GANGS

What is the definition of a Gang?

The police definition of a gang is a group of individuals, juvenile and or adult, who associate on a continuous basis, form an allegiance for a common purpose, and are involved in delinquent or criminal activity. The gang may range from a loose knit group of individuals who hang around together and commit crimes together, to a formal organization with a leader or ruling council, gang colors, gang identifiers, and a gang name. (Gutierrez, 2008)



I believe Alaska has minor Gang activity compared to the lower 48's such as California, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and so on and so forth. Gangs come in many shapes and sizes, wealthy and poor but usually are found in the ghetto. Some say we have a ghetto, Moutain View, but the place is just a wreck and could be fixed. A ghetto is a poor densely populated city district occupied by a minority ethnic group linked together by economic hardship and social restrictions. Also, the area is a filth, with grafiti on the walls, trash all over the place, broken water pipes, broken houses and so forth.

Being in a gang, those individuals need love, support, and probably a father figure which in most cases teens or young adults usually don't have. They need a sense of belonging. So, they do what ever it takes necessary to belong into a gang. Whether itd be selling drugs, fights, crime, even murder, they do whatever it takes to be part of a certain or specific gang. Here in Alaska, we have gangs that copy other states gangs such as bloods and crips. Yet, are they a threat as in California? I say no because in California, theres murder happening everyday and drive bys and violence on a regular basis. Here in Alaska, we may have little fights, some drive bys, murders but its very often. In California, it's an on going process and happens at least everyday. Here in Alaska, when people move from California, they bring a sense of "hardcoreness" that they brought because since the individual is from Cali, they feel they are stronger and look at other individuals as "weak" or they aren't hardcore enough. I've met many people like that here in Alaska and i also have many friends and family who bring that same kind of non sense of violence and hate. Why do they do this?

Some familiar gang names here in Anchorage are: Fam-Bam, Soldier Crew, Sons of Samoa (SOS), Loc Down Crips (LDC), Tongan Crip Gang (TCG) etc. They may be hardcore but do they make the media often? I say no, that's why we have low gang activity. Are we at risk for our youth to go into these types of gangs? I believe it's an individual effort and that the people they chose to hang around with will reflect their attitudes and their willingness to join a gang.

Annotated Bibliography:

Holland, M. (2007, January 11). Youths charged with robbing man at gunpoint. Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved Novemeber, 19, 2008 from http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/8553366p-8447047c.html

In the article, “Youths charged with robbing man at gunpoint,” author Megan Holland explains how on January 11, 2007, a group of three local teenagers aged 12, 14, and 15 were run down and taken into custody by Anchorage Police Department for stealing a vehicle and robbing a 19 year old pedestrian at gunpoint. Police detective, Sean Purcell said authorities suggested waving the boys to adult court due to their affiliation with a local street Crip gang. Holland discusses, according to the police, the 14 and 15 year old teenagers picked up the 12 year old from the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club, driving a stolen white Suzuki Sidekick. After cruising around through the Moutain View and Russian Jack neighborhoods, the 15 year old suggests to the other two if they “wanted to score some cash,” police said. At around 9 p.m. on a residential street between Boniface Parkway and Pine Street, the group of three pulled up beside the 19 year old pedestrian. Holland depicts how the 15 year old teen, his face hidden by a blue bandana and cap, jumps out pointing the handgun at the pedestrian’s chest asking him to empty his pockets. Once the pedestrian turned over what he had, the teen pointed the gun down at the ground and fired once; the victim tried noting the license plate number as the vehicle drove off, but couldn’t make it out due to the snow. Holland mentions that the police caught up with the car and began a brief foot chase for the three teens as they fled the car several blocks away. Holland explains how the three boys were taken to McLaughlin Youth Center and were charged with first-degree vehicle theft, the 15 year old that fired the gun also charged with felony assault.

Holland, M. (2006, January 31). Weekend drive-by shooting injures 2. Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7405280p-7317397c.html.

In this article, "Weekend Drive-by Shooting Injures Two," Megan Holland describes how a 24 year old man, who was a brother to a gang member who passed away from a shooting in May, was shot at on the corner of 88th Avenue by a maroon dodge durango. "Toffy," who is the older brother of "Tinius," said the durango shot at him and Belton. Toffy explains to police that he doesn't know why they shot at them but the bullets hit his arm and another pierced his back. Belton suffered minor injury, he got cut from the glass that the bullets hit. On may 14, Toffy's brothers Tinius and Nathaniel followed Marquez Nevitte into a liquor store and a fist fight was stirred up. While the fight errupted, a gun was pulled out and Tinius was shot and died later. It must be hard for Toffy because he had to deal with his brother's death and then get shot at.

Holland, M. (2007, April 17). Teen gunfire signals return of gang rivalry. Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November 20, 2008, from http://dwb.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8801501p-8702734c.html.

This article, "Teen Gunfire Signals Return of Gang Rivalry," author Megan Holland explains that early Saturday at 3 A.M. an unnamed gang had a house party off Friendly Lane. Out of no where, five vehicles pull up to the premises and the gang named Soulja Crew were in it. It was suppose to be a fist fight but a man named "Hollywood" didn't want the cops involved so Soulja Crew pulled away. As the vehicles pulled away, Bruno (a member of Soulja Crew) started firing his 9mm handgun to the crowd. Another person was firing a shot gun back towards him and the vehicles fled the scene. A female victim was shot in the groin and a male victim was shot in the torso. In the afternoon, Bruno turned himself in after a warrant had been issued of his arrest. He was involved with the shooting last July when he fired back at those who were shooting at the stadium. Bruno was also a hero as a child in elementary stopping an attacker stabbing other students at Mt. View Elementary but not in this case.

Holland, M. (2007, June 21). Four arrested over fight over street gang colors. Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November, 19, 2008, from http://dwb.adn.com/front/story/9035655p-8951214c.html

In the article “Four arrested for fight over street gang colors,” author Megan Holland describes how four local teenagers were arrested for attacking and beating a man wearing a rival gang color at a Mountain View gas station. Also, that a search for a fifth suspect was entitled. The five Anchorage teenagers are thought to have affiliation with a local street Crip gang, which was undisclosed by Anchorage Police Department. Holland mentions how four suspects, Shane Uele, 18, Patrick Tauanuu, 18, Misitini Asi, 19, and a 16 year old unidentified juvenile, were arrested and the three non-juveniles made their first court appearance.Holland states that the June 4, 2007 dispute began at Lions Park in Mountain View where 23 year old, James Day and 18 year old, Shane Uele were walking down the street. Holland depicts how according to Uele, Day, wearing a red shirt and baseball cap, started confrontation using derogatory language and commenting on the colors of clothing worn by the others and their gang association. According to Uele, he followed day into the local gas station convenient store, and his friends at the park nearby followed after. Holland depicts what was caught on the gas station’s video surveillance that Day was shot, accidentally according to Uele, in the torso and still constantly beat. Defendants said that Day was carrying a hand gun in the waistband of his pants and declared a challenge. Holland declares how prosecutors charged the men, under the circumstances of a seldom used 11 year old law that permits authorities to raise a misdemeanor crime to a felony if gangs are involved, with a possible five years of prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted.

deMarban, A. (2008, May 5). Trio arrested in stadium shooting (7/23/2006). Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November 20, 2008, fromhttp://www.adn.com/crime/story/152733.html.

In this article,"Trio arrested in stadium shooting(7/23/2006)," author Alex deMarban explains that three men were arrested for an attempt murder charges. The trio: Nai, Maalona, and Fagafaga bursted gun shots at the Stadium of pick up football game of youths. The game turned seirious when ruff play was involved. Leituala, a victim was severly wounded when the shots were fired and they trio made it a peaceful arrest for the police. Nai and Maalona turned themselves in while a special assignment was made for officers to bring Fagafaga to custody. This affected many families and friends because we know of these people and we know who got shot.