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• United States Attorneys' Bulletin: Gangs, Volume 54 Number 3, May 2006

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  This issue of the "United States Attorneys' Bulletin" is focused on gang activity in the United States. Included are the following articles: "Understanding Gangs and Gang Mentality: Acquiring Evidence of the Gang Conspiracy", by Donald Lyddane; "The National Gang Intelligence Center--Up and Running for 2006"; "Investigating and Prosecuting Gangs Using the Enterprise Theory", by Marc Agnifilo, Kathleen Bliss, and Bruce Riordan; "Specialized Tools for Use in Gang Cases"; "ATF's Unique Technology, Investigative Experience, and Statutory Authority in Gang Prosecutions", by Mark Kraft, Debby Scott, and David Chipman; "The Special Operations Division's National and International Expertise", by Joseph S. Gerbasi and Meredith A. Mills; "Cyber-Technology in Gang Cases", by Stephen K Brannon; "Victim and Witness Challenges in Gang Prosecutions", by Heather Cartwright and Ronald L. Walutes, Jr.; "Immigration Authorities and Gang Enforcement", by Claude Arnold; "The Criminal Division Offers Expert Advice and Assistance for Gang-Related Cases", by Robert J. Raymond; and "Gang Prevention: How to Make the 'Front End' of Your Anti-Gang Effort Work", by Patrick Phelan.

  Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

  Wyrick, Phelan A.; Lyddane, Donald; Agnifilo, Marc

  2006-05
• Gang Prevention: How to Make the 'Front End' of Your Anti-Gang Effort Work

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  "Gang prevention is challenging work. There have been many advances, however, in knowledge and practice, that greatly increase the ability to be successful. U.S. Attorneys' offices can be highly effective leaders in local anti-gang initiatives that incorporate prevention. Federal prosecutors have a clear vested interest in gang prevention and provide a vital link between knowledge and resources at the federal level, and action at the local level. The purpose of this article is to provide federal prosecutors with a firm knowledge of the foundations for gang prevention that are required to get results from the front end of local anti-gang initiatives. Successful gang prevention is based on the proper balance of (1) attractive alternatives to gangs, (2) effective support systems for young people, and (3) accountability of young people to their parents, schools, and communities. Discussed below are the principles of effective gang prevention, a framework for implementing them within a community-based anti-gang initiative, and information about resources to assist in these efforts."

  Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys

  Wyrick, Phelan A.

  2006-05
• El Salvador: Political, Economic, and Social Conditions and Relations with the United States [Updated April 3, 2006]

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  From the Summary: "Tony Saca, a businessman from the conservative National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party, was inaugurated as president for a five-year term in June 2004. President Saca is seeking to restart the country's stagnating economy, pass legislation in a polarized political environment, and combat gang violence. His legislative agenda should face continuing opposition from the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), which recovered seats it had lost due to defections in 2005 in the March 12, 2006, legislative elections. ARENA also increased its representation in the legislature, but lacks a majority and will continue to have to rely on support from small parties to enact President Saca's agenda. In 2005, despite its tough anti-gang legislation, El Salvador posted a murder rate of 15 people per day, the highest in the hemisphere. In February 2006, the Bush Administration extended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of eligible Salvadoran migrants living in the United States until September 9, 2007. On March 1, 2006, El Salvador became the first country in the region to implement the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) with the United States. This report will be updated periodically."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seelke, Clare Ribando

  2006-04-03
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment: Annex 4: Southern and Northern Borders of Mexico Profile

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  This document is Annex #4 to the principal USAID "Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment" report and covers the country of Mexico. "Over the last two decades, Mexico has undergone a profound political transition, spurred largely by electoral reforms. The defeat of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) in the 2000 presidential elections was a watershed moment for the country, as President Vincente Fox's National Action Party ousted the PRI from 71 years of unbroken Mexican rule. Since then, Mexico has seen an evolution in many of its institutions, including more independence for the media, the weakening of the dominant political party, and dismantling of a controlling state apparatus. Despite the advances that have been made, government corruption and impunity still weaken the country. The police and military are under state control, and corruption persists throughout police ranks. Despite the government's general respect for human rights, there are still many problems, especially in Guerrero, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. In 2004, for example, state law enforcement officials were accused of unlawful and vigilante killings and disappearances. Mexico has the highest incidence of kidnapping in the world, with an unofficial estimate of 3,000 kidnappings during 2004, some with alleged police involvement. […] Violent crime is a critical issue. At the national level, the rate of homicides varies between 11 and 14 per 100,000 people, depending on data from the justice or health sectors. This places Mexico slightly above the category of 10 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, which the World Health Organization considers 'epidemic'."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  Sibaja, Harold; Roig, Enrique; Herrera, Rafaela

  2006-04
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment: Annex 5: Nicaragua Profile

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  This document is Annex #5 to the principal USAID "Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment" report and covers the country of Nicaragua. "Nicaragua's gang problems are much different from those of its neighbors to the north. The level of violence reported in El Salvador, Honduras, or Guatemala is not found in the country. This is remarkable, given the number of weapons cached from the conflict in the 1980s. During this time, the population migrated from rural areas to urban areas, and gangs began to form in urban neighborhoods as a mechanism of survival. By the mid- 1990s, neighborhood gangs were prevalent in many cities. Gangs, or pandillas, saw themselves as motivated by their 'love for the neighborhood.' Gang criminal tendencies were mugging, pick pocketing, shoplifting, and other low-level crimes. Gang warfare was waged between rival gangs in many of the 600 neighborhoods and squatter settlements in and around Managua. Confrontations with other gangs would start with sticks and stone-throwing and eventually escalate to guns, fragmentation grenades, and mortars. Neighborhoods became war zones, and people were reluctant to leave their homes unless necessary. Drug use was a part of the gang culture, although it was usually limited to marijuana, glue sniffing, and alcohol. By the early 2000s, Nicaraguan youth gangs became involved in the narco-trafficking trade that had existed along the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua for decades. Gangs were involved in local wholesaling and pushing on the streets."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  Sibaja, Harold; Roig, Enrique; Rajaraman, Anu

  2006-04
• Highlights of the 2004 National Youth Gang Survey

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  "Annually since 1995, the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC0 has conducted the National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) of law enforcement agencies across the United States regarding the presence and characteristics of local gang problems. This Fact Sheet summarizes NYGS findings from the 2004 survey. […] NYGC asked survey recipients to report information solely for youth gangs, defined as 'a group of youths or young adults in your jurisdiction that you or other responsible persons in your agency or community are willing to identify as a gang.' Motorcycle gangs, hate or ideology groups, prison gangs, and exclusively adult gangs were excluded from the survey. Of the 2,554 survey recipients, 2,296 (90 percent) responded to the 2004 survey. NYGC estimates that 29 percent of the jurisdictions that city (population of 2,500 or more) and county law enforcement agencies serve experienced youth gang problems in 2004. Within area type, 82 percent of the agencies that serve larger cities, 42 percent of the agencies that serve suburban counties, 27 percent of the agencies that serve smaller cities, and 14 percent of the agencies that serve rural counties reported youth gang problems. The table shows the 3-year average percentage of law enforcement agencies, by agency type, that reported youth gang problems from 1996 to 2004. The average percentage of agencies that reported gang problems declined across all area types between the 1996-1998 and 1999-2001 survey periods."

  United States. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

  Flores, J. Robert (John Robert), 1959-

  2006-04
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment: Annex 2: Guatemala Profile

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  This document is Annex #2 to the principal USAID "Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment" report and covers the country of Guatemala. "Violence is undeniably not a new phenomenon in Guatemala. The 36-year civil conflict was characterized by high levels of violence, much of it state-sponsored or institutional, the effects of which continue to manifest in the country today. There are significant levels of economic, institutional, and social violence in Guatemala. Organized crime networks exploit the weak rule of law to carry out their illicit businesses of money laundering, kidnapping, and trafficking of narcotics, contraband, weapons, and people. Youth gangs have emerged on the scene as willing functionaries of these organized crime networks at one end of the spectrum and, at the other end, as their convenient criminal scapegoats. Indeed, since the end of the conflict, 'maras,' or gangs, have become public enemy number one. Despite the end of the civil conflict, there are still incidents of institutional violence in the country, including police brutality and extrajudicial killing, as the state attempts to respond to mounting pressure to address high crime levels, particularly gang violence. Levels of social violence are also elevated in Guatemala, with a very high incidence of intra-familial violence including domestic abuse, child abuse, and sexual violence, all of which contribute to perpetuating the cycle of violence within successive generations."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  del Castillo, Christina; Loudis, Richard; Rajaraman, Anu

  2006-04
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment: Annex 3: Honduras Profile

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  This document is Annex #3 to the principal USAID "Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment" report and covers the country of Honduras. "The Central American conflicts in the 1980s left deep scars throughout the region, including in Honduras. While not immersed in its own civil war, Honduras played host to the anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan Resistance fighters (Contras). During the 1980s, Honduras was considered a repressive society, and human rights abuses were a common occurrence. The signing of peace accords in the 1990s in neighboring countries signaled a turning point for the region, as economic reform and transitions to democracy became the dominant paradigm for development. […] The current level of youth violence in Honduras is among the worst in Central America. The gang phenomenon is considered by many as one of the biggest problems affecting Honduras. According to police statistics, at the end of 2003, there were 36,000 gang members in Honduras. Gangs established themselves in Tegucigalpa in the 1980s. MS-13 became prominent in Honduras in 1989; 18th Street became prominent in 1993. These two gangs are now well entrenched, particularly in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, where they are responsible for many crimes. Their real growth was not felt, however, until the 1990s, which coincided with legal and illegal migration to the United States and subsequent deportations back to Honduras. For many, however, immigration to the United States was not a dream come true. Instead of finding economic opportunities, many found gangs."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  Sibaja, Harold; Roig, Enrique; Rajaraman, Anu

  2006-04
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment: Annex 1: El Salvador Profile

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  This document is Annex #1 to the principal USAID "Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment" report and covers the country of El Salvador. "After the signing of the Peace Accords in 1992, El Salvador has made significant strides in its post-conflict transition to a stable democracy. During the last ten years, however, violence in general has emerged as a potential threat to lasting stability and peace, and gang violence in particular has had serious impacts. In a survey conducted by Instituto Universitario de Opinion Publica (IUDOP), 91 percent of those interviewed stated that maras (gangs) were a big problem. Many academics and political analysts conclude that the problem of gangs is the second most important sociological phenomenon of violence, after the civil war. The high number of homicides-approximately 40 per 100 thousand inhabitants-gives El Salvador the unenviable ranking as one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America. In addition to homicides, there are other violent crimes, including intrafamiliar violence, robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. Central American experts suggest that 40 percent of all homicides that occur today in El Salvador involve a gang member as the victim or the perpetrator. Not surprisingly, both delinquency and citizen security have become predominant concerns for most Salvadorans."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  Sibaja, Harold; Roig, Enrique; del Castillo, Christina

  2006-04
• Central America and Mexico Gang Assessment

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  "Rising crime is threatening democratic development and slowing economic growth across Central America and Mexico. Gang activity has transcended the borders of Central America, Mexico, and the United States and evolved into a transnational concern that demands a coordinated, multi-national response to effectively combat increasingly sophisticated criminal gang networks. Whereas gang activity used to be territorially confined to local neighborhoods, globalization, sophisticated communications technologies, and travel patterns have facilitated the expansion of gang activity across neighborhoods, cities, and countries. The monikers of notorious gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the 18th Street gang (Barrio 18) now appear in communities throughout the United States, Central America, and Mexico. Members of these international gangs move fluidly in and out of these neighboring countries. The U.S. Congress has recognized that some gangs in Latin America and the United States are international criminal organizations whose criminal activities in the Americas have damaging effects on national security by increasing domestic crime levels and facilitating drug trafficking. To combat these gangs which continue to expand their cross-border networks and illegal activities, the United States should act quickly and seize the opportunity to work with Central America and Mexico to develop a coordinated, effective response."

  United States. Agency for International Development

  2006-04
• Press Conference with Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Other Senior Officials on Operation Community Shield [March 10, 2006]

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  This press release provides a transcript of a conference with Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and other senior officials on Operation Community Shield. This is a tribute to the work of our ICE agents and supporting personnel, as well as federal, state and local law enforcement partners, fighting the war against gang violence. He explains the progress of Operation Community Shield and especially fighting the war against gang violence. Operation Community Shield is particularly focused on the violent MS-13 gang, which came from Central America and which really flourished in the United States. Due to the success of this Operation Community Shield in May 2005, DHS has expanded it to target all criminal street gangs. In the first year of operation, ICE agents in 76 field offices, working with law enforcement nationwide, arrested a total of 2,388 gang members from 239 different gangs. About 40 percent of these were MS-13 members, more than 1,075 with violent criminal histories, including 51 gang leaders.

  United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office

  Chertoff, Michael, 1953-

  2006-03-10
• ICE Arrests 375 Gang Members and Associates in Two-Week Enforcement Action [March 10, 2006]

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  This press release announces that during a two-week enforcement action, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 375 gang members and associates in 23 states in a joint effort with law enforcement agencies nationwide. The arrests are the latest under the auspices of "Operation Community Shield," a comprehensive initiative launched by ICE roughly one year ago to disrupt and dismantle transnational, violent street gangs. Operation Community Shield represents the first time the federal government has used immigration and customs authorities in a combined, national campaign against criminal street gangs in the United States.

  United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office

  2006-03-10
• Assessment of the Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Tribe's Gangs, Youth, Violence & Drugs

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  "Criminal street gang activity within the cultural context of Native American communities involves a myriad of considerations. Of critical importance is the recognition that all tribal communities may share some similar challenges, but each tribal community is unique. Consideration include the proximity of the tribal community to urban centers, access to local prevention and intervention resources for youth, availability of family support programs, employment opportunities, community denial, access to public safety agencies, relations between local, state and federal judicial systems and cultural differences. Despite their communities' unique aspects, there are many common current trends affecting tribal youth. Criminal street gangs have been slowly impacting tribes. The 2003 Annual Report by the Bureau of Indian Affairs identified 6,250 gang members and 1,576 in 520 gangs in the Aberdeen district. [...] To assist tribal communities in ensuring the health and welfare of their youth, it is important that it be aware of the impact of street gangs. A site-based, comprehensive assessment can provide details and insight regarding the local scope of the problem. An assessment may also provide community stakeholders with the means to develop an overall strategy to impact the problem."

  United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Assistant Secretary for Indian Health

  National Violence Prevention Resource Center

  2006-03
• Principles, Imperatives, and Paradoxes of Counterinsurgency

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  "America began the 20th century with military forces engaged in counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in the Philippines. Today, it is conducting similar operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and a number of other countries around the globe. During the past century, Soldiers and Marines gained considerable experience fighting insurgents in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and now in Southwest Asia and the Middle East. Conducting a successful counterinsurgency requires an adaptive force led by agile leaders. While every insurgency is different because of distinct environments, root causes, and cultures, all successful COIN campaigns are based on common principles. All insurgencies use variations of standard frameworks and doctrine and generally adhere to elements of a definable revolutionary campaign plan. In the Information Age, insurgencies have become especially dynamic. Their leaders study and learn, exchange information, employ seemingly leaderless networks, and establish relationships of convenience with criminal gangs. Insurgencies present a more complex problem than conventional operations, and the new variants have a velocity that previous historical insurgencies never possessed."

  U.S. Army Combined Arms Center

  Crane, Conrad C.; Nagl, John A., 1966-; Cohen, Eliot A. . . .

  2006-03
• Jamaica: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations [February 3, 2006]

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  From the Document: "Although Jamaica has a stable parliamentary democracy and is a middle-income developing country, the government of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson faces several significant challenges. These include a violent crime wave fueled by gangs and drug trafficking; high external debt, estimated at 135% of gross domestic product, that could constrain the governments social expenditures; and an adult HIV/AIDS infection rate of over 1%. U.S. relations with Jamaica are close and characterized by significant economic linkages and cooperation on such bilateral issues as anti-drug trafficking measures, hurricane reconstruction support, and efforts to combat the AIDS epidemic. Overall U.S. foreign aid to Jamaica amounted to about $41 million in FY2005 (with $18 million for hurricane assistance) and an estimated $19 million in overall aid for FY2006. This report will not be updated. For further information, see CRS Report RL32160, Caribbean Region: Issues in U.S. Relations, and CRS Report RL32001, AIDS in the Caribbean and Central America, both by Mark P. Sullivan."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sullivan, Mark P.

  2006-02-03
• Crime Mapping News, 2006 (Volume 7, Issue 3)

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  "The topic of this issue of Crime Mapping News is how mapping and GIS [Geographic Information System] can be used to examine drug trafficking and contraband issues. This issue begins with an article that discusses the use and dynamic application of mapping technology by a major law enforcement program located in the Eastern corridor to combat drug trafficking and gang-related activity in various regions of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The second article explains the usefulness of crime mapping in a correctional facility to assist with contraband problems and to deter illicit activity. The third article is part of a new series of this newsletter called the Crime Mapping News Spotlight where we highlight a particular program, crime analysis unit, or special event involving GIS, crime mapping and/or crime analysis and provide a brief snapshot of the key components, ideas, or strategies. This issue's spotlight is about a police department's implementation of a new crime analysis and mapping system and the benefits it will bring to their operations and responses to crime and disorder problems."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Police Foundation (U.S.)

  2006
• Gangs, Fraud and Sexual Predators: Struggling with the Consequences of Illegal Immigration, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources of the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session, April 12, 2006

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  From the opening statement of subcommittee chairman Mark E. Souder, "Today, our subcommittee will address some of the issues surrounding the debate on illegal immigration, which you all know is a very contentious topic. Congresswoman Foxx wanted to make sure that I pointed out that we had settled on this topic some time ago, we did not realize all the stories over the last couple of days were going to focus on immigration. This has been a continuing subject. Our committee has jurisdiction over all judiciary issues as well as all drug issues. We do not have jurisdiction over work force issues, so we are not going to be focusing on work force questions today, because it is not in the domain of our subcommittee." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Dale Folwell, Jeffrey S. Jordan, Debra Conrad-Shrader, Virginia Foxx, Brandon Holland, Thomas J. Keith and Mark E. Souder.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Serial No. 109-85: Outgunned and Outmanned: Local Law Enforcement Confronts Violence Along the Southern Border: Joint Hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims and the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session, March 2, 2006

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  "Today's four witnesses represent the three States that together span most of the southern border with Mexico. Each witness is an experienced sheriff and each is faced with the growing difficulty of enforcing the law in communities that are being subjected to a growing level of violent crime by illegal aliens. Some of these illegal aliens are just moving through on their way to richer pastures further into the interior of the United States. Others are professional criminals who reside south of the border and operate criminal enterprises that exploit the weak security all along the southern borders of these three States. In the past year, there has been a growing threat from military type units providing armed escorts to criminal drug-smuggling gangs across the border from Mexico. In the past 3 months, there have been at least two incidents where heavily armed and uniformed units have appeared on the banks of the Rio Grande River east of El Paso with the apparent goal of intimidating U.S., local, and Federal law enforcement officials from pursuing narcotics smugglers fleeing back home across the border."

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Serial No. 109-122: U.S. Diplomacy in Latin America: Hearing before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on the International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, First Session, July 27, 2005

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  From the opening statement of Dan Burton: "Over the past several months, the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee has convened hearings on topics ranging from democratization, transparency and the rule of law, gangs and crime, and the rise and influence of China in Latin America, and oppression and human rights violations in Cuba. Since September 11, our public diplomacy efforts have been concentrated in educational and cultural exchanges, informational programs and broadcasting resources focused largely on the Middle East and the Muslim world. Some seasoned observers charge that the United States has neglected Latin America in the post-911 environment. Yet most of the non-religious, political, and economic factors that came to a head and inspired Jihadist terrorists against us are at play elsewhere in the developing world. This is common infrastructure used by terrorists, by drug traffickers, and by smugglers and these and other criminal syndicates thrive in areas of lawlessness and in border areas where security is weak. These are some of the growing challenges that we face in Latin America." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Roger Noriega, John Maisto, Stephen Johnson, Jerry Haar, Luis Lauredo, and Dan Burton.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Serial No. 109-189: Venezuela: Terrorism Hub of South America? Hearing before the Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session, July 13, 2006

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  From the opening statement of Edward R. Royce: "In May, the State Department designated Venezuela as 'not cooperating fully' with United States antiterrorism efforts. This designation is different than the more serious and commonly referred to state sponsor of terrorism designation. This designation precludes the sale of, licensing of defense material and services to Venezuela. Venezuela is now the only country on the 'not cooperating fully' list that is not also designated as a state sponsor of terrorism...Venezuela, under President Hugo Chavez, has tolerated terrorists on its soil and has forged close relationships with officially designated state sponsors of terrorism: Cuba, Iran and North Korea. Colombian terrorist groups use Venezuelan territory for safe haven. The armed Colombian terrorist groups, though they have waged no attack on United States soil, are among the most active terrorist gangs in the world. Several of their leaders have been indicted in the United States for killings and kidnappings of Americans and of course for drug trafficking. The State Department will testify today that, 'While it remains unclear to what extent the Government of Venezuela provides material support to Colombian terrorists, it is difficult to believe that the Chavez Government is unaware of or helpless to prevent such activity.' In my view, Venezuela is walking a thin line between 'not cooperating fully' against terrorism and 'state sponsorship' of terrorism." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Frank C. Urbancic, Jr., Russ Carnahan, Edward R. Royce, Brad Sherman, Jerry Weller, and Ted Poe.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Are the Maras Overwhelming Governments in Central America?

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  "Violence in Central America has grown so much in the last half decade that Colombia is no longer the homicide capital of the region. In fact, it now ranks fourth in that ignominious distinction behind El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.1 The violence is mostly due to the phenomenon of street gangs, also called pandillas or gangas, but most often maras. They have grown in number, sophistication, and stature and have largely overwhelmed the security forces of Central America's fledgling democracies. Altogether, these maras represent a significant threat to the security of the countries in the region. Numerous national, binational, multinational, regional, and hemispheric conferences have sought to address the problem."

  U.S. Army Combined Arms Center

  Bruneau, Thomas C.

  2006
• Gangs and Crime in Latin America, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on the International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, First Session, April 20, 2005

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  From the opening statement of Dan Burton: "Today the Subcommittee will examine the growing threat of street gangs on security and stability in Latin America and the United States. Gangs of various kinds have existed in the United States and Latin America for years, traditionally in large metropolitan areas. In recent years, however, gang activities have grown increasingly violent and have spread to smaller cities, as well as rural areas. According to the United States Department of Justice, some 30,000 gangs, with about 800,000 members, operate in the United States. They range from small local groups to large multi-state and multinational organizations, and their growth was fueled by the explosive use of illegal drugs in the United States during the 1980s. A 2001 survey by the National Youth Gang Center showed that while all racial groups are represented in street gangs, nearly half of all members are Hispanic, many of them the children of illegal immigrants. Today's high profile street gangs are a different, more dangerous breed than their predecessors. Although, just as violent as the gangs in the past, today's street gangs are more organized with members holding clandestine meetings to exchange guns, drugs, plot strategies, target enemies, and share intelligence information on law enforcement, all the hallmarks of a criminal syndicate or terrorist network." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Adolfo A. Franco, Dan Burton, Chris Swecker, John P. Torres, Stephen C. Johnson, Kelly L. Smith, Manuel Orozco, and Robert Menendez.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Fighting Iraq with Anti-Gang Techniques

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  "The insurgency and terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan have direct linkages to and similarities with organized crime and gangs. For example, cars that had been stolen in the US were discovered in vehicle borne improvised explosive devices(VBIEDs) in Baghdad. In addition, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's August, 2003 study of Iraq's organized crime also noted that this is an area of concern. In June, 2004, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior arrested former death row inmates in Baghdad during a takedown of one of the largest gangs that was involved in assassinations, kidnappings and armed robbery. A majority of those arrested were among those released by Saddam Hussein just prior to the coalition push into Iraq. In order to succeed in battling this threat the focus needs to shift to preparing the Iraqi police, military and citizens to be able to help counter this current threat. The United States has spent billions of dollars and decades fighting organized crime at home and abroad, and should make use of its existing policies, procedures and systems in fighting terrorism in Iraq."

  Marine Corps Command and Staff College (U.S.)

  McShea, Jim A.

  2006
• Serial No. 109-238: Moving Forward on Haiti: How the U.S. and the International Community Can Help, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session, September 28, 2006

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  From the opening statement of Dan Burton: "Today, we convene a hearing on Moving Forward in Haiti and how the United States and international community can help. This fragile country, generally recognized as being the poorest in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world, has been through tumultuous times. In recent decades, it has survived natural disasters that brought hurricane winds and terrible mud slides, taking lives and devastating crops; well-established gangs control city streets and spread fear among the population; economic growth is dismally low, and the people lack the most basic of needs, such as housing, education, and access to health care; and its democracy has been shocked by years of corruption and poor, misguided leadership. Today, Haiti has some forward momentum in its newly elected government, but the situation still remains fragile, and Haiti is clearly at a critical juncture in its path away from poverty." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Patrick D. Duddy, Adolfo A. Franco, Mark L. Schneider, and Dan Burton.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Political Change in China: Public Participation and Local Governance Reforms, Roundtable Before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, One Hundred Ninth Congress, Second Session, May 15, 2006

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  This is the May 15, 2006 roundtable titled "Political Change in China: Public Participation and Local Governance Reforms" held before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. From the opening statement of David Dorman: "More Chinese citizens want a voice in the decisions that affect their lives, and some activists have publicly called for change. Environmental activists have challenged the government on hydroelectric and other infrastructure projects. Intellectuals have submitted positions criticizing authoritarian policies, and rural farmers are forming associations to protect their collective interests. But Chinese officials use regulations, and sometimes prison terms, to suppress direct criticism of senior government leaders or Communist Party rule. At the same time, the government is experimenting with some limited governance reforms. These reforms seek expansion of citizen political participation at the local level, while giving the Party new tools to govern a rapidly changing China." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Merle Goldman, Joseph Fewsmth, and Gang Xie.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2006
• Liberia and the Fate of Interim Government in the Regional Vortex of West Africa

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  "What policy value might derive from analyzing the recent experience of Liberia with interim governments as conflict management and institution building agents? The Liberian case provides a window into a set of factors that exist in a number of countries - fragile regimes that 'govern' resource-rich economies - that could potentially lead to state erosion and failure in many countries with these same features: 1. First, Liberia is the prototypical weak state eroded first by privilege, and subsequently by ambitious individuals whose use of armed gangs brought down the state. 2. Second, Liberia, along with Sierra Leone, provides an optic on contemporary warlord politics as a condition with its own specifiable properties and political economy. 3. Third, Liberia's disintegration, its civil war, the interim governments and its future governance arrangements are intimately tied to subregional politics (the Mano River Basin). 4. Finally, Liberia's experience with regional peacekeepers and regional economic arrangements provides both cautionary tales and positive precedents with respect to state-building, governance, stability and legitimacy. Overall, explaining how and why the Liberian state failed, and the challenges and opportunities faced by the international community as it sought to reconstitute a viable Liberian regime, therefore hold lessons for many countries in similar situations."

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Contemporary Conflict

  Morgan, E. Philip

  2006-01
• Parent's Quick Reference Card: Recognizing and Preventing Gang Involvement

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  "This quick reference guide provides common warning signs of gang involvement, but may not be all-encompassing. Parents should look for multiple signs to indicate possible gang involvement because some of these indicators alone, such as clothes or musical preferences, are also common among youth not involved in gangs. Parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with local gang symbols, seek help early, and consider contacting school personnel, local law enforcement, faith leaders, and community organizations for additional assistance."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

  2005-10-17?
• Street Gangs and Interventions: Innovative Problem Solving with Network Analysis

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  "This paper briefly reviews the range of prevention, intervention, suppression, and comprehensive strategies, providing examples of each type. It then offers a case study of problem analysis in Newark, New Jersey. The Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative (GNSCI) began in 1996 as a collaborative effort among law enforcement, community groups, social service agencies, clergy, and Rutgers University to address and temper the local violence problem. By 2003, the partners in GNSCI expressed concern over a perceived growth in street gangs and related crime. Accordingly, the North Jersey Gang Task Force emerged under the framework and from the existing partnerships of GNSCI. This paper discusses the unique utility of network analysis in the resultant problem analysis and underscores the important role of an academic research partner. Finally, the paper considers the importance of sustainability with regard to problem analysis."

  United States. Department of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

  2005-09-23
• Third Generation Gangs Revisited: The Iraq Insurgency

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  "The insurgency in Iraq has continued despite the determination of U.S. and Iraqi forces. U.S. counter-insurgent strategy has operated from the premise that the main thrust behind anti-U.S. activities is a combination of Sunnis desiring a return to their former privileged position and tribal collective actors with long-standing grievances fuelled by radical Islam. Yet an analysis incorporating insights from gang theory illuminates the diverse, practical, and local motivations of those involved in insurgent networks. Gang theory is uniquely suited to illuminate the street-level dynamics that drive insurgent violence. Through this, a more precise picture of the relevant networks and their operative motivations can be drawn, allowing finer tuned policies targeted to the differentiated factors behind non-state violence. I first consider the origins of and interactions between the armed groups operating in Iraq for discernible trends in development, paying particular attention to factors consistent with gang models. I then alter the gang model for the context of Iraq, and present an integrated model that articulates the likely effects of state-insurgent interaction on stability and security there. I conclude with recommendations demonstrating the models relevance for strategic use in other regions."

  Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)

  Haussler, Nicholas I.

  2005-09
• Remarks by Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff at a Joint Press Conference on Community Shield [August 1, 2005]

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  In these remarks, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff recognizes the accomplishments of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including an active partnership between ICE and federal, state and local law enforcement, all of which has joined in Operation Community Shield, an operation which is designed to target the very worst gang offenders in the United States.

  United States. Department of Homeland Security. Press Office

  2005-08-01