Is your child involved in a HISPANIC YOUTH GANG?

The gang life is a losing proposition. Get right. Choose life
for yourself and for those you love. That's what's up.

SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE INVOLVED IN A
HISPANIC YOUTH GANG
(Southwestern US, El Paso, TX - Southern New Mexico)

An El Paso former young gangster talks about his regrets in having become involved in a Hispanic youth gang.

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The Hispanic gang member is often a walking billboard of messages -- from the way that he may swag (walk), the color and brand of clothing he might wear, what he whistles or says, accessories such as rosaries and chains, the way an eyebrow may be cut, the tattoos and bandanas he might display, and the style and color of lettering on his belongings and display of specific numbers. Even the kind of music he might listen to might be a clue as to his gang affiliation. In many gangs just about everything about the gang member is a message of one sort or another.

Below are examples of traditional Southwestern United States gang-related clothing. [New types of gangs (Party Crews, Rebel Crews, for example) are becoming more common now, and their styles of dress vary widely from what is displayed here.)

Gang emblem photos courtesy of Joe Espinoza, STEP Academy, Laredo TX    gang-related bandanas photo courtesy Joe Espinoza UISD

gang-related rosaries photo courtesy Joe Espinoza UISD

Hispanic youth gang paraphernalia (rosaries, bandannas, belts, buckles, writing), Joe Espinoza/STEP Academy, Laredo, TX
Gang emblem, bandana and rosary photos courtesy of Joe Espinoza, STEP Academy, Laredo, TX

Hispanic gangster lean, dark clothing, gang signing Sureno: Blue bandana on head for Sur or South, almost exclusive blue clothing.    Beige khaki pants with dark brown Lowrider shirt, bald headed Hispanic youngster "Many gangs in the Southwest have adopted sports teams emblems and clothing to identify themselves with in public.
gang-related attire, El Paso, TX Caramelo shirt and lokes sunglasses; El Paso, TX
Two Hispanic gang-affiliated youngsters smoking marijuana in their driveway. Wearing Pendleton jacket, Lowrider T-shirt. Bolder Hispanic gang members don clothing with their gang initials in Old English or Gothic Lettering. This young man also wears the typical well-creased khaki pants, military belt with insignia.
To avoid school dress code violations and still display gang affiliation some students will mark their tennis shoes with a their gang initials or other identifiers such as the number 13 or 14, or they may use shoelaces in the color that best relates to their gang, such as blue or red Nike Cortez shoe is considered gang-related attire in El Paso, TX some Hispanic gangsters in the Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico and El Paso, Texas border region sport Chuck Taylor Converse shoes with mid-flaps pointed down, loose shoelaces and choice of bandanna inserted in shoe flap to indicate gang affiliation
     Surenos or Southsiders in most of the United States utilize the color blue to signify their relationship and allegiance. Blue bandanas and clothing and belt in the color blue, as well as blue shoelaces are common identifiers
clothing and accesories often used by Norteno gang members. In El Paso area and most of Southwest US Nortenos use the number 14 to represent their group. In Anthony, NM a group called Teners utilizes the number 15
specific types of clothing brands and types (for classic gang-affiliated involvement): Dickies pants; Nike Cortez shoes; military belts with Old-English buckle lettering; Caramelo shirts; Pendleton shirts; Solo Brand clothing; Lokes sunglasses; bandanas in the coiors yellow, red, blue, black, grey or white are often indicative of gang affiliation/involvement
(Specific clothing brand preferences vary by region.)

Big Bad Blue Rage - blue sureno modern gang lettering from Las Cruces, New Mexico region
preference for clothing and graffiti lettering of a blue color may signify an affiliation with a Sureno or CRIP gang or set

Laredo, TX example provided by Joe Espinoza, STEP Academy, Laredo
Norteno gangs typically utilize the number 14 and may incorporate a symbol of an indian bird symbolizing "La Raza"

Red graffiti lettering on notebooks, backpack, paper or on walls may indicate an affiliation with Norteno or Blood gangs
preference for clothing and graffiti lettering of a red color may signify an affiliation with a Norteno or Blood gang or set

   3 dots tattoo, usually on hand. between fingers or at side of eye. Typically used by Sureno gang members




Please also see Placazos/Hand Signs and Tattoos sections of Operation No Gangs website for additional pictures and indicators

What is a gang?

gang, n. [Old Eng. * gangan, to go]

Any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that:

1) Has as one of its primary activities the commission of one or more felony offenses, or delinquent acts that would be felonies if committed by an adult;

2) Has three or more members individually or collectively engaged in, or who have engaged in, criminal street gang activity, and

3) May have a common name, common identifying sign or symbol.

-Definition of "gang" used in the N.C. Street Gang Suppression Act, enacted by the General Assembly in July 2008.

Many schools and community groups consider gang members those associates who have a common name or identifying sign or symbol and who may not necessarily be engaged in criminal or delinquent activity. The concern for schools and communities is that the gangs pose a threat as a group, are viewed by others as a potentially dangerous "unit." Because of their separateness from the group some groups of all males or females -- distinct from sororities or fraternities, for example -- as a whole stand out as "deliberate outsiders" with a common negative cause or belief system. Often administrators, staff and students have identified these individuals as troublemakers, bullies, or those who engage in activities which are considered menacing to the student body as a whole, and/or contrary to the school code of conduct.

Signs of possible Hispanic youth gang involvement:

associates with friends his age and older who wear gang attire and have customs and engage in activities typical of gang membership

frequent involvement in negative or anti-social behavior at school, neighborhood with "set" of friends

a sudden pronounced resistance to control by parents

a dramatic drop in grades and acceptable school performance, cooperation

secrecy about social activities, excessive concern about phone use privacy

gang marking on books, walls, possessions such as the single letters (especially in Old English or Gothic font) M, N, L, V, K; and the numbers 13, 14, 505, 915, 213, 420 (a universally adopted code for marijuana) and 18; penchant for red (Norteno, Blood), blue (Sureno, CRIP), black (common to many gangs, usually in combination with another standout color) or yellow (Latin King), for example.

the frequent use of clothing and possessions that are either red (Norteno and Blood preference), blue (Sureno or CRIP preference) or yellow (Latin King preference) in color; often in combination with color black (common to many gangs)

specific types of clothing brands and types (for classic gang-affiliated involvement): Dickies pants; Nike Cortez shoes; military belts with Old-English buckle lettering; Caramelo shirts; Pendleton shirts; Solo Brand clothing; Lokes sunglasses; bandanas in the coiors yellow, red, blue, black, grey or white. Fitted baseball caps also may have different meanings for gang members and may be used by them to express their affiliation.

a pet name that is assigned to the child (i.e. "Vago", "ShyBoy", "Bullet", "Silent", "Serio") by his friends (often seen in the child's books or in other places where the child might reference his name (cell phone screen greeting or text message signature line)

a sustained fascination with certain types of Cholo/Hispanic Rap and gangsta rap music (specific artists; "rancholo" style, "chucoton", as examples)

inordinate time spent on the computer, especially on sites such as MySpace, Photobucket, FaceBook, Friendster, SoundClick, CDBaby, FightZilla

tattooed markings of dots, specific letters, numbers, icons and phrases

unsual hand signals "flashed" with friends or to rivals, unknowns

Girls are often introduced to gang life by a boyfriend. While they may not be actual members, their association with gang members identifies them as such to law enforcement. A "chola" look is often adopted by Southwestern United States girl gang affiliates. The look may include exaggerated painting of the eyebrows, thick dark lipstick (often black) and eyeshadow and earrings with an exaggeratedly large hoop. Hairstyles for girls may include a "wall" "do." Many gang affiliate girls in El Paso, New Mexico and Southern California prefer to wear Dickies pants in dark colors as well as Nike Cortez tennis shoes.

Younger siblings of gang member youth often view their older counterparts in fascination and learn to take a decided liking to gang culture. They may often begin imitating the dress style of their older sibling, begin to talk like him or her, and may place "pretend" gang-related tattoos on their body with pen ink. Too, they may begin to take a liking to gangster rap. An admirer may also begin to draw gang-style art, designs and lettering.

One or two of these signs alone may not be a true indication. When parents and educators see that a child can be described by three or more there is real reason for concern about possible involvement. It should be added that many young people want to appear involved for various reasons. But a "wanna-be" or a "potential" gang member can run as much danger as an actual validated gang member. Styles and preferences vary by region.

Let us know if you are interested in a presentation to your school, church, business or community group on topics related to the Hispanic Youth Gang Culture.
You may request a print-out of this text information emailed in .PDF format or by return fax

Is your child a prime candidate for gang affiliation?: A Profile

What can parents do to curb and prevent gang affiliation?

ONG video regarding school gang restroom fights

ABSTRACT URBAN VIOLENCE AND STREET GANGS: URBAN VIOLENCE AND STREET GANGS Annual Review of Anthropology 32: Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 2003, found at www.helpinggangyouth.com

http://www.dopespace.com/profile/OperationNoGangs





The significance of numbers, letters, hand signs, graffiti (placazos) in the Hispanic youth gang culture

The significance of tattoos in the Hispanic youth culture

Gang members and the use of the internet: Netbanging, text flaming, rap dissing

Is your child a prime candidate for gang affiliation?: A Profile

Daniel Novick/KVIA TV reports: Gang vs.Culture Clothing Video 8/7/07

  Simple things parents can do to prevent their child's gang affiliation

Middle Schoolers and gang harassment, activities: (El Paso: Student's death stirs fears of gang activities), Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, 11/20/05 (posted on forums.streetgangs.com)

New Mexico DPS Gang and Terrorism Task Force: Gang Characteristics



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