Gangs OR Us receives numerous email messages requesting information, answers to questions, materials, and a variety of other subjects. Most of the time the information being sought is on the web site and too often the individual did not take time to search the pages.

The following are questions and answers that hopefully will be of assistance to you.

Question: Can you send me information on gangs?
Answer: Believe it or not this question is very frequently asked. The individual has found Gangs OR Us and the Email address but has not taken the time to look for information on the site. Most of the important information may be found on the following pages: Gang Identifiers, Gangs, Law Enforcement, or Parents and Teachers.

Question: I need information about gangs for my research/school/college project. Can Gangs OR us send me gang-related information?
Answer: No! Gangs OR Us has become so popular that I receive 10 to 20 requests for free research or information each day. Gangs OR Us is a privately-owned business and generally, there is a minimum fee for information that requires me to conduct research or to otherwise provide assistance.

Question: What information from Gangs OR Us can I use for my school project or research paper?
Answer: You may use anything that will assist you in completing your project. I do request that you give credit to Gangs OR Us if the material is written by me and is used as a reference resource.

Question: Can you provide statistics on the number of gangs and the gang members in the U.S.?
Answer: Like the names of gangs in each city, I do not keep statistics on the numbers of gangs or gang members. Surveys are taken from time to time, usually by an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, but it frequently takes a year or more before the figures are compiled, evaluated and released. By this time the figures are outdated and less than accurate.

Question: Can you provide my organization with a packet of gang identification information and other materials?
Answer: No. As a private consultant, it is not financially practical for me to bear the cost of printed material for distribution.

Question: I have been tasked with setting up a gang identification unit within my department/agency. Will you send me everything you have on how to accomplish this?
Answer: No. Training is something that I offer to agencies, institutions, schools or organizations. This training is provided at very reasonable costs to the requesting organization and can not be provided free of charge.

Question: I am interested in attending a gang identification training class. Can you tell me where these classes are held?
Answer: As stated above, I offer training classes upon request. In addition, many states have an organization commonly called Gang Investigators Associations. There is a list of these organizations on the Law Enforcement page of my web site. Most of these organizations have an annual training conference and many will provide training to your agency or school district.

Question: Are you available for speaking engagements and presentations?
Answer: Yes. Please contact me by email, outlining your requirements.

Question: The police department in my community will not do anything about the gangs in my neighborhood. Can you help?
Answer: The concerned citizens and the individual police departments must work together to resolve the community's gang problem. I cannot become involved in the law enforcement policies of a department. One solution is for the citizens to form a community group, and as a group, present your problem to the Chief of Police, the Sheriff, or the city council.

Question: Can you tell me what gangs are in my community?
Answer: there are too many gangs in the United States for an individual to track or monitor. There is a page on Gangs OR Us that is titled, "Gangs in the U.S.". On this page, many of the major gangs of each state are listed. This is by no means an all-inclusive list. To learn about gangs in your community, you should contact your local law enforcement agency. Furthermore, just because you are aware of a gang in your area, do not ask me to add the gang to the list.

Question: How can I tell if my child is in a gang?
Answer: First, you might ask the child if he or she is involved with a gang. If the response is "no" and you still suspect that he is, look at the following pages on my web site: Gang Identifiers, Gangs, Parents/Teachers and Law Enforcement. On these pages, you will find more than enough information for you to determine any possible membership or affiliation with gangs.

Question: If the police know who the gang members are, why don't they arrest them?
Answer: The answer is very simple. It is not against the law to belong to a gang. It is the criminal activity in conjunction with gang membership that is illegal.

Question: If it is not against the law to belong to a gang, why do some states have gang's statutes?
Answer: Some state legislatures have enacted laws that deal with gang activity in order for the courts to deal more effectively with the crimes committed by gang members. These laws vary widely from state to state: some states simply define the term, "Gang," while others provide enhancement penalties for crimes committed as a gang member. A state-by-state list of laws is available on the Gangs page on this web site.

Question: I am the producer of a popular television talk show. Can you locate gang members and/or victims of gang members who would be willing to appear on our show?
Answer: NO! Gangs OR Us does not provide this type of assistance.

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