Today the PI has an interesting story about a web site named Northwest Gangs. It was started by a man named “Brad” who was curious about gang graffiti and decided to set up the website to gather information about the gangs that are active in the area.
The first thing that strikes me when looking at the list of gangs is just how many of them there are: over 50 in the “Seattle Blacks” category alone.
Looking at the list, here’s a few that appear to be headquartered in the CD, along with what would be the equivalent of their national chapter if they were college fraternities:
Gangster Disciple Folks
Deuce 8 (28th & Jackson)
Deuce 0 (20th & Yesler)
Deuce Jive
East Union Street Hustlers
Eastside Hunerds, clique of EUSH
Klick Clack Gang
Mad Block (Madison Street)
Street Mobb
24th & Dearborn
26th & Pine
26th & Cherry
27th & Cherry- Money Over Everything
31th & Cherry- Mind Body SoulBlood Gangs
Low Profile
And in other gang news, it sounds like the state legislature missed an opportunity in the session that ended last week, where new anti-gang legislation was passed, but without the prevention tools that were present in the original version of the bill. Instead it focuses only on enforcement:
– Stiffer penalties for gang crimes
– Funding for graffiti removal
– New penalties for recruiting minors into gangs
– Funding for a database to track gang members and their activity
Unfortunately, what it doesn’t do is help parents and their kids avoid getting involved in gangs and related criminal activity in the first place.
A lot of people contacted Gov. Gregoire’s office to ask her to veto the bill for the reasons you mentioned. Does anyone know whether she signed it or not?
It’s still awaiting action by the governor:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2712&year=2007
We’ve asked the Governor’s office to provide an update, but haven’t heard back yet.
“Unfortunately, what it doesn’t do is help parents and their kids avoid getting involved in gangs and related criminal activity in the first place.”
I think our block groups have an opportunity here. For example, we adopt streets and traffic circles. Why not adopt an after-school progam? Not only would that benefit the kids in the program, it might send a message that block groups are interested in more than just cleaner streets and reduced crime (two things we are definitely interested in).
I’d like to hear more about this idea
here’s another thought:
community members put up mentors, African/American Heritage Museum provides space, city of
Seattle (Neighborhood funds?) provides materials. Programs focus on: academic mentoring, writing, art, dance.
Sign me up! Any champions out there?
Isn’t this what Caya (central area youth association) does? It’s located on 23rd between fir and yesler. http://www.seattle-caya.org/
I hadn’t thought this out in any detail. The idea is to get together with one’s block group, find a good program that everyone likes, and then to find a way to support it. With summer coming, youth sports programs are another option. CAYA is another option — thanks tp. Those with more time and ambition can start their own programs; my preferences incline towards supporting one of the good programs already in existence.
i wonder how accurate/current these lists are, and how ‘real’ these gangs are portrayed to be. it mentions the “Deuce 0” at 20th & Yesler, but i’ve yet to see a posse claim that corner (not like how they do at 28th & Jackson). am i missing something there though? maybe cuz i’m still new to the neighborhood, but i live two short blocks from there and drive by it every day…and all i see is that corner coffee shop, a park that kids sometime play in, and folks waiting outside that hair place. (i also heard there was some good bbq there too?) however, i’ve never really seen any signs of a gang at that corner. i mean occasionally i see some youngin’s hanging around Hidmo’s (the other end of 20th one block over), but since that is somewhat of a Hip-Hip gathering spot I don’t assume they’re all gangsters. can someone tell me otherwise? ca’mahn gangsters, sound off! i’d love to hear from any of these self-proclaimed CD gangsters that like checking this site (because internet banging is way cooler now than running the streets) give me a break.
To the person asking about “Deuce-0” and how they are not holding down their corner… I just want to say because demographic trends are changing in the city of Seattle, the majority of these gangs members that originally started out on 20th & Yesler, have now moved away to more affordable neighborhoods. You may still find many of these gangsters living in the Yesler projects and other Central District locations. They may keep the name “Deuce-0” regardless where they live or do their criminal activities.