THE AMERICAN FOCUS ON GANGS

Series Volume #1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION ONE: GANG OVERVIEW

Gangs, Rap and Lowriders: A Thugs Dream Come True

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

Gang Realities and Reasons

The History of Gangs

The Grim Reality of Gangs in America

A Day in the Lives of Our Kids

What Some Children See

Why Kids and Young Adults Join Gangs

The Role of Teachers and Support Staff

Possible Factors Leading to Adolescent Gang Involvement

Denial of Gangs

Who is Likely to Join a Gang?

How Are Gang Members Identified?

The Number One Problem: Denial Until Tragedy

Gang Prevention Suggestions

Tips for Identification of Gang Activity

(Gang) Dress and Appearance

Disruptive Behavior and Criminal Activity

Definitions of Gang Names

Gang Nicknames

Jump-Ins

Wanna-Be

Dont Wanna-Be

I Have To Be

I Am

Gang Terrorizing

Gang Recruiting

Parenting Tips: Prevention

Suggestions

Neighborhood Eye Watch / Block Watch Programs

Warning Signs for Parents

Advice for Parents

Advice for Your Children

Gang Identification Through Ball Caps and Jackets

The Role of Law Enforcement

The First Thing the Police Can Do

A National Street Gang Profile

Working Gang Definition

The Need for Specialization

Goals and Objectives

Cooperation Between Agencies

Programs That Work from the Bottom Up

And Not From The Top To The Bottom

Correctional Intervention

Gang Origin

Racism

Weapons

Then vs. Now

Types of Gangs

The Scavenger Gang

The Territorial Gang

The Organized or Corporate Gang

Graffiti Removal

Conflict Prevention Strategies

Program Objectives

Program Components

Crisis Management

Community Involvement

School and Community Programs

Police Involvement

Who Is To Blame?

SECTION TWO: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROSECUTORS, CHIEFS AND EXECUTIVES

Introduction

Recommendations Overview

Prosecuting and Tracking Street Gangs

Gang Violence

Historical and Cultural Perspectives

Gang Origins

Legitimate Groups Turn To Crime

Self Protection Groups

Ethnically Isolated Subsocieties

Racism

Diversion and Thrill-Seeking

Defining Street Gangs

Street Gang Profile

Youth and Adult Street Gang Member Profile

Gang Structure

Bulls Eye

Pyramid

Changes in Structure Due to the Advent of Cocaine Distribution

Gang Membership

Age Range

General Characteristics

Racial and/or Ethnic Background

African-American Gangs aka Black Gangs

Latino Gangs

Asian Gangs

Chinese Gangs

White Gangs

Neighborhood Gangs

Biker/Burglar Gangs

Stoner Gangs

Monikers

Monikers of Latino Gangs

Monikers of Black Gangs

Monikers of Asian Gangs

Monikers of White Gangs

Graffiti aka Street Newspaper

Latino Gang Graffiti

Black Gang Graffiti

White Gang Graffiti

Asian Gang Graffiti

Gang Streetology/Jargon

Hand Signals

Tattoos

Clothing and Other Paraphernalia

Prison Gang Influence

Connections to Street Gangs

The Need for Specialized Prosecution

The Gang Violence Suppression Program

Establishing a Program

Standard Prosecution

Vertical Mode (Prosecution)

The Generic Prosecutor

Effectiveness vs. Efficiency

Efficiency

Effectiveness

Gang Cases

Why?

The Prosecutor As Leader

Criteria for Gang Files

The Purging Procedure

Gang Prosecution Unit Case Criteria

Criteria For Gang Prosecution Unit Consideration

Some Primary Crimes for Consideration

Probation Revocations

Getting Support From the Program

The Gang Prosecutor In The Field

What Is Meant By That?

Witness Contacts

Community Contacts and Presentations

Crime Scene Visits (as General Case Preparation)

Hot Crime Scene Witness and Victim Contact

Search Warrants

24-Hour Police Office Assistance

Maintaining Knowledge of Gang Turfs

Gang Files in The Prosecutors Office

Gang Files in The Local Police Agency

Processing Gang Cases

Charges and Slow case Development

Timing and Witness Consideration

Press Releases

Discovery

Detention and Bail

Preliminary Hearing

Witness Location

Security

Hospital Hearing

Impeachment

Pre-Trial Processing of Gang Cases

Confirming Proof and the Charging Document

Case Preparation

Motion

Trial Briefs

The Gang Trial

The Prosecutor and his Detective as Gang Experts

Post-Conviction

Sentencing Preparation

Statement of Aggravation

Probation Officer Contacts

Dealing with Reluctant and/or Difficult Witnesses

Prior Inconsistent Statements

Personal Contacts with Uncooperative Witnesses

Relocation of Witnesses

Immunity

Defense Attempts to Compel Granting of Immunity

Working the Juvenile and Adult Court

Case vs. Defendant Approach

Discovery

Transfer Hearing

Coordinating Adults and Juveniles

Evidence Issues

Making Gang Cases Comprehensible

Admissibility of Gang Evidence

Expert Witnesses

Search Warrants

Affidavits

Telephonic Warrants

Injection and Abatement Laws

Establishing and Effectively Maintaining The Gang Unit

Frequently Asked Law Enforcement Questions and Their Answers

Gang Unit Objectives

Personnel Selection

Cooperation Between Agencies and Jurisdictions

Ineffectiveness of Conventional Methods

Roll Call: Some of the Most Active Street Gangs in New Jersey

Gang Motivated Crime

Gang Related Crime

Gang Membership Family Tree

A New Investigative Approach

Methods Used

High-Profile Cases

It is Just as Important to be a Street Smart Cop

Criteria for Identifying Incidents as Gang-Related

Suggested Policy to Identify Individuals as Gang Members

Additional Duties and Responsibilities of the Gang Unit

Considerations for Selecting Gang Unit Prospects

Probation Revocations The Best Tool in the Prosecutor/Gang Unit Arsenal

Why? Because

When a gang member is in violation: What To Do!

Why? Because

Legislation

The Virtual Key to Aiding in the War on Gangs, Crime and Violence

Help Yourself!

Ideas

Conclusion

RESOURCES

Gangs: Investigative Notes (Personal)

Gang Profiling and Tracking

GO/TRAK Tracks Gangs and More!

Video Resources for Gang Awareness and Related Training

Dragons of Crime:

Asian Gangs

Five Points Gang:

Historical Gangs Focus

Cop Killers:

The ultimate look at the most heinous crime of all

Cops on the Edge:

Police Suicides

Behind Bars:

Prison Gangs

Kids Behind Bars:

A look at the troubled state of juvenile justice

L.A. Behind Bars:

Gang Management in the violent jail environment

Juvenile Justice:

A look at kids who commit serious crimes

Women in Prison:

Female inmates trapped in a cycle of pain and failure(?)

On Parole:

Prisoners of Freedom

Death Penalty:

A focus on notorious prisons and inmates sentenced to death

The Hostage Takers:

An up-close look at the terror of hostage situations

To Catch A Killer:

A focus on homicide investigation strategies and solutions

When Cops Kill:

Police use of deadly force examined

The Street Stress Fighter

CD-ROM for Windows, Win NT and Macintosh

S.I.D. Suspect Image Database

User-friendly PC software for suspect profiling

Identifying Lies in Disguise

Detecting Deception in Verbal Behavior