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In addition to advertising gang membership, tattoos provide other details about the bearer. For the incarcerated, images of chains and locks represent the loss of freedom; an hourglass or clock face without hands indicate doing time; a string of numbers may be an inmate's prison ID; one laughing face, one crying face means play now, pay later or my happy life, my sad life; a tombstone with numbers may indicate years of incarceration; the face of a female crying usually means someone on the outside is waiting for them. Caption information provided by POLICE gang expert Richard Valdemar.
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Tattoos are an excellent tool for law enforcement and corrections officers to use to identify known or suspected gang members. This gallery includes examples of tattoos worn by predominanly Latino gangs such as the Mexican Mafia, MS-13, and the Latin Kings. The number "13" is used because M (or La Eme) is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet and is used to signify the Mexican Mafia, which uses Sureños—gangs that swear allegiance to the Mexican Mafia—to carry out its orders from prison.
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One at a time each of the three targets got out of the vehicle, walked in a big circle around the McDonald’s, went inside, only to return to the vehicle with a small drink. Then the next target did the exact same thing. Finally the third did the same. In tactical police terminology this is a clue that they were casing the McDonalds before robbing it.
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An expert should be a credible proponent of the truth, and not an advocate for either the prosecution or the defense. Because of what we do and our knowledge of gangs, 95 percent of the time this will benefit the prosecution, but on occasion our knowledge and experience might benefit the defense.
Read More →New Jersey corrections investigators say they're losing ground in the fight against prison gangs, because they lack the manpower and funding, the Star-Ledger reports.
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Gang members are usually decorated with the marking of their sets, super-gangs, and affiliated prison gangs. Their bodies are also often marked with tattoos that are generic prison symbols that you will find on just about any inmate. The following slide show is a quick look at some tattoos used by some predominately African-American gangs with origins in California.
Read More →Ten suspected members of the so-called Houstone street gang, a local prison gang offshoot, are in custody and authorities announced Wednesday they are seeking four more men on federal drug dealing conspiracy charges that could lead to the forfeiture of $18 million in high-end cars, jewelry and cash.
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Sgt. Burnett had worn the vest religiously throughout his career, but on this day he told his wife that for the first time he would go to work without it. She wasn't happy with his decision.
Read More →It is rare for law enforcement to have an opportunity to hear from the mind of one who lived it. Today, Mundo (with a new identity) continues to assist law enforcement to understand how criminal organizations operate.
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In the mid-1950s 13 California Youth Authority (CYA) wards were sent to the Duel Vocational Institute located in Tracy, California. Since the wards were juveniles they were housed in a special section of the adult corrections facility.
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