Chicano Gangs In The Criminal Justice System

Chicano Gangs What is a gang? The California Law defines a gang as any organization, association or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, which as continuity of purpose, seeks a group identity, and has members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity. Chicano gang involvement begins as early as elementary school. Children just seven and eight years old are being enlisted because of the difference in the punishment for youths in the Criminal Justice System. Why are children being pulled into gangs? There are several reasons, some are to make friends, others want protection and they think that gangs will provide them with a lot of money. Or they come from broken homes
But the the typical gang member is not confined to South-Central Los Angeles. He lives in places like Wilmington, Pomona, Santa Ana, East Los Angeles and Nor walk. He's a Chicano, one of the estimated 45,000 Chicano gang members throughout Los Angeles County that literary outweighs the estimated 25,000 black gang members. He is a heir to a history of violence that dates back to the {text:soft-page-break} 1940's. The word thug dates back to the year 1200 AD and refers to a gang of criminals in India named the Thugz. They wandered through the country robbing towns on their way while using hand signs, rituals, slang and their own symbols. In the late 1800s, the new generation of gangs were created out of the new immigrants. Some of those gangs were the Whyos, Dead Rabbits and Pug Uglies. The Jewish gang the Monk Eastman, terrorized New York City as well as other gangs but the most evident of gangs in the late 1890's to 1900's was the gang called The Five Points Gang lead by Italian immigrant, Paolo Antonini Vaccarelli, also known as Paul Kelly and Johnny Torrio. The gang was named after where they were located in the five points section of Lower
For years, record companies made the violent gangster image popular. Gangster rap has historically included lyrics associated with gang- related violence. Although rap music has been focused on black artists, Oldies and rap are a popular tribute for Chicano Gangs since the_ Bandito _in the 1800's. Corrido songs were written about Mexican rebel leaders and what many people felt were “ gringo oppression” during the Mexican-American war and these songs became even more known during the Mexican Revolution. Many songs were based upon the 1940's Zoot Suit Riots in major cities in the Pachuco days and Pachuko Hop was released by Chuck Higgins as well as Wetback Hop, which would cause a commotion nowadays. “Chico” Sesma promoted L.A area concerts and had a radio show that was popular with Chicano youths in the 1950's, mainly gang members. The Chicano's in this era also