The MS-13 Gang

T.A.R.G.E.T is an acronym for Tri Agency Gang Enforcement Team represents a multiagency approach to targeting current gang members with suppression measures while also targeting entire gangs with police suppression. Each team in the TARGET program consists of gang investigators, a probation officer, a deputy district attorney, and a district attorney investigator. This program uses a three-pronged strategy: 1 selective incarceration of the most violent and repeat older gang offenders in the most violent gangs, 2 the enforcement of probation controls graduated sanctions and intensive supervision on younger, less violent gang offenders, and 3 arrests of gang leaders in “hot spots” of gang activity. A major aim of the TARGET program is to reduce

Originating in Los Angeles in the 1980’s, thousands of Salvadorians fled the civil war within their country enticing former guerillas and Salvadoran government soldiers to join (CITE CITE). These early members contributed to the notoriety of Los Angeles’ more brutal and violent gangs which developed a reputation of engaging in unusual forms of violence to increase their standing and influence (CITE CITE). Paul Liquorie, head of special investigations at the Montgomery County Police, stated, “If I use a machete and hack your body up, it sends a message that permeates through those communities” (Dorrer, 2017). Although M-13 originally began Los Angeles it has consistently grew to recruit more members and has expanded nationally and intercontinentally (CITE CITE). The violence of MS-13 has risen along the East coast and has developed chapters within Northern Virginia, New York, and Washington D.C., leading to an increased national threat. The increased growth of this gang has posed a complex threat for the United States national security and global security (CITE

The documentary Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008) focuses on conditions and causes of gang violence in Los Angeles, California, as well as the history and background of the main gangs that reside there. The information in the film is compiled from interviews of past and present members of the Crips and Bloods, which are the two main gangs that contribute to the violence in the area. The interviewees explain how the gangs work and the conditions under which these people live daily. There can be parallels drawn from the film to Elijah Anderson’s article titled “The Code of the Streets”, published in 1994, that discusses violence in terms of gang and criminal activity.

The Mara Salvatrucha gang also known as “MS-13” was originally formed in Los Angeles from immigrants from El Salvador. After the killing of a Salvadorian Archbishop during the 1980’s, El Salvador got into a Civil War with the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, known as one of the two major political parties in El Salvador. El Salvador feared of left wing politics and so the U.S came through in order to prevent it. El Salvadorian military came in to resolve the conflict but it transformed into a Civil War. During the Civil War over 70,000 people lost their lives and many fled to the United States in order to escape the chaos, bombings and riots. El Salvador once was peaceful but became a very dangerous place to live. In 1989 a Congressmen

The biggest challenge facing my agency is the resurgence of violence by members of the transnational gang, MS-13. Beginning in January 2016, members of MS-13 committed seventeen murders over a sixteen-month period in the communities of Brentwood and Central Islip. The unprecedented violence has led to fear in the community.

While females of MS-13 are either jumped or gang raped into gang life females apart of the Latin Kings are related to current members. The Latin Kings were founded on the concept of Latin pride but allows other races to join their gang. MS-13 is dominantly Salvadoran and are racist towards other cultures.

The MS13 is a perfect example of a counterculture. They are a world within themselves. The gang is very organized and structured; there is hierarchy with the gang. There is a significant amount of money flow within the gang. A few ways the gang obtains money is by drug dealing, illegal weapons, vendors pay the gang to work in their territories and for their protection, and drug dealers also pay the gang to earn the right to sell drugs in their territories. There are laws and rules that a gang member must abide by. One very strict rule for a gang member is

The word gang-everyone knows what it means or what it stands for. Of course by the time children get to the end of their elementary years they’ve heard of know gangs such as; the Cribs, Bloods, Latin Kings, Vatos Locos, but none of those names cause as much fear and terror as the gang called La Mara Salvatrucha aka MS-13. La Mara known for their psychotic methods of killing and running their turf, no other gang comes close to causing the same fear as La Mara Salvatrucha (ms-13gang.com). Forced to abandon their home land due to the civil war in El Salvador, the adventure to the U.S. was good at the start but soon the odds turned against them. Therefore for their

Social Conflict Theory: The Social Conflict Theory states that people who are put down tend to stay down and be dictated by the force keeping them down. In the impoverished city in which this movie takes place in we see that people are very needy and have no dignity. It is in towns like this that many gangs find their burrows grounds and infiltrate these shanty towns to begin their cartels and reigns of terror. Here the people do not like the MS13 gang, but cannot do anything about it because they will be killed instantly. MS13 treat the people like dirt and freely rob, rape, and kill the people whenever they feel like it.

MS-13 uses highly advanced means of communication ranging from a complete hand signal alphabet and code system to using various methods on the internet. By posting lookouts, gang members are able to forewarn other members of approaching law enforcement and rival gang members by secret signals. Members also have the ability to strategize and coordinate across towns, cities, states, and even countries via the internet. MS-13 and other technologically savvy Hispanic gangs are truly international organizations.

Introduction: Hook: A young man was put on trial for the murder and dismemberment of three men in order to be initiated into the Hell’s Angels gang. Transitional information: Outlawed motorcycle gangs have been growing rapidly over the years to accommodate the many members whom strongly desire the gang life. Infamous gangs have reached strong optimal numbers to help the duties that follow within the gang.

Quantitative analysis involves the techniques by which researchers translate data into a numerical form and subject it to statistical analyses (Lesson 6 2017). I would design a quantitative research project by focusing on measurement. I will provide numerical statistics in support of my research. Lets say I am researching on the growth of the MS-13 gang. I will present numerically the growth or declination of the member attendance, crime rates, gang activities, etc. Then, with all the results, I will be able to form a conclusion on whether the gang has or has not grown over the years.

Gangs of El Salvador In the documentary, Gangs of El Salvador by Vice News, the viewer gets an insider’s perspective of the gang activity in El Salvador. The two gangs that were talked about in this documentary was the notorious MS-13 and 18th street gang. This documentary was made to inform people that there is a serious gang problem not only in the United States, but in other parts of the world as well. Furthermore, I will discuss the Gangs of El Salvador, current issues regarding gangs, and how the country of El Salvador is combating the gang issue.

Caught in the crosshairs of a vicious war fueled by military aid from the United States, Salvadorans throughout the 1980s and 1990s strived to make a life for themselves. Running from El Salvador in hopes of a better future, they found themselves deadlocked in a marginalized life north of the US-Mexico border in Los Angeles. Without the law on their side, many Salvadorans struggled to obtain legal admittance to the United States due to inconsistent and inadequate immigration policies implemented throughout President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan’s administrations. In Los Angeles during the mid-80s, a young group of Salvadorans emerged and called themselves the Mara Salvatrucha Stoners 13 in hopes of defending their neighborhood from other

I was born an American, a United States’ citizen. I could knock on opportunity’s door. Later, I would. However, after a year, life in El Salvador awaited me like a revolving door; I was free to pass through, but would have to make it to the door to continue through, if I chose to. Life was blissful as a small toddler of the age of three living in El Salvador. Walking down the dusty dirt roads, with vivacious green trees on the sides that seemed out of place, was a ritual with my babysitter to get to the store and buy some jugitos. I was unaware of the increase in violence the country was experiencing. MS13. La Mara Salvatrucha. This notorious gang targeting teens for recruitment was the most violent of them and was growing substantially. Children as young as twelve tattooed entirely, each symbol representing one of their ‘achievements’ as part of the gang. No skin cell was safe from the ink.