang involvement

If you suspect your child is involved with gangs, there are several things that you can do as a parent. First, search his/her belongings for weapons, drugs and gang paraphernalia. In addition, confront you child about your suspicious, or your findings. The Police Department Gang Investigation Unit and your child’s teacher are also good sources to confirm or deny your suspicions. If your child’s involvement in a gang is confirmed, seek counseling from local anti-gang organizations (UTAG) or form a parent’s council to discuss mutual problems and help promote constructive activities for youth.