The 18th Street
gang
was created in the late 1960s in the
Rampart area of Los Angeles. They have been described as the most
violent and aggressive street gang in the country. Over the past few
years 18th Street quickly grew, but
membership levels have appeared to
reach a peak in many states. The
18th Street
gang
grew out of an older Los Angeles
gang,
the Clanton 14 street
gang
(after the street that was their
home base) better known as Clanton 14 by
locals. In the 1940's, Clanton
Street was changed to 14th Place due
to the high number of
zoot suit
Pachucos
'hanging-out', as well as the war
effort's need for simple addresses.
The Clanton
gang
was active
in Los Angeles
for decades and comprised several
generations of well-established
Mexicans living in America; more
recent Mexican immigrants and
Chicanos that wanted to join Clanton
were rejected. From these rejects
the 18th Street
gang
was born.
The
gang
has since grown to be California's
most fragmental and largest street
gang,
with membership in the tens of
thousands, with many satellite
gangs. Out of this, it is estimated
that about 60% of its members are
illegal immigrants, according to a
confidential report last year by the
state's Department of Justice.
While the majority of the gang's
activities occur
in Los Angeles,
the
gang
is active throughout the United
States and other countries,
including Canada, Peru,
Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
The
gang
is divided into five subsets or
'sides': North, East, South, West
and South Central Los Angeles, Santa
Ana LOPERS . Furthermore, each
side has its own cliques or mini
gangs. 18th Street gangsters are
traditionally rivals with the Mara
Salvatrucha. Other rivals include
Florencia 13, 38th Street Gang,
Clanton 14,West Side Via los Trackes,
Madrid, and the Black P. Stones
(Jungles). The
gang
was recently documented in
Gangsters from 18 shown on the
Crime Investigation
Network
The
gang
was featured in an episode of
Numb3rs, in which they were
named the 18th Street Mexicali. The
gang
was also referred to in an episode
of Shark as the 18th Street
posse.
Gang markings
As with most gangs, 18th Street
gang
members can be easily identified by
their tattoos. A common identifier
is the number 18 (Spanish:
diesciocho),
which is usually represented in the
Roman numeral (X8)(XVIII) (XV3) and
sometimes they also use 666 or 99
(6+6+6=18 / 9+9=18). They also
tattoo themselves with the word
BEST, which stands for Barrio
Eighteenth STreet. Members engage in
graffiti to mark their territory.
Culture
18th
Street
gang
members are required to abide by a
strict set of rules. For instance,
they are forbidden from using crack
cocaine and other hard drugs.
Failure to obey the word of a
gang
leader, or to show proper respect to
a fellow gang
member, may result in an 18-second
beating, or even execution for more
serious offenses.
[3]
According to the LAPD, some factions
of the 18th Street
gang
have developed a high level of
sophistication and organization.
This is attributed to the gang's
connections with Mexican and
Colombian drug cartels. The 18th
Street gang
is occasionally referred to as the
"Children's Army" because of its
recruitment of elementary and
middle-school aged youth.
18th Street
gang
members are most often seen wearing
brown or black pants and a white
T-shirt. Alternatively,
gang
members also wear jerseys from
professional sports teams. 18th
Street gang
members are considered highly armed
and dangerous
Crimes
18th Street is a well established
gang
that is involved in all areas of
criminal activity. Some members have
even become involved in producing
fraudulent Immigration and
Naturalization identification cards
and food stamps. Several 18th Street
gang
members have evolved into a higher
level of sophistication and
organization than other gangs. This
progression is credited to the
gang's close relationship with
Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.
They also have been linked to
occurrences of murder,
murder-for-hire, drug dealing,
extortion, vandalism, drug
smuggling, weapons trafficking, as
well as other crimes.
The
As with most gangs, 18th Street
