Guerrilla Warfare in American Suburbia

Youth gangs are not just something that started today in America. Cities have had to deal with gang-related problems for years. Gangs are predominately territory oriented. Each gang has its own turf and graffiti boundaries. Anyone who does not belong in the area and resembles a rival gang member may become the subject of attack.

There are different reasons why the gang life is so appealing to the young teen. They find a feeling of caring and attention in a gang. Many teens feel a sense of inclusion and acceptance in a gang.
It becomes almost a family to them. For the males, it finds them a father figure.

Some join for self protection because they are picked on by other gangs. Most
are from dysfunctional family background with one or both of the parents out of
the home leaving them with no role model and most often feeling unloved.
More and more teens are being raised by their grandparents than ever before. They
have relatives in the prison system, drug users, or have just abandoned them.

The two main gangs in existence today are the Bloods and the Crips.
These gangs started in the Los Angeles area and have quickly migrated throughout many American cities.
Migrating from the Los Angeles area and quickly spreading throughout many cities.

There are 72 percent of gangs in large cities, 22 percent in small cities, 56
percent in suburban counties, 24 percent in rural counties and 51 percent overall. There are more than 21000,000 gang members to date. As the immigration debate is underway it is also crucial for the Government to take note of the Asian and Latino gangs which are growing at an alarming rate. Half of all Asian or Hispanic gang members are being held in city jails and prisons while the American tax dollars pay for their cerebration. The solution is to recognize the non citizen and deport them when possible.

Another gang, the Gangster Disciples was formed in Chicago in the 1960's. David Clarksdale, leader of the Monsanto Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Disciples banned together to form the Black Gangster Disciples Nation. They use the six pointed Star of David symbol as their logo.