To Contents
To Previous Page
To Next Page
To Publications Page
To Home Page
National Gang Intelligence Center |
Gangs vary extensively regarding membership, structure, age, and ethnicity. However, three basic types of gangs have been identified by gang investigators: street gangs, prison gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs).
Street gangs that operate throughout most of the country are a significant threat because they are the largest and control the greatest geographical area. Therefore, criminal activities such as violence and drug trafficking perpetrated by street gangs pose the greatest threat. The threat becomes magnified as national- and regional-level street gangs migrate from urban areas to suburban and rural communities, expanding their influence in most regions and broadening their presence outside the United States to develop associations with DTOs and other criminal organizations in Mexico, Central America, and Canada.
- Currently, 11 national-level street gangs have been identified in the United States, and associates or members have been identified in foreign countries, according to analysis of federal, state, and local law enforcement information. (See Appendix B.) Established cells in foreign countries assist gangs operating in the United States in further developing associations with DTOs and other criminal organizations in those countries. National gangs typically have several hundred to several thousand members nationwide who operate in multiple regions; they may have cells in foreign countries with members who assist the U.S.-based gangs, further developing associations with DTOs and other criminal organizations in those countries.
- Regional-level street gangs3 increasingly distribute drugs at the wholesale level. At least five street gangs, specifically Florencia 13, Fresno Bulldogs, Latin Disciples, Tango Blast, and United Blood Nation, have been identified as operating at a regional-level. (See Appendix B.) Typically, regional-level gangs are organized, with several hundred to several thousand members. Regional-level gangs may have some members in foreign countries and maintain ties to DTOs and other criminal organizations operating in the United States.
- Local street gangs, occasionally referred to as neighborhood-based gangs or neighborhood-based drug crews, pose a considerable problem for local law enforcement and a concern for federal law enforcement. Currently, most street gangs are local-level gangs that operate in single locations. Local street gangs usually range in membership from three to several hundred members. Most of these gangs engage in violence in conjunction with a variety of crimes, including retail-level drug distribution; however, they usually have no direct ties to DTOs or other criminal organizations. However, several law enforcement agencies have reported that a few local gangs have established ties to wholesale-level drug traffickers operating along the U.S.-Mexico border. In addition, law enforcement officials in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border have noted an increase in the number of local gang members establishing dual membership with their counterpart gangs in Mexico.
Prison gangs pose a serious domestic threat, particularly national-level prison gangs that affiliate with Mexican DTOs and maintain substantial influence over street gangs in the communities in which they operate. Prison gangs are highly structured criminal networks that operate within the federal and state prison systems. Furthermore, these gangs operate in local communities through members who have been released from prison. Released members typically return to their home communities and resume their former street gang affiliations, acting as representatives of their prison gang to recruit street gang members who perform criminal acts on behalf of the prison gang.
Prison gangs often control drug distribution within correctional facilities and heavily influence street-level distribution in some communities. Prison gangs exert considerable control over midlevel and retail-level drug distribution in the Southwest Region and in southern California. Their trafficking activities are facilitated through their connections to Mexican DTOs, which ensure access to a continuous supply of illicit drugs that are distributed through their networks in prison or are supplied to affiliated street gangs.
- National-level prison gangs pose a significant threat, since most maintain some type of relationship with DTOs. (See Appendix C.) Of the five identified national-level prison gangs, two have members or associates in at least two foreign countries. Prison gangs are well organized and governed by established sets of rules and codes of conduct that are rigorously enforced by gang leaders. For example, California-based Mexican Mafia (La Eme) uses fear and intimidation to control Hispanic street gangs whose members are in prison and on the street in California. Such control gives La Eme command over 50,000 to 75,000 Sureņos gang members and associates.
- Regional-level prison gangs pose a more modest, but growing, threat because they are increasingly developing associations with DTOs. Regional-level prison gangs have organizational structures that are similar to those of national-level gangs but typically are limited to operating in one or two state prison systems. The most significant regional-level prison gangs operate in Texas, and most have ties to at least one Mexican DTO.
- Local- or state-level prison gangs, particularly those operating along the U.S.-Mexico border, pose a serious concern to local law enforcement officials. Some local prison gangs along the U.S.-Mexico border maintain long-standing ties to Mexican DTOs. Local prison gangs typically operate within the department of corrections in a single state. As members are released from prison, they often settle in local communities in which they recruit and associate with local street gang members and conduct criminal activities on behalf of the prison gang.
OMG-related criminal activity poses a threat to public safety in local communities in which these gangs operate because of their wide-ranging criminal activity, propensity to use violence, and ability to counter law enforcement efforts. OMGs are highly structured criminal organizations whose members engage in criminal activities such as violent crime, weapons trafficking, and drug trafficking. OMGs maintain a strong centralized leadership that implements rules regulating membership, conduct, and criminal activity. As of June 2008 state and local law enforcement agencies estimate that between 280 and 520 OMGs are operating at the national, regional, and local levels. OMGs range in size from a single chapter to hundreds of chapters worldwide. Current law enforcement intelligence estimates indicate that more than 20,000 validated OMG members, divided among hundreds of OMGs, reside in the United States.
- National-level OMG criminal activity poses a serious national domestic threat. National-level OMGs are a considerable concern to law enforcement because they are highly structured organizations with memberships ranging into the thousands, maintaining strong associations with transnational DTOs and other criminal organizations. In addition, national-level OMGs maintain criminal networks of regional and local motorcycle clubs, commonly referred to as "support," "puppet," or "duck" clubs, whose members conduct criminal activities in support of the larger OMGs, and who are a source for new members.4 Some members of support clubs have acquired employment with private businesses or government agencies, which enables them to provide national-level OMGs with business, government, and financial information that can be used to protect their criminal enterprises, according to open source and published law enforcement information.
- Regional-level OMGs are highly structured organizations that range in size from 50 to several hundred members. In the United States 109 regional-level OMGs have been identified by gang investigators; most support one of the national-level OMGs. Several regional-level OMGs maintain independent associations with transnational DTOs and other criminal organizations.
- Local-level OMGs typically operate in a single state or in a few neighboring states and have fewer than 50 members. They are often support clubs for regional- and national-level OMGs. Local-level OMGs usually have no ties to DTOs or to other criminal organizations.
3.
Local and regional street gangs, except for a few
significant regional-level gangs, are too numerous to list in
Appendix B and are, therefore,
referenced wherever applicable.
4.
The term "support club" refers to smaller gangs whose
members regularly associate with or are friends of one of the national-level gangs.
To Top To Contents To Previous Page To Next Page
To Publications Page To Home Page
End of page.