NCJ Number
123184
Journal
School Safety Dated: (Fall 1989) Pages: 4-11
Date Published
1989
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Members of two Los Angeles youth gang, the Crips and the Bloods, describe the reasons they join gangs and their daily activities in this transcript of a discussion that was held at the Kenyon Juvenile Justice Center in Los Angeles and that was moderated by journalist Leon Bing.
Abstract
Participants included a 23-year old who has been incarcerated for first-degree murder, attempted murder, and robbery; a 28-year-old who has been incarcerated for a variety of violent and property offenses; a founder of a Chicago gang who is now an actor and lecturer; and a 23-year-old current gang member. They said that committing a misdemeanor and being a good fighter were main ways to enter a gang. They described their clothes, their weapons, their gang territories, killings, fighting, and their relationships with their mothers and other relatives. Glossary of gang members' slang.