Mid-term

Abstract

Gangs are something that has been around for hundreds of years, but as time has progressed, the

more gangs have developed and have also become a big part of prison culture. Each

prison has their own gangs depending on the location, but there are a few that will be all

over the United States. Two of those popular gangs are the Bloods and the Crips. As these

gangs have such influence and have been around for a while, most people know about

them and how dangerous they can be. Many articles have been written about them, seeing

as they have members from all over the country and are constantly gaining new members

in prisons and on the streets. This paper has been written on their rivalry as that is another

thing they are known for besides their violence, but when we look at the core of both

gangs, they are more similar than they would like to admit.

Introduction

When someone is sentenced to prison, their main goal is to survive and to get out and back into

the world, whether that is to create a better life for themselves after their sentence or to

return to the streets. Although there are correctional officers who are there to control the

prisoners and make sure that all inmates remain safe, there is a difference in culture that

is found within the walls of prison where sometimes the protection of officers isn’t

enough to ensure that someone will survive their sentence. Some inmates may choose to

keep their heads down and mind their business in the hope that this will let them go

unnoticed and nothing will happen to them, but in other prisons, doing this may be seen

as a weakness and the inmate may put themselves at more risk this way.

In order for some inmates to ensure their safety, they join different prison gangs. Although these

gangs may be rivals, there is still a sense of respect and if the inmates follow the rules
 within their own gangs and the rules that other gangs set, inmates have a higher chance of

being safe in prison. Although gangs are viewed as violent and dangerous, for some, both

in the streets and in gangs, the only way to survive may be to join a gang. Some inmates

join the same gangs that they were a part of on the outside, or they join completely new

gangs, as their outside associations may mean nothing while in prison.

Background

Two of the most popular gangs are the Bloods and the Crips. Along with being popular, they are

also some of the biggest gangs, with thousands of members. Since these gangs started,

their rivalry has become a part of pop culture, inspiring songs and movies. By the

mid-90s, "the image of the South Central gangster had captured the country's imagination

the same way the cowboy once did." (Collins, 2021, para. 13). Most people know that

there is a strong dislike between the gangs, and it is dangerous for them to interact. Their

story begins with the death of Robert Ballou Jr., who was killed after he refused to give

some Crips his leather jacket.

This event sparked the creation of the Bloods because this was the first time a gang fight had

resulted in someone getting murdered. In the way that the killing of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand of Austria sparked World War I, the war between the Crips and Bloods was

ignited by the killing of Robert Ballou, Jr. (Collins, 2021, para. 3). Although the Bloods

started as a way to go against the Crips, they aren’t that much different from each other.

Compare

Both the Bloods and the Crips were started in Los Angeles and are predominantly African

American gangs. They are involved in a variety of illegal activities, the main ones being

drugs, theft, and murder. The Bloods soon gained power and started to follow in the
 footsteps of their rival, being aggressive when recruiting new members and violent.

When someone becomes a part of the gang, they are introduced by getting jumped by

other members of the gang.

In an interview, a Crip was talking about why they jump people before they become members,

and they stated, "This is a lifestyle... We want somebody that's going to be able to stand

up for themselves, whether they're with us, or they're by themselves." (Cassels, 2021,

para. 3). When both gangs had more influence in their communities, they started to focus

on the dealing of crack cocaine. Something within both gangs that is important to both is

general respect for the rules and the leaders within the gang.

There is a clear way that these gangs work, and if people aren’t able to follow along or step out

of line, some gang members may die. Members are aware that they must maintain

vigilance in order to avoid being perceived as weak, but they are also aware that their

safety is contingent on adhering to the rules, doing what they are told, and remaining

silent.In these communities where gangs are seen, people are afraid to speak out against

them in fear that the gang may retaliate and harm them. The same thing goes for those

who are part of the gang on the streets and in prison. Some gang members, if they snitch

while in prison, may voluntarily ask for solitary confinement as they fear for their safety.

When we talk about Bloods and Crips, we aren’t talking about just one gang, but we are talking

about a whole system of gangs. Each one has subgroups that are a part of the big gang,

and members may ask others where they are from in order to determine which subgroup

they are a part of so they know how to interact. Part of being a Blood is being branded by

the gang. "Bloods are expected to show their membership with other tattoos that may

vary according to location." (Barnes, 2021, para. 13).

Contrast

A difference between the Crips and the Bloods is that the Crips came out of a desire for power,

whereas the Bloods were formed as a way to protect communities against the power the

Crips had. In communities where the Bloods and Crips have control, they are

predominantly African American, but seeing members of other races is quite common

with the Bloods. The Crips do not tend to accept other races into the gang as their scope

reaches the United States only, whereas the Bloods have members in Canada as well.

Each gang has separated themselves through different colors, hand signals, and even tattoos in

order to show which gang someone is a member of. The Bloods have certain identifiers,

notably a "dog paw" tattoo or brand—three circles often made from the heated barrel of a

gun—that is sometimes called "Triple Os." (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, para. 2).

The Crips are associated with the color blue and the Bloods are associated with the color red. If

someone is seen wearing only these colors in a certain area of California, it can be very

dangerous as a member may think they are associated with only that gang. Although both

groups are well known, the Crips still outnumber the Bloods and are seen to be more

violent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many gangs both in the streets and in prisons, as gangs have taken

control of prisons. Although each gang represents something different or they have

different members, in the end, they all have a violent past and similar rules when it comes

to their soldiers. Members are expected to respect the leaders, follow rules, and know

where their place is. If anyone steps out of line, regardless of whether they are a member

of the gang or not, they will be shown what it means to miss with the gang. There are
 some things that separate gangs from other ones, such as who is able to be a member of

the gang or symbols that are only associated with a specific gang. If society knows what

these things are, we can be more aware.

References

Barnes, S. (2021, December 27). Rules bloods have to follow. Grunge.com. Retrieved

March 15, 2022, from https://www.grunge.com/717497/rules-bloods-have-to-follow/

Cassels, K. (2021, December 8). Rules crips have to follow. Grunge.com. Retrieved March

15, 2022, from https://www.grunge.com/681369/rules-crips-have-to-follow/

Collins, E. (2021, June 1). The complex history of the crips and the bloods rivalry.

Grunge.com. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from

https://www.grunge.com/370781/the-complex-history-of-the-crips-and-the-bloods-rivalry/

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Bloods. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March

15, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bloods-gang

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Crips. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 15,

2022, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Crips