Initiation: A rite, ceremony, or instructions with which one is made a member of a sect or society, or is vested with a particular function or status.
Initiations have probably been a part of culture ever since man began organizing groups and there were those who wanted to join. There are clubs, organizations and secret societies all over the world that require the
prospective member to go through some form of initiation. An initiation may be something as simple as learning a set of rules and regulations and then reciting them in front of the membership. Or at the opposite end of the spectrum, the initiation may require the individual to endure some hardship that will cause pain.
Street and prison gangs certainly did not invent initiation rites as a requirement to belong to the gang but they certainly have expanded initiation requirements.
Gangs use the initiation rite as a means of determining if the inductee is mentally and physically strong enough to be worthy of membership. In other words they don't want a member who will run at the first sign of trouble or one who whines about what his/her orders or instructions are.
Gang members frequently refer to joining a gang as "Blood in - Blood out" - meaning to join you may have to shed either your own blood or the blood of someone else.
Joining a prison gang literally means "Blood in - Blood out." Prison gangs not wanting law enforcement agencies to try and infiltrate the gang by placing an informant or undercover agent in the group, generally require a prospective member to murder or seriously assault someone in the prison. This "assures" the leadership that the individual's loyalty and is on the up and up. Theoretically, if he has killed someone, he will not reveal to the authorities, other acts of violence he may know about or witness.
Street gangs use a variety of acts of initiation to induct an individual into full membership.
These acts may include one or more of the following:
"Beat in" or "jump in" - The inductee must prove him/her self by
enduring a severe beating by a pre-determined number of members for a
pre-determined number of minutes. During this act the members use fists, kicks
and stomps, or even clubs to beat the new member. This is frequently called an
"act of love." It is also, in many cases, an act of extreme violence. The new
member at best may survive with broken ribs, cuts and contusions or maybe a
broken jaw. However the beating can be so severe that the person could suffer
permanent injury or even death.
Armed
robbery - inductee(s) commit the crime of armed robbery and frequently
shoot the victim(s) for no reason.
Drive-by
shooting
Assault on an innocent victim
Rape an innocent victim
Blessed
In - Occasionally, a prospective gang member will not have to
endure any of the normal gang initiation rituals. He or she
may be "blessed in." This may be the result of the
prospects reputation as one who is worthy of gang membership or he
may be a family member of a gang member who has vouched for his
worthiness and loyalty.
"Sex
in" - Female inductees are frequently "sexed in"
by having intercourse with multiple members of the gang. This is sometimes
used in lieu of being beaten in. It has been reported that females,
on occasion, have been required to consent to sex with a person known
to be HIV positive.
Murder - The inductee is required to kill an innocent victim, a rival gang
member, or even a police officer.
Leaving The Street Gang
Getting out of a gang can be as violent as joining. Many gangs require lifetime memberships.
Many street gangs require the person, wanting to depart from the gangs way of life, to endure a "beat out." This beating frequently is more severe and more injurious to the member than the beating he/she may have taken to join.
Although it is not a "beat out, the new article below, with video, shows the severity of the beatings in which gangs of youths may become involved.
Most prison gang members are expected to remain members for life. Even if released from prison they are expected to remain loyal to the incarcerated members by providing support to them, by whatever means, usually through the proceeds of drug sales and/or other street crimes. The penalty for "quitting" the gang is death; In other words "Blood out."
GANG INITIATION HOAXES - URBAN LEGENDS
Frequently, I receive questions concerning initiations. I also receive Email messages warning or advising me of a "new" initiation being performed by gang members on other persons.
The following list of links describes some of these hoaxes. To date, according to sources, none of these incidents or acts have been proven to be true. This, however, does not mean that one should not use caution at all times when gangs are concerned.
