Transcript Training - The Kwanzaa Gallery

Justice, Crime and Punishment
The African American Experience
African American Leadership Course
The Kwanzaa Gallery
Instructor: Frank M. Johnson
Introduction

Define the subject matter
Summary of Course

State what the audience will learn in this
session
Who is in Attendance?

Find out any relevant background and
interest of the audience
Agenda
List the topics to be covered
 List the times allotted to each

Overview
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Give the big picture of the subject
Connections

Explain how all the individual topics fit
together
Vocabulary
Racial Justice
 Social Justice
 Racial Disparity
 Economic Discrimination

Topic One
Explain details
 Give an example
 Exercise to re-enforce learning

National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings
Racial Disparity in the Justice System
 Relative to their populations, there are
seven times as many minorities in prison as
whites.
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In many cities, about half of young African
American men are under the control of the
criminal justice system. In Baltimore the
figure is 56%; in D.C. it is 42%.
National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings

In a single year in Los Angeles, one third of
the young African American men spend
time behind bars.
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Almost one in three young African
American men in the age group 20-29 is
under criminal justice supervision on any
given day.

Rates of offending are higher in
impoverished minority communities, but
not high enough to explain the disparity.
National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings

Racial disparities are better explained by
disparate enforcement practices than higher
rates of crime in minority communities. For
example, African Americans constitute 12%
of the U.S. population, 13% of the drug
using population, but an astonishing 74% of
the people in prison for drug possession. In
Baltimore, 11,107 of the 12,965 persons
arrested for “drug abuse offenses” in 1991
were African Americans.
National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings

As minorities move through the system,
they encounter slightly harsher treatment at
every step. Marginal disparities at arrest are
combined with marginal disparities at the
bail decision, the charging decision, the
verdict and the sentence—by the end of the
process, the disparity is considerable.
National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings

Involvement in the system starts a vicious
cycle. A person arrested once is branded an
ex-offender for life. The person is pointed to
as an example of how many people in the
neighborhood are bad, or how many are
repeat offenders. Having a criminal record
also makes it more difficult to find a job.
National Criminal Justice Commission:
Key Findings

Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and
other racial groups also suffer from
disparate enforcement of the criminal law.

Rates of offending in middle class minority
communities are the same as the general
population.
RACE, ETHNICITY
HEALTHCARE FACT SHEET
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The experiences of young African American men differ in
many ways from those of young men of other racial and
ethnic groups; and yet are similar in other respects. This
fact sheet, based largely on information collected from
government sources such as the U.S. Census, National
Vital Statistics System, and national surveys, examines the
experiences of young African American men in education,
employment, and the criminal justice system. It also
compares how they fare in health coverage and health
status with that of young men of other racial/ethnic groups.
Young African American Men in
the United States
SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS
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In 2004, there were 4.5 million African American men between the
ages of 15 and 29 living in the United States, about 14% of all men in
this age group (Fig. 1).Fewer than 8% of young African American men
have graduated from college compared to 17% of whites and 35% of
Asians. Differences in income by educational level are well
documented, as are racial and ethnic differences in income by
educational level.1 People with more education tend to have higher
incomes, but in 2002 at every educational level, African Americans
with the same education made less than whites.
Young African American men are more likely than Hispanics and
American Indians to graduate from high school, but are less likely to
graduate than whites and Asians (Fig. 2). Less than 45% of white,
African American and Hispanic male high school graduates between
the age of 16 and 24 are enrolled in college compared to 68% of young
Asian high school graduates.2
Young African American Men in
the United States

The unemployment rate for young African
American men is over twice the rate for young
white, Hispanic and Asian men (Fig. 3). In
addition, fewer African American men between
the ages of 16 and 29 are in the labor force
compared to white, Hispanic and Asian men in the
same age group. Over 20% of young African
American men live in poverty compared to 18% of
Hispanic, 12% of Asian and 10% of white men.3
Young African American Men in
the United States

African American men are disproportionately
represented in the criminal justice system. The
percentage of young African American men in
prison is nearly three times that of Hispanic men
and nearly seven times that of white men (Fig. 4).
While African American men represent 14% of the
population of young men in the U.S., they
represent over 40% of the prison population.4 This
figure does not include the number of young men
on parole.
Young African American Men in
the United States
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Nearly 4 out of 10 young African American men lack
health insurance. The percentage of uninsured African
American men, while higher than that of whites, is lower
than that of Hispanics, American Indians and Native
Hawaiians.
Young men, regardless of race or ethnicity, are more likely
to be uninsured than any other age group. Health insurance
is important to a person’s overall health. People without
health insurance are more likely than those with health
insurance to delay needed care, less likely to fill
prescriptions, and more likely to be diagnosed at a later
stage when they do finally seek care. They are also less
likely to have a usual source of care.
Young African American Men in
the United States

Young African American men die at a rate
that is at least 1.5 times the rate of young
white and Hispanic men, and almost three
times the rate of young Asian men.

While the death rate drops for men ages 25
to 29 for most groups, it continues to rise
among African Americans.
Young African American Men in
the United States
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The leading causes of death for all young men
ages 15-29, regardless of race or ethnicity, are
unintentional injury (e.g. car accident, firearm, or
drowning), suicide, and homicide.
For young African American men, more deaths are
caused by homicide than any other cause.
Additionally, HIV is the sixth leading cause of
death for young African American and Hispanic
men, yet for other racial groups, HIV is not among
the top 10 causes of death.5
Young African American Men in
the United States

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The homicide death rate for young African
American men is three times the rate for
Hispanics, the population group with the next
highest homicide mortality rate.
Although the rate declines for older African
American men, death rates for homicide among
African American men ages 25-44 are still 3 times
that of Hispanics and American Indians of that age
group.
Homicide rates also are higher than the HIV death
rate for African American men ages 25-44.
Young African American Men in
the United States
The higher death rates experienced by
young African American men mask some of
their healthier behaviors.
 For example, African American men
between the ages of 18 and 24 are less
likely than white men to be current cigarette
smokers (21% vs. 33 %), a major risk factor
for lung cancer.6

Conclusions

The 4.5 million African American men ages 15 to 29 represent 14% of
the U.S. male population of that age and 12% of all African Americans
in the U.S. Their high rates of death, incarceration, and unemployment,
and relatively low levels of college graduation rates raise concerns for
African American families and the nation’s economy.

The contribution of social factors to the health problems of young
African American men deserves further attention than thus far
received. By documenting the extent of the problem and by examining
the factors associated with the lives of young African American men
who avoid problems and lead successful lives, policymakers will be
better equipped to develop and implement solutions.
Sources
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Stoops, N. Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003. Current
Population Reports. June 2004.
Table 13. Enrollment Status of Recent High School Graduates 16 to 24
Years Old. U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, October 2004.
Accessed July 6, 2006.URL:
www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/school/cps2004.html
U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic
Supplement, 2005. Accessed July 6, 2006.URL:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/cpstc/cps_table_creator.html
Harrison PM and Beck AJ. Prisoners in 2004. Bureau of Justice Statistics
Bulletin. October 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting
System (WISQARS) [online]. (2005) [cited July 3, 2006]. Available from
URL: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars
Table 65. Heath, United States 2005. National Center for Health Statistics.
Additional copies of this publication (#7541) are available on the Kaiser
Family Foundation’s website at www.kff.org.
Topic Two
Explain details
 Give an example
 Exercise to re-enforce learning
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1037
TENKAMENIN, KING OF GHANA (1037-1075), The country of
Ghana reach the height of its greatness during the reign of Tenkamenin. Through his
careful management of the gold trade across the Sahara desert into West Africa,
Tenkamenin's empire flourished economically. But his greatest strength was in
government. Each day he would ride out on horseback and listen to the problems and
concerns of his people. He insisted that no one be denied an audience and that they be
allowed to remain in his presence until satisfied that justice had been done. His
principles of democratic monarchy and religious tolerance make Tenkamenin's reign one
of the great models of African rule.
1837
Elijah P. Lovejoy was murdered by a mob in Alton. Illinois, when he
refused to stop publishing anti-slavery material. Nov. 7.
1819
KHAMA, THE GOOD KING OF BECHUANALAND, (1819-1923),
Khama distinguish his reign by being highly regarded as a peace loving ruler with the
desire of advancing his country in terms of technological innovations. He instituted
scientific cattle feeding techniques which greatly improved his country's wealth and
prestige. During his reign crimes were known to be as low as zero within his country.
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1772
In Carolinas, White justices were authorized to search Blacks for
guns, swords, and other offensive weapons; and to take them unless the suspect could
produce a permit less than one month old authorizing him to carry such a weapon.
Patrols were given the right to search Blacks and to whip those deemed to be dangerous
to peace and good order.
1791
Benjamin Banneker was appointed, at the suggestion of Thomas
Jefferson, to serve as member of commission headed by L'enfant to lay out plans for the
city of Washington in District of Columbia. Benjamin Banneker wrote the famous
"Letter to Thomas Jefferson" pleading for racial justice in 1791.
1835
Anti -abolition riot broke out in Philadelphia and continued for three
days and nights.
1837
William Whipper published "An Address on Non-Resistance to
Offensive Aggression"--an article written twelve years before Thoreau's famous essay
on non-violence, and more than 125 years before the career of Martin Luther King, Jr.
1867
Anthony Burns, Baptist clergyman whose capture as a fugitive slave
caused a riot in Boston, died. July 27.
1906
The Atlanta race riot resulted in the death of twelve people. Sept.22.
The riots cripple the city for days. Many blacks leave the city, and the Atlanta Civil
League is formed to improve race relations.
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1919
There were eighty three lynchings, the KKK held more than two
hundred public meetings across the country, and there were twenty-five major race riots
in the country this year.
1932
Spingarn Medal to Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and
president of Bethune Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida - "In the race of almost
insuperable difficulties she has, almost single-handedly, established and built up
Bethune-Cookman College. In doing this she has not simply created another
educational. institution. Both the institution's and Mrs. Bethune's influence have been
nationwide. That influence has always been on a high plane, directed by a superb
courage. Mrs. Bethune has always spoken out against injustice, in the South as well as in
the North, without compromise or fear." June 28.
1937
Walter White, executive secretary of the NAACP, won the Spingarn
Medal for his personal investigation of 41 lynchings and 8 race riots and for his
"remarkable tact, skill and persuasiveness” in lobbying for a federal anti-lynching bill.
July 2
1943
William H. Hastie, jurist and educator, awarded Spingarn Medal "for
his distinguished career as a jurist and as an uncompromising champion of equal justice.
His every act, and particularly his protest against racial bigotry in an army fighting (or
the democratic processes, has established a standard of character and conduct." June 6.
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1947
President's Committee on Civil Rights condemned racial
injustices in America in a formal report, "To Secure These Rights." Oct.29.
1951
William E. B. DuBois was indicted by the U.S. Department of
Justice as “the agent of a foreign principal” (Soviet Union). DuBois was
acquitted that same year, he was denied a passport by the U.S. State
Department until 1958.
1957
The Supreme Court rules Jim Crow buses unconstitutional.
Birmingham, Nashville and other southern cities are scenes of mob violence,
and bombings as school interaction is attempted.
1963
As part of the horror and struggles of the civil rights era, Sep
15 marks the death of four young Black girls who were killed in the 1963
bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. The
bombings touched off riots and confrontations between protestors and the
city’s all-White police force. The church is located at 1530 Sixth Avenue
North, Birmingham, AL.
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1967
Edward Brooke and Roy Wilkins served on the 1967
Kerner Commission. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed 11member committee headed by Governor Otto Kerner of Illinois and
Mayor John Lindsay of New York to study causes and propose
solutions to racial riots. July 28.
1968
Widespread violence struck l25 cities following the
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.; thirty-eight people were killed
and 20, 000 arrested. Fifty-thousand Federal and State troops were on
duty throughout the country. April 5-11.
1969
The defense attorney for Bobby Seale, the Black
Panther party's national chairman held in $25, 000 bail on charges
involving the murder last May of a former Black Panther in
Connecticut, accused the Justice Department of initiating a national
campaign to harass the party. Aug 20.
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1970
Seven Black Panthers who survived a police raid last
December 4 were indicted in Chicago on attempted murder charges.
Jan 30.
1970
Female activist Angela Davis was acquitted by jury of
eleven whites and Mexican American (6/4/72) to charges of murder,
kidnapping and criminal conspiracy stemming from a courtroom
shoot-out in San Raphael, California.
1970
An all-white federal jury acquitted three white Detroit
policemen and a “black private guard of conspiring to violate the civil
rights of 10 persons in the Algiers Motel, Detroit, in 1967, where three
Blacks were found dead. The prosecution charged the men with use of
excessive force to obtain information about sniping during the Detroit
riots. Feb 25.
1970
There was no reported violence as most Southern
children returned to school many to newly integrated classrooms. Aug
31.
The William Lynch Law
The Slave Consultant Narrative
….And The Message Is Still True….
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Gentlemen! I greet you here on the bank of the James River in the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and twelve. First, I shall thank you, the
gentlemen of the Colony of Virginia, for bringing me here. I am here to help
you solve some of your problems with slaves. Your invitation reached me on
my modest plantation in the West Indies where I have experimented with some
of the newest and still the oldest methods for control of slaves. Ancient Rome
would envy us if my program is implemented. As our boat sailed south on the
James River, named for our illustrious King, whose version of the Bible we
cherish, I saw enough to know that your problem is not unique. While Rome
used cords of wood as crosses for standing human bodies along its old
highways in great numbers you are here using the tree and the rope on
occasion.
I caught the whiff of a dead slave hanging from a tree a couple of miles back.
You are not only losing valuable stock by hangings, you are having uprisings,
slaves are running away, your crops are sometimes left in the fields too long
for maximum profit, you suffer occasional fires, your animals are killed.
Gentlemen, you know what your problems are; I do not need to elaborate. I
am not here to enumerate your problems, I am here to introduce you to a
method of solving them.
In my bag here, I have a fool proof method for controlling your Black slaves. I
guarantee every one of you that if installed correctly it will control the slaves
for at least 300 years. My method is simple. Any member of your family or
your overseer can use it.
The Slave Consultant Narrative
cont’d
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I have outlined a number of differences among the slaves; and I take these
differences and make them bigger. I use fear, distrust, and envy for
control purposes. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in
the West Indies and it will work throughout the South. Take this simple
little list of differences, and think about them. On top of my list is "Age"
but it is there only because it starts with an "A", the second is "Color" or
shade. there is intelligence, size, sex, size of plantations, status on
plantation, attitude of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a
hill, East, West, North, South, have fine hair or coarse hair, or is tall or
short.
Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you an outline of action
- but before that I shall assure you that distrust is stronger than trust, and
envy is stronger than adulation; respect or admiration.
The black slave after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will
become self re-fueling and self-generating for hundreds of years, maybe
thousands.
The Slave Consultant Narrative
cont’d
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Don’t forget you must pitch the old Black vs. the young Black
male, and the young Black male against the o1d Black male.
You must use the dark skin slave vs. the light skin slaves and the
light skin slaves vs. the dark skin slaves. You must use the
female vs. the male, and the male vs. the female. You must also
have your White servants and overseers distrust all Blacks. but it
is necessary that your slaves trust and depend or us. They must
love, respect and trust only us.
Gentlemen. these Kits are your Keys to control. Use them. Have
your wives and children use them, never miss opportunity. If
used intensely for one year, the slaves themselves will remain
perpetually distrustful.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Editor’s note: This speech was delivered by a White slave
owner, William Lynch, on the bank of the James River in 1712
PRESENTED
BY
ELVIN B. THOMPSON
PASTOR,
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ADVISOR, MEDIATOR,
FACILITATOR
Special juvenile crime unit proposed
Web posted March 20, 1999
By Scotty Fletcher
Columbia County Bureau
In response to a more than 55 percent increase in juvenile crime in
Columbia County last year, the sheriff's department is asking
taxpayers for an additional $180,000 to create a special unit
designed to fight the problem
Juvenile Section officers would act as liaisons between the juvenile
court, parents, and community agencies to coordinate contacts and
begin developing prevention and intervention strategies. The
proposed unit would also be responsible for creating a database on
community trends in juvenile crime, including activity of the
estimated 10 youth gangs operating in Columbia County.
Police tie gang book to deaths
Investigators say argument to keep encoded guidelines ended in triple shooting
that killed two
Friday's triple shooting that left two people dead
and one critically injured was triggered by a
dispute over a notebook containing gang graffiti,
a Richmond County Sheriff's Department
lieutenant said Monday Rolondo Marcus ``Buck''
Moore, 17, who is charged with two counts of
murder and aggravated assault, went to the
Westwood Village apartment complex to retrieve
a notebook that details the rules governing the
national Folks gang, Lt. Jack Francisco said
Web posted Tuesday, November 28, 2000
The notebook, known as the Book of Knowledge, is written in symbols that must be
deciphered using a special alphabet or key, Lt. Francisco said.
The notebook, or study guide, provides detailed rules for Folks gang members,
including dress and prayer, said Investigator Bill Kitchens, who is deciphering the
writings.
Mr. Moore was a friend of three teens who robbed the A-Awesome Jewelry &
Pawn on Tobacco Road and shot store manager William Lake in the shoulder in
front of his wife and children, Lt. Francisco said.
The teens told investigators the act was part of a gang initiation.
Police found newspaper clippings Mr. Moore had saved of that shooting and
robbery, along with gang paraphernalia, during a search of his room, Lt. Francisco
said.
Now-jailed gang leader speaks
out
Juan D. Roane, 25, makes the sign of a
pitchfork across his chest to show his respect to
the FOLKS nation, a Chicago-based syndicate.
25-year-old breaks code of silence to
describe his life and the inner workings of
crime organizations
The letter came from Juan D. Roane, 25, who is locked up on drunken driving,
vehicular homicide and hit-and-run charges. The cryptic designs were gang art,
markers for the Chicago-based FOLKS syndicate, which can include pitchforks,
the number 666 and hexagrams. Mr. Roane said he was a set king, loosely
comparable to a squad leader or a battalion sergeant in the military. Investigators
say they know he held a leader's slot.
In his heyday, Mr. Roane was one of the city's most notorious thugs. They called
him ``Killajuan'' on the streets. He arrived in Augusta at the close of the 1980s
and spent the next decade mustering scores of followers into a gang rooted in
FOLKS, or Gangster Disciples.
Web posted Sunday, February 11, 2001
Time bomb
In Augusta, Mr. Roane estimates there are about 40 FOLKS sets, each with
its own king. Membership is in the hundreds, possibly nearing 1,000, he
said. That's not including Bloods, Crips and other gangs.
``Augusta's full of them,'' Mr. Roane said. ``If they all just came together
and said, `Let's shut down Augusta,' they could do it.
``This place is a time bomb just waiting to explode.''
Deputy White said the department doesn't have a solid estimate of the
number of gangs or gang members in the city, but he suspects Mr. Roane's
figures are a stretch. A more realistic figure for the total number of gangs
may be between 25 and 40, he said.
Grafitti decorates a shed along the Augusta canal.
JENNIFER FULLER/STAFF
Two teens face assault charges
Two Richmond County teenagers have been charged with a gang-related
attack on Cross Creek High School athlete that occurred off-campus,
authorities said.
Thomas Coleman Jr., 17, of the 2400 block of Crystal Court, was charged
Friday with terroristic threats in an assault Monday on 17-year-old
Desmond Walters, a basketball player, sheriff's officials said. A 16-yearold, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, was also charged.
Police say Desmond was walking home on Fairington Drive on Monday
afternoon when a vehicle approached and two teens attacked and
threatened him. Desmond told police the teens identified themselves as
part of the GDB gang, which feuds with students living in Fairington
subdivision
Web posted Friday, September 26, 2003
| From Staff Reports
Gang flare-ups heighten fears in city
By Theresa Minor
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
Oct. 23-29, 2003VOL. 23 No.1129
AUGUSTA They go by the handles of O-Dubs,
Circle Boys, Farrington Gangster Thugs and The Southern Killer Boys, to name a
few. Until recently, well known by law enforcement – not so well known by the
community-at-large. That’s changing.
In recent weeks, clashes between rival gangs, including shoot outs, have forced
residents, elected officials and educators to take a long, hard look at the gang
problem. The perception, whether real or imagined, is that gangs are increasing
and gang violence is escalating.
The district attorney blamed gang activity for several high-profile
murders, including:
In 2000, 17-year-old Marcus Moore killed Niteka Wesbey and Corey McMillan as part of his
role in Folk Nation. Mr. Moore was convicted in the shootings, which occurred when he became
enraged because he couldn't retrieve a notebook detailing the gang's symbols and writings.
In 1999, Lawrence Miller initiated three juveniles into his local chapter of Folk Nation. The
initiation involved walking into A-Awesome Jewelry and Pawn Shop on Tobacco Road and,
without uttering a word, shooting owner William Lake Jr. and stealing guns from display cases.
Mr. Miller was convicted of that crime.
· In 1997, a gang of six killed two of their associates, Bennie Arroyo and Ryan Singh, put them
into the trunk of a car and set it on fire. The same organization was later linked to the killing of
Sam's Club manager David Holt.
Web posted Friday, November 21, 2003
By Greg Rickabaugh | Staff Writer
The signs of gang activity are
spreading throughout the county.
They include tennis shoes hung
over power lines as seen in the
above photo.
Photo by Theresa Minor.
Gangs are in Augusta now, Craig warns
We used to be able to identify why people committed murders, and it helped us to know
the motive because it helped us to identify possible suspects. People murdered to avoid
apprehension for other crimes, for revenge, for jealousy or domestic issues, and to
conceal their crime and eliminate witnesses," he said. "But now, with the introduction
of the Folk Nation and the thugs ... we learn that they kill for initiation into the
organization, and they murder for the elimination of opponents and competitors within
their territory."
Mr. Craig's comments were made during a recent speech to a civic group. He provided
a history of gang activity and called for an end to the debate over whether gangs exist
in the area.
Web posted Sunday, December 21, 2003
By Greg Rickabaugh | Staff Writer
Teenage shooting victim is jailed
Web posted Friday, January 16, 2004
By Jeremy Craig | Staff Writer The victim of an alleged drive-by shooting was
jailed after authorities found that he and others were involved in suspected gang
activity - and that he was shot by a member of his own gang, officials said
Friday. Mr. Lawrence, 18-year-old Joseph Antonio Herrington, Donzelle
Williams and two juveniles were all charged in an incident that police say might
be the result of two rival gangs fighting, Sgt. Peebles said. An investigation
showed that this wasn't true, Sgt. Peebles said.
"This has been an ongoing dispute between these two 'neighborhood
associations,' as they like to call themselves," Sgt. Peebles said.
He gave the following account of what authorities have found:
A conflict started on Spirit Creek Road when a group of youths suspected of
being members of a gang known as Southern Killa Boys, went to an area another
gang is known to frequent.
Mr. Herrington and the other youths went to confront suspected members of
Fairington Gangsta Thugs.
Gang structure.
Gang structure.
1.
Hardcore. Comprise approximately 5-10% of the gang. These are the die-hard
gangsters, who thrive on the gang's lifestyle and will always seek the gang's
companionship. The hardcore gangsters will most always be the leaders and
without them the gang may fall apart.
2.
Regular Members (or Associates). Usually range from 14 to 17 years old; their
jobs are robbing and stealing. They are money oriented. They are initiated into the
gang and will back up the "hardcore" gang members. If they stay in the gang long
enough, they will become hardcore. They usually join the gang for status and
recognition. They will wear gang colors, attend gang functions, and may even
participate in some gang related criminal activity all to fulfill their emotional need
of belonging.
3.
Wanna-be's. Usually 11 to 13 years old; their jobs are tagging and stealing. They
are not yet initiated into the gang, but hang around with them and usually will do
most anything the gang members ask of them so that they may prove themselves
worthy of belonging.
4.
Could-be's. Usually under the age of 10. Children of this age are at more risk when
they live in or close to an area where there are gangs or have a family member who
is involved with gangs.
Why Young People Join Gangs
•
Why Young People Join Gangs
•
Money. Many youth join gangs to make fast money. Financially
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Power. Gangs promise power to youth who feel powerless over their
•
Identity. Many youth are desperately searching for a place to belong.
•
Protection. Many youth join gangs because of fear, threats and
disadvantaged young people look for ways to buy expensive starter
jackets, tennis shoes or electronic equipment. They'd rather
participate in one drug deal and make enough money to buy something
that would take a full month's earnings from a fast food restaurant.
lives. Although the power is a false sense of security, they have no
other healthy outlets for support.
Gangs accept youth who don't feel loved or accepted by parents, adults
or school.
intimidation from other gang members or bullies at school
•Why Young People Join Gangs,cont
•
Fun. Gangs provide activities and a social life. Many youth enjoy living
•
Attention. If young people aren't getting positive attention from
•
Family Involvement. Family members in gangs often recruit other
•
Low Self-Esteem.
on the edge and participating in dangerous activities. Often, what at
first appears to be fun has serious consequences.
parents, joining a gang certainly provides lots of negative attention.
Youth who are angry at a parent may join a gang to shock or be defiant
toward the parent.
family members. Young people who grow up with a parent involved in a
gang are extremely at-risk for joining a gang. Gang involvement
becomes a way of life for some families.
"Clues" To Be Aware Of
"Clues" To Be Aware Of
Youths will often give various "CLUES" that they are in or are
considering joining a gang. As parents and family members, you should
become familiar with these clues and always take an active role in your
child's life to discourage gang influence. Ask questions and listen to
what they say. Never accuse! This may push the child closer to the
gang. If you do see evidence that your child may be an active member or
a "Future" or "Wanna-be", ACT NOW! It is often difficult to drop out of
a gang once becoming a full-fledged member.
Potential Clues
Changes in behavior
Poor academic progress
Lack of interest in extracurricular activities
Lack of interest in recreational activities
Unexplained truancies
Low self esteem
Resentful of authority
Signs of alcohol / drug abuse
Radical change in friends
Radical change in clothing
Gang - oriented drawings on books, clothing etc.
Gang Identifiers
•
Gang Identifiers
•
Each gang has its own identifiers in the line of colors, clothing,
language and symbols. It's common for gangs to change some of their
identifiers to avoid getting caught by the police. Here is a partial list
of gang identifiers:
•
Caps or hats-- tilted to the right refers to the Folk Nation, tilted to
•
Colors-- some gangs identify with specific colors such as red and black, or blue
•
Hand Signals-- signals such as a crown or falcon have been developed by many
•
4.Graffiti--emblems or insignia on buildings, street signs and bus stops mark
•
Clothing-- Certain colors on starter jackets or baggy or sagging pants may
the left the People Nation.
and black.
gangs to identify their gang affiliation. Showing or "flashing" gang signals is a
way of identifying one's gang.
gang territory. Gang members may have graffiti markers on their clothing or
personal belongings. Graffiti written upside down or with a line drawn through
it means one gang is disrespecting or "dissing" another gang.
represent gang involvement. Other clues are one pant leg rolled up, a certain
colored bandana on one side of the body,one pocket out or one shoe lace untied.
Warning Signs of Gang Involvement
Warning Signs of Gang Involvement
Buying or warning to buy excessive amounts of clothing that are blue, red,
or black.
•Wearing a bandana of one predominant color, sagging pants, wearing only
certain types of colors of shoes or shoelaces.
•Wearing a lot of gold or silver jewelry, especially if not accountable for
how it was obtained. Jewelry might include stars or other gang symbols.
•Hanging out with known gang members.
•Using hand signals with friends or showing off hand signals around others.
•Secretive behavior, skipping school, sneaking out of the house and not
being accountable for activities or whereabouts. Having large amounts of
money or property for which they cannot account.
•Arrested for gang-related activities that might include vandalism, theft,
drugs or violence.
•Unexplained bruises or marks on the body.
•Writing or wearing gang symbols on personal property or on the body.
In order to identify potential gang members, you first must
understand some basic information about gangs. Gangs will
not discriminate between age, sex, or nationality. There are
two main alliances that gangs will usually identify
with. These are known as "PEOPLE" and "FOLKS".
Folks
•Gang names: Crips, Cobras, Folks Incorporated, Black Gangsters Disciples,
Young Guns.
•They dress to the left.
•Pitchfork turned up.
•6 point star: stands for love, unity, money, loyalty, wisdom, and
understanding.
•B.G. Kings were the first Folk gang. They were black. It originated in a
Chicago prison.
•Predominant colors: Blue, green and black.
•The folk symbol is the Insane Heart: The horn for the voice of their
tribe, the heart for the heart of their nation and the wing is for the rise
of their people.
•They are called "Crabs" by the People sect.
•Crips always cross out the "B's" when tagging: "B" standing for "blood".
•Black is for Black Gangster Disciples and Young Guns.
•Blue is for Crip, Cash Flo, and Folks Incorporated.
•The beads are as follows:
•All blue means gangster.
•Multicolor alternating every six, means moving up in rank.
•Multicolor (blue, white and black) means a regular soldier: the
only way to get them is to kill someone.
•Blue & black: vice chief
•All black: retired or chief.
Crips
Identification
Crips identify with the color blue, and
usually wear a blue handkerchief or
rag as an identity symbol. They often
wear jogging suits and tennis shoes,
professional sports team jackets. They
also may wear dickey style pants,
NIKE and BK shoes are also popular.
They refer to each other as Cuzz, and
use the letter C to replace the B in
conversations and writings. They
seldom wear tattoos.
The "Crips" identify themselves with the colors of blue or black or a combination
of the two.
People
•Some gang names: Bloods, Kings, Counts, Vice Lords, TMV's, TMC's.
•They dress to the right.
•Symbol: Pitchfork turned down, also, a 5 point star which stands for
love, truth, peace, freedom and justice.
•Predominant colors: red, black and white.
•Latin Kings use a 3 point crown which is usually black and gold, or just
black.
•They are called Slobs by Folk.
•When tagging they always cross out the "C's" (for "crip") and X out the
"O's" (for rolling).
•The structure of the beads are as follows:
•They are red, white and black.
•All red beads mean simply: gangster.
•Multicolor beads alternating six of each means your moving up in rank.
•Multicolor beads means that you have killed someone.
•Red and black beads mean your a Vice Chief.
•Black and white beads mean your a Chief or retired.
BLOODS
Identification
Red colors; using red bandannas
or red rags; similar graffiti and
graphic styles, emphasizing
disrespect for Crips and Crips
symbols.
"Blood" gangs generally use red accessories, such as caps or bandanas, to identify themselves
Why would they wear this hat?
Initiation
New Recruit: "I wanna be down for the set!"
Gang member: "Then show us you got what it takes."
Field Note: One gang unit officer said gang membership is
sometimes determined by the school the youths attend. It is at the
school that recruiting takes place. He also noted that this sometimes
causes problems because, in the same neighborhood, there may be
kids attending different schools. This means that rivalry between gangs
happens simply because of attendance at different schools and it brings
rivals into contact with one another when they go home after school
In order to join a gang, all potential members are required to go
through an initiation ceremony to show the gang's members they
"have what it takes."
“not true”
Some may avoid an initiation ceremony by being "blessed in" .
Those who are blessed-in to a gang have older brothers,
fathers, mothers, or other relatives who were already in the
gang. There are other ways to enter a gang - ways to be tested
prior to entrance, a "trial by ordeal," as it used to be called
Initiation by cop
Kill a police officer. Rarely used today.
Being jumped in or beat in
Having to fight a certain number of gang members for a given period of
time and being able to take the beating and fight back.
Sexed in
Used to initiate females into male-dominated gangs wherein the initiate
provides sexual services for one or more of the established gang
members.Jacked inCommitting a theft/larceny.
The Line, Lined In, or The Gauntlet
"In this scenario, the individual being initiated either stands in the
middle of a circle and must fight his or her way out, or must run
between two lines of gang members." (Curry and Decker, 1998, p. 66) The
initiate is expected to stay on his or her feet from one end of the line to
the other.
Drive-By-Shooting
Commit a drive-by-shooting as assigned by the gang.
Russian roulette
Play Russian roulette and win. Russian roulette involves loading a
pistol's cylinder with 1 bullet, spinning the cylinder, closing it, then
pointing the gun to one's head and pulling the trigger. If the player wins,
they're in the gang. If they lose, well
Blood In, Blood Out
Blood In: commit a gang assigned murder to join the gang. Blood Out:
commit a murder in order to leave the gang.
Catching a Rag or Catching a Flag
Fighting through a group of gang members in order to grab a rag or flag
which has been placed on the other side of them.Circled In
Fighting through to the center of a circle of gang members.
Courted In
Being invited in, as are some doctors (for their medical skills which may be
performed without reporting to the authorities), lawyers (for their legal
advice, plea bargaining ability, and courtroom expertise), and electricians
(many skills may be needed for gang enterprises).
Deeded In
Having sex with a female or male who has a sexually transmitted disease
and not getting the disease.
Freein' Hoover
Picking up six pennies which have been thrown on the ground while being
physically assaulted by several gang members. When all six pennies have
been gathered, the beating stops.
Punched In
Being hit once, and very aggressively, on the sternum - right over the
heart. Field Note: "Some gang members have been killed this way."
Note: Some gangs are starting to change their clothing style by no
longer wearing their colors in an effort to deceive law enforcement
and conceal their gang affiliation
Excessive amounts of dark clothing or a predominance of onecolor outfits, white t-shirts and levis with upturned cuffs are also
indicators of possible gang involvement
Graffiti
what can a parent can do to combat the spread of
gang membership within his or her own family,
"Accept that any child can be in a gang, don't think
it's a phase, know your child's friends, ask questions
and listen, participate in your child's education and
establish rules and be consistent. To keep a child out
of a gang, help that child feel safe, self-confident
and respected at home."
DO'S AND DON'TS
•DO NOT permit children to attend and/or host unsupervised parties.
•DO notify schools, as well as police, of gangrelated incidents. It is especially important to
notify schools early in the morning on Monday if there were
neighborhood weekend gang problems which may spill over into the
schools.
•DO NOT overlook the potential for females to be involved with
gangs. They may support male gang members as a related subgroup
or form a gang of their own.
•DO know that many youth associated with gangs deny their own
involvement, claiming that they just "hang with a group of guys".
Although you may not see an obvious gang with colors and open
leadership, be cautious for gangs having subtle colors and low-key,
informal leaders.
•DO control the exposure of your children to negative activities,
friends, music, etc. Although
Anyone with information about suspected gang activity
should call the Richmond County Sheriff's Department
at (706) 821-1080 or the Aiken County Sheriff's
Department at (803) 642-1761 or (800) 922-3211, or
Crime Stoppers at (803) 642-1798
Law Enforcement Center
401 Walton Way
Augusta, Georgia 30911
OFFICE (706) 821-1020
FAX (706) 821-1021
NIGHTS & WEEKENDS (706) 821-1080
Topic Three
• Explain details
• Give an example
• Exercise to re-enforce learning
Vision: To eliminate the reasons for Black people to commit homicide or any type of crime against ourselves or others.
Community /
Residents
Violence Elimination
Reduction
Economic Violence
C-1
Enhance Community Awareness
Reduction
Domestic Violence
C-2
Provide Quality
Educational Experience
C-6
Equity in Criminal Justice Administration
Assure Outcome-Based
Adjudication
C-3
Internal Processes
Black on Black Crime
Prevent Conformity to
Violence & Injury
IP-1
Develop Root Cause
Analysis & Correction
IP-2
Ensure Nonviolent
Intervention
IP-3
Learning
& Growth
Assess Incidents and
Cases for Lessons
IP-4
Finance
Enhance Learning
Environment
C-7
Enhanced Quality
Prosecution & Defense
C-4
Exceed Community
Satisfaction/Expectation
C-5
Excellence in Judicial Administration
Effectively Manage
Judicial Data
IP-7
Leverage Social Science,
Economy &Technology
IP-4
Provide Consistent
Monitoring / Intervention
IP-11
Optimize Judicial
Effectiveness
IP-5
Maintain and Modernize
Alternative Solutions
IP-10
Reduce Market Appeal
Judicial System
IP-9
Improve Judicial
Efficiency
IP-6
Education / Training
Expand Area
Training Opportunities
IP-12
Provide Diversified
Life Skills Experience
IP-14
Promote Think Bigger
Experience
IP-13
Enhance Violence
Research
IP-15
Empowerment Through Tools and Training
Train a Professional
Volunteer Force
L-1
Align Mission
With Culture
L-2
Optimize Automation &
Technology
L-3
Stewardship of Resources
Secure
Levels of Funding
F-1
Utilize Resources
Effectively
F-2
Align Resources with
Changing Missions
F-3
Topic Four
Lessons Learned
 Give an example
 Exercise to lesson learned to reinforce
learning

LAW SEVEN

ALWAYS MAKE YOUR COOPERATION GREATER THAN YOUR
STATUS.

Cooperation is essential for lifetime growth. When people come
together around a common purpose, they can achieve results that no
individual could accomplish alone. Working with others and creating
opportunities for increased cooperation makes greater things possible
in our lives and in the world. Yet some people mistakenly assume that
if they work with others or treat them as equally valuable contributors,
people will somehow think less of them, or it will diminish or obscure
the value of their own contribution. These people’s attachment to their
status keeps them from cooperating with others and puts a ceiling on
their growth. Always make your cooperation greater than your status,
and you will find unlimited possibilities and synergies in combining
your talents and opportunities with those of others.
LAW EIGHT

ALWAYS MAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE GREATER THAN YOUR
COMFORT.

Increased confidence is crucial for lifetime growth. Many successful
people start off life as dreamers and risk takers, but the moment they
become successful, they begin to seek greater security and comfort
over everything else. This attitude puts them to sleep motivationally,
and they lose the confidence that made them so successful. Security
and comfort are desirable by-products of goal achievement, but when
they become the goal itself, they quickly stop lifetime growth. Treat
any increase of comfort in your life as only a temporary stage for
establishing bigger goals. Continually strive for higher goals and
achievement, and your confidence will always be greater than your
comfort.
LAW NINE

ALWAYS MAKE YOUR PURPOSE GREATER THAN YOUR
MONEY.

Greater purpose is essential for lifetime growth. Many people start off
their careers thinking that money is the goal. Money can be a useful
measure of success or progress in certain circumstances, and it’s a
resource we can use to realize greater possibilities, but at some point
money without purpose loses its meaning. Money as an end becomes a
growth stopper. Having a purpose that is greater than yourself will give
you a constant impetus to strive. Purpose gives life meaning and helps
us to direct and focus our talents and efforts. It also attracts the talents
and energies of others whose purposes align with our own. Think of
money only as a means of achieving a greater purpose, and you’ll
attract all the resources and rewards that make up a rich life, not just
money.
LAW TEN

ALWAYS MAKE YOUR QUESTIONS BIGGER THAN YOUR
ANSWERS.

Questions are essential for lifetime growth. As children, when we’re all
growing at a rapid rate, we ask lots of questions. As we get older, we
gradually begin to think we have a lot of the answers. For some
people, their entire sense of security and self-image depends on having
all the answers – on never being wrong. As a result, these people try to
understand everything in terms of what they know. But all growth lies
in the territory of the unknown. What we already know is in the past.
What we have yet to discover is the future. Always make your
questions bigger than your answers, and you’ll keep drawing yourself
into a bigger future with new possibilities.
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
Lift Every Voice and Sing
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand.
True to our God, True to our native land.
Available Options
Represent city initiative
 Represent special interest initiatives
 Function as self serving NPOs

Recommendation

BABC as conglomerate cross-section of the
city, be afforded the recognition of
“neighborhood association”
Summary
Increase awareness of active resistance to
crime and violence within and outside the
African American Community.
 Promote Thinking and Acting Bigger
 Increase intervention to restrain acts of
crime and violence.

Contact BABC
Email: [email protected]
 Write: 1419 Champion Pines Lane,
Augusta, GA 30909
 Tell us your experience of crime and
violence in your neighborhood.
 We welcome members, volunteers,
supportive helpers, counselors and court
monitors

Summary
State what has been learned
 Define ways to apply training

Where to get more information
Other training sessions
 See Bibliography, articles, electronic
sources
 Consulting services, other sources

Bibliography



Blackburn, Sara, comp. WHITE JUSTICE; Black
experience today in America’s courtrooms. With a
forword by Haywood Burns. New York, Harper & Row
1971. KF4757 Z9 B4
Chace, William M. comp. JUSTICE DENIED: THE
BLACK MAN IN WHITE AMERICA. Edited by William
M. Chace and Peter Collier. New York, Harcourt, Brace &
World 1970. E185 C47
FROM THE BLACK BAR: VOICES FOR EQUAL
JUSTICE /edited by Gilbert Ware. - - New York: Putnam,
c1976 KF764 A75 F76
Bibliography



Perry, Ronald W. RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND
MILITARY JUSTICE / Ronald W. Perry. – New York:
Preager, 1977. VB853 P47 1977
U. S. Department of Defense. REPORT OF THE TASK
FORCE ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF MILITARY
JUSTICE IN THE ARMED FORCES / The Task Force. –
Washington L. Dept. of Defense. 1972. REF343 0143 UNI
Curtis, Lynn A. VIOLENCE, RACE, AND CULTURE /
Lynn A. Curtis. - - Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books,
1975. E185.65 C8
Feedback
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 [email protected]
