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Show It 'Jt I ,u.lt l.ake Tribune, Sunday, November lit 8. 1981 S.L. Street Gangs Emerge, a Product of Society i Pairtel Posts outimied From Page l interviews with social woiker- - and members have revealed the cuing existence of at least 12 established, "i gamed street gangs in the Salt Nike on trnpohtar. area. Fight of the gangs can lx identified h name, six are Chicano, one is liiental and one is predominantly til. a k The! e are an estimated 2(X) local gang memliers ranging in age from 15 to 21 years Their territories lie primarily n, the piMir ethnic section of tlx- Salt Lake's Central City and west side neigh- - Paroles For Felons (inlimied From Page Udaughlei be, it li ol Inv 2 year-ol'law ma M.ii'HhJO it WO 22 Salt UikeCity, I, am' 1. lan:-'Oi- i Tv mg one vc.ir for aggravated arson in connection vntti the fire tiombmg of a South Salt Lulu' home containing Laotians on July IV. PWn will Ik paroled nil ch 'I 9s2 Me is also serving five year- - to life for tile robliery of a market in Tooele Count C on June 2'), PITS -l ( tllirll! predominantly Chicano gang, the Precious Few cruised Central City streets tor several years before two of its leaders were sent to prison for i rimes not related to gang activity. fter the group dissolved, another gang upxared on the west side with the -- ame name. Months later, the original group reorganized and took the name. "Precious Few Two" The splinter gang then changed its title to the "West Side Originals.' by which it is still known. The Precious Few Two are now again called the Precious Few. Heated Rivalry That schism, gang memliers claim, was responsible for a heated east side-weside rivalry, since smoothed over by a series of treaties and alliances among gangs from both neighborhoods One Central City group now claims to he allied with the West Side Homeboys." a large gang whose ternt- - . Olliers reeeivm;? Ice paroles are Ricky 22. Ofi ten. April hi, 1!W2. -- erved nine month- - of 1 to 15 years for burglary, Jose Saueedo. 22. Ogden. I ); a servei J nine months of to years for rape .mid 0 to 5 years for burglary. Steven Neil Farmer, 20. Fell H. 1 PISH, 15 st Scottsdale. Anz Nov. 9. 19H2. served is months of I to l i years for burglary and Jeffrey Mai k Evans. 19. Proven May 10. 1983. serveef six months of to 15 years for attciiripted aggravated , -- 1 i Mxls One of the areas fust and most visible gangs was called the ' Precious Few." founded several years ago by a small hand of California transplants wild came to Utah through the Job Corps They included lx'wis F.ugene Wilson 9 1982. convicted of ov i'i. Ogden. robbing a worn in and her daughter ill an Ogden siipiumaiket parking lot. Charles Stem. IS Salt Nike City Nov wlio rolnU'd a woman m Salt 9, PW2 I tike City, and Fl ank Gonzales, 21. Salt Lake City. Jan HI. 1981. who robbed a man at the SaM Lake International n port Pete Civuuo M fiestas, 32. Salt Lake -- erv ( it v mg to 1 1 years (or tun glary after he is must pay $195 paroled on ng llj l!W2 1 ncigh-Ixnhoo- ol then d LlK'OS One oi two Chicano gangs have recently boasted of treaties with a pom v oigaiiied and predominantly black group called the "Southbound ' (iaiigsters Police believe that group's membership vanes from month to month - I . ory Ill's in the citys northwest The Homclxiys are rivaled bv another Chicano gang known as the "West Side Vatos Other west side gangs include the and the ' Ixs Yari los Cluijiiitos B-- C members few of a lix-u-l Chicano gang were recently involved in a rumble" with an Oriental gang com- black out the insentx'd symbol and to mar the names of the gang's leaders The names aie replaced by expletives mid insults The offended gang will return to its maikcr to find the insults which they will crus- - out in order to reinscnbe their - mho! and their names Challenge Issued The challenging gang will return and once again cross out the inscriptions, tins tune replacing them vv ith their own symbol anil names The challenge is thus issued and it will typically be settled only after the rival gangs fight it out ' prised of youths from Vietnamese refugee families in the West Jordan and Magna areas, acc ording to police That group calls itself the Happy' Hong Kongs " The method m which Such a rivalry raged m Salt Lake last summer and resulted in a downtown brawl that sent three people to the hospital, including a bystander who was tossed through a plate-glas- s window according to police reports But authorities say most of the gang rivalries are of the nature of a Detectives neighlxirhixid squabble also believe, however, that many serious assaults related to gang rivalries are never reported to lawmen the gang members preferring to settle the score on their own. In fact, much of the local gang activity goes unreported, officials suspect. "They are vicious little hoodlums and they get away with all kinds of things because they intimidate people and frighten them out of calling ixilice," claims Minta Brandon, a west side resident who says she has argued before community leaders for a solution to the gang problem. Gang Hangouts Many of the younger gang members, olficiais say, tend to hang around supermarkets and shopping malls, gathering near pinball and electronic games. When they run out of change for the games, they are said to often the Chicano gangs mark and maintain their ter ntones involves a fascinating, esoteric and highly evolved urban street ritual. It first appeared in the early 19W)s in the Barrio Select Name and Symbol Once a gang is formed, the first order of business is to select a name and a symbol or logo for the gangs title. Its members then locate a large wall often a concrete freeway retaining wall and use spray paint to inscribe the gang's symbol in a peculiar, block-syl- e script. The inscription will announce a territorial border and will also carry the names of the gang's leaders. A northwest Salt Lake City freeway overpass currently bears the symbol of a nearby gang and the nicknames of its leaders. "El Mico, El Moseo. "El Gato and "El Negro." A rival gang wishing to challenge the to territorial claim will use spray-pai- Surviving on the Streets: Eddies Bitter World "The cops used to come and talk to us and promise all kinds of stuff. Like they were going to get us involved in some softball leagues or something. Well, that would be OK some stuff like that. But thats all they do is talk about it. They don't care. It's just white-bo- y talk." No social programs, no educational programs, no methixl to become affiliated with society, the Chicano kids form their own cultures. Eddie says, they form gangs. "We have gangs and that's because we have nothing to do with our time. We aren't out looking for trouble, were just hanging out. But the cops think Were always looking for some kind of trouble. "Fvc been hanging out before with some guys when we were just standuig around on the corner listening to some music and the cops come up. you know and they harass us. like we're doing something wrong They just don't like to see us around Straight people get nervous ' 1 like to take im kill to do stuff in ' y Ingh-ndi'- is Chicano Gangs in SLC No Immediate Solution . 1 Continued From PagP B--l oppressed and ignored "There should lie some culture programs here. They should teach Chicano culture in the schools but theres nrthing like that They should have projects where Fids i an go paint murals or get involved in .ut Something to koo i them off the -- treets. "There are a lot of Miexican gangs in Salt Lake, but there's only one white it's the whole ci tv. man, one big gang t gang The kids who join the things are angry at white society, Eddie claims. They join as a reaction to tfcie oppression. "TIicyTe sick of wluteboy justice. he says Police Promises We like to cruise arcimd and take our cars over to the park or something, tint the cops are down on tis. They won't let us go to Lilicrty Park no more. We can't lake low riders to State Street U'cause that's where all tiie white-bocruise. They don't want us down there, so where are we going to " down" younger children, robkids ate making it hard bing them of their lunch money and Solomon Chacon a deputy Salt Lake threatening to hurt them if they report County attorney who is Mexicun-mericu- n the theft and a former resident of the They pick on little children and old west side, believes the kids who run m people and they scare the hell out of gang- - may Ik1 suspected of more4 them A lot of them could be really nice mischief than they are guilty of kds if they had any guidance, but all the Closely Scrutinized guidance they get is in those gangs tend to pick on them a little. Police not afraid of anything when They're down there, they're in a group." Mrs Brandon Whenever a crime hapi'ons out are the tile first people they check argues kids in the gangs and the kids resent "People think I'm crazy to speak out that They ore more closely scrutinized against them, but I'm not afraid We re b police than any other teen-ag- e trying to build this neighborhood into groups in the same neighborhood. he something halfway human and these savs town, hut ix'ople don't like to see Mexicans wafkmg around. 1 just like to go to Trolley Square with my kid, like everybixly else, but people are always giving us these lixiks, like. 'There goes that spie " Protect Turf The Clucano kids form gangs as a reaction to what they perceive as their isolation from white society, Eddie says And they isolate themselves from each other, carving separate territories ami protecting their turf. "You learn to stick to your ground When I go outside my territory. I go in a group We were always getting in fights alxmt something. You know, a group of guys w ill be hanging around together on Mam Street or something The guys carry their own weapons. We'll be standing there just hanging out on one side of the street and then these other guys will come up on the other side and we'll (list sit there fora while staring at each other Then out' guv will come over and or sa.v something like. Hey quo pasa . What's happening? and then we'll talk for awhile, just alxmt nothing, you know. Then some guy might have a grudge or something and hell give a bad look over "It's always one guy who starts it. Just one guy. Then the other guys will get into it and that's how it starts. The guys will go around stabbing each other or shooting at each other for a while. There's been some fights like that, not all the time, you know. "We came real close one time to having a big gang war here. But there's not going to he a gang war now There might he a war. "I'm a veteran man. a veterano.' and I've had my bumps and bruises and I've survived. But some of these v oungcr kids now who havent been mound like 1 have. It's the white guys they're mainly mad about They say if the white people don't start leaving them alone, there's going to be a big w ar "Well have to see what happens aren't getting much better." Tiling- - Continued From Page l social gap that fuels the formation of a gang culture. "When you have television crews pointing a camera at the kids at the high school, they (the kids) tend to play it up to it and they like the attention reinforces them and polarizes them even more. It hurts us in our work and makes it more difficult." Dr. Sorensen said. Ignited Fears on Publicity reports of local gang activity has ignited fears among citizens that widespread terrorism is taking place." according to Salt Lake City Councilman Ronald Whitehead. "There is no such thing; the problem as we see it is not that dangerous. Mr. Whitehead, w'hose council district comprises the city's northwest neighborhoods where gang activity has been reported, says the problem has been exaggerated. "I've been aware of the problem for some time, but I have yet to see any evidence of real dangerous activity. It is a very, very small minority of Chicano kids who belong to these groups. It is not widespread. d The councilman said reports of activity serve to further the "unjustified reputation of the west side as a dangerous place. People start to think it's dangerous just to walk around on the west side. That couldnt be further from the truth." Grant Mabey, City Councilman whose district includes the southwest and central west side neighborhoods, agrees the problem is not widespread, but argues that more "open communication" between city officials and gang members and their parents is necessary to prevent the situation from getting out of control." Root of Problem Like many authorities questioned on the gang phenomenon. Mr. Mabey argues that the root of the problem lies in the home and not in the sehixils. courts or police station "These kids need some kind ol B-- gang-relate- something to keep them off guidance it comes down to the the streets of the parents." he savs. responsibility "In my home. I dont hold the policeman responsible for what my kids do; that is my responsibility. says Salt Lake City Police Chief Bud Willoughby. "Tlie problems trace back to the homes. It is the police department's responsibility after the fact, when the activity involves criminal behavior or disorderly conduct. the chief adds. Recent recognition of the gang problem is spurring several community leaders to urge the development of civ ic projects, educational programs and d community-sponsoreworkshops to "divert the Clucano youth away from the gangs. Police Athletic League "That's why we were so anxious to get the Police Athletic League center in our district. Coucilman Mabey said. "We act'd more programs like that. Councilman Whitehead agrees: "The ix'ople at the Jackson Boy's Club, for example, are doing an outstanding job and we need more of it. Father Garcia said the Catholic diix'cse is beginning to form "religious clubs to tram Hispanic young adults. Hispanic community leaders will receive training in the formation of youth programs from exports from other states, who the Catholic diocese will bring to Salt Lake for "some guidance in initiating these programs. But Dr. Sorensen argues that the formation of special programs aimed only at Hispanic youth tends to increase the problem of "social polarization " Isolated Again "We began a class in Southwest U.S. history and the class was taught during a period that alternates with lunch periods. We found out that the teacher, who is Hispanic, was drawing the kids to lus class they were missing their lunch periods to go to the class. 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