Abstract
The paper discusses the Los Angeles-based street gang, the Crips. The paper describes their history, their signs and clothes, their territory, number of members, and drug trade.

From the Paper
"The Crips are a major African-American gang with a strong presence in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area as indicated by the map presented in Appendix A, which contrasts Crip territory with that of the rival black gang called the Bloods. The Crips originated in Los Angeles, established in ... by ... year-old Raymond Washington along with Stanley Tookie Williams and Avalon gardens resident, Jimel Barnes. Initially known as the Baby Avenues, the group evolved over time into one of..."

Tags:gangs, Crips, Los Angeles, crime, drug trade

Abstract
This paper explains that, although not one organized and unified group, the formal name of the group, "Crips Street Gang" or "Crips", denotes several loosely connected, extremely violent sub-sets of street gangs, who have broken almost every law, that are located not only in its place of origin but also nationally and internationally. Next, the author reviews their history, activities, court trials, investigative techniques used against them, the agencies involved and the role of the media. The paper concludes by evaluating if the Saint Leo University's (SLU) core values of excellence, community, respect, personal development, responsible stewardship and integrity should be applied to law enforcement.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents
Name of Group
Year Formed or Acknowledged the Crips Street Gang Began
History of the Gang
Current Activities of the Gang
Significant Court Trials of the Gang or Significant Members
Investigative Techniques or Laws That Could be Used against the Gang
Agencies Primarily Involved in Combating the Gang
Media Treatment of the Crips Street Gang
Discussion of SLU Core Values in Relation to the Topic
How are the Actions Involved in Organized Crime Enforcement Embodied or Reflected in the SLU Core Values?
Would Adoption or Implementation of the Core Values Improve the Performance, Quality, or Integrity of law Enforcement against Organized Crime? Why?

From the Paper
"Homicide and assault for the Crips are mostly done in retribution for offenses made against the group or to silence people who have witnessed some of the more dastardly and criminal act of Crips members. Auto theft and burglary may provide some easy cash but do not really provide the large cash or windfall revenue. Thus, the sale of illegal and prohibited substances became the bread and butter of the gang to the point that distribution of these did not remain only at street level but went national as well. This is especially true when the crack or rock cocaine entered the market in the 1980s.
"When crack became the illicit drug of choice by the users, the demand suddenly outpaced the available supply especially since crack users are not those merely belonging to the lower classes but spread into various social classes. Crack crossed all racial, economic and social barriers. It was not only attractive in the ghetto, but it was equally, if not more attractive, to those living in the suburbs. This drug was an instant money maker for these street gangs. With this new kind of market and large demographic area to supply, the Crips started to innovate and improve their means of selling and distribution."

Tags:bandanas cribs belongingness, undercover agents, implementation

Abstract
This paper prevents an overview of the Crips street gang of Los Angeles. The paper first explains how gang life in California becomes a sort of surrogate family life, where individuals turn to their neighborhood gangs for protection as well as a source of potential income. The paper then discusses the gang hierarchy and the varying levels of positions and authority and reveals that the biggest profit seen in gang activities comes from drug sales. Next, the paper shows how, despite the lure of fortune and protection, the consequences of claiming Crip membership can be devastating. The police response to gang activity is also looked at and it is posited that no matter how hard the city of Los Angeles tries to rid itself of further gang activity, the perils of inner city life will always force individuals to turn to gang life to make a living and protect themselves and their family.

From the Paper
"California street gangs have a long and checkered past which has been both demonized and romanticized. The Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence labels the definition of a gang as "a group of young people whose members recognize themselves as a distinct entity and are recognized as such by their community," (Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence, 2008). These groups of individuals band together for various reasons; in California the main reason being financial and emotional support for one another. Due to the incredibly poor neighborhoods of inner-city Los Angeles, there are a myriad of gangs which have sprung up all over the city to provide protection and financial support to their members based on profits from illicit activities. In 1991, a study done by the University of California, USC, in the heart of gang territory, estimated an astounding 130,000 active gang members currently living in Los Angeles, (Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence, 2008)."

Tags:crime, violence, drugs, murders, street, life

Abstract
The paper discusses the relations between the Russian mafia and Japanese Yakuza and how they both developed and operate today. The paper then looks at the Crips and Latin Kings gangs, the Colombian Cali and Medellin cartels, the four separate versions of the Ku Klux Klan and the Outlaws motorcycle gang.

Outline:
Russian Mafia and Japanese Yakuza
The Crips and Latin Kings
Cali Cartel and Medellin Cartel
Ku Klux Klan
Outlaws Motorcycle Gang

From the Paper
"The Yakuza can be legitimately traced back to the mid-to-late 1700s and groups of traveling gamblers and traders who began organizing into "families" with a structure of leadership and a godfather at the top of the pyramid. Then, in the early to mid-1800s, Jirocho of Shimizu, the most famous gangster in Japan's history, who led an "army" of 600 gamblers, would actually protect the common people from dishonorable gamblers and thieves, as well as the brutal samurai of that time. That's the legend, however, more factual sources detail him as a gangster who did nothing but rule by violence and intimidation.
"During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as Japan began to modernize, so the yakuza expanded, organizing construction workers and dock workers, and controlled the trade in a new kind of big-wheeled cart called a rickshaw. Mitsuru Toyama, the man who had joined politics and organized crime, and had reigned over the yakuza and Japanese politics through blackmail and assassination, in 1919, formed the first national federation composed of more than 60,000 gangsters. And from there, the yakuza became more and more integrated into Japanese society as they continued the expansion of their "markets" and criminal behavior."

Tags:Ku, Klux, Klan, Crips, Latin, Kings, Yakuza, Outlaws, Colombia, cartels

Abstract
This paper provides an argument that rap music and the culture it inspires have a deleterious impact on juveniles. In particular this is noted with respect to an increase in crime and other negative behaviors among those who embrace the images and behaviors expressed in the music.

From the Paper
"Rap music rap musicians and the culture inspired by them exist in a world of violence, crime, drug use and unbridled sexuality. The logo for 'Death Row' records responsible for such rappers as Snoop Dog, Dr Dre and Tupac Shakur is a blindfolded black man strapped into an electric chair at the time of execution. The shooting murders of rival rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B I G were linked to animosity between the Los Angeles street gangs the Bloods and Crips."

Tags:violence, guns, African Americans, gangstas, drugs, sex, Crips, Bloods, Rap

Abstract
The paper explores California's racial and social class history and shows how many of the gangs of the past were simply communities, typically comprised of immigrants, struggling to express their need for social change. The paper argues that the traditional perspective of politicians and law enforcement to end gang related activities through suppression and prison terms has not garnered productive results. The paper contends that the best solution to rid California of its gangs is to continue to create innovative intervention and gang prevention programs.

From the Paper
"Some of the most disreputable gangs thrive in the streets of California: the Crips, Mexican Mafia, Bloods, Nuera Familia, Hell's Angels, Mara Salvatruch, Sur Trece, 18th Street, the Aryan Brotherhood, and the like. The hip and groovy beaches, the dazzle of Hollywood, and the fresh and scenic forests and mountains are not a distraction to these young blooded Californians. The fact that California prisons are rated as the nastiest hell-rising prisons in the country doesn't deter these youths. These gang youths will eventually find themselves in the prisons that are the most populated in the country, and that is why many social justice facilitators are searching for solutions."

Tags:immigration, socio-economic, status, race, Crips, Bloods

Abstract
The paper examines gangs from a historical perspective and shows how immigrant communities formed gangs as a reaction to living in a new world and having to confront difficulties with schooling and police brutality. The paper reveals that in today's society, certain races and ethnic groups are prone to engaging in gang activity because they feel disenfranchised or because they are products of one parent homes in which the father is not present. Finally, the paper discusses the negative impact of gang activity.

Outline:
Introduction
History of Race and Ethnicity in Gangs
Why People Join Gangs
Effects of Gang Activity
Conclusion

From the Paper
"As it pertains to race/ethnicity and the current structure or status of gang activity, the majority of gangs are composed of people of the same race or ethnicity. For instance, when two of the most notorious rival gangs, the bloods and the crips began they were composed mostly of African Americans. These two gangs are no longer race explicit and they have been warring for decades with the largest concentrations of these gangs residing in South Central Los Angeles. However the gangs also have a presence in other regions of the United States. Although the Bloods and Crips and their rivalry are amongst the most infamous in the United States, there are also many other gangs throughout the United States. Again these gangs are most abundant in densely populated urban areas."

Tags:bloods, crips, MS-13, guns, violence, immigrants, family