Chicago is considered the most gang-occupied city in the United States, with a population ranging from 100,000 active members from over 70 gangs with more than 150,000 members.

Gang warfare A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...

and retaliation is common in Chicago. Gangs were responsible for 61% of the homicides in Chicago in 2011.

Causes

Former

Chicago Police The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...

Superintendent,

Garry McCarthy Garry Francis McCarthy (born May 4, 1959) is the interim Chief of Police in Willow Springs, Illinois and previous Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He was a candidate for Mayor of Chicago in the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. Ear ...

, blames Chicago's gang culture for its high rates of homicide and other violent crime, stating "It's very frustrating to know that it's like 7% of the population causes 80% of the violent crime... The gangs here are traditional gangs that are generational, if you will. The grandfather was a gang member, the father's a gang member, and the kid right now is going to be a gang member".

Policing strategy

Former Mayor

Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel (; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current United States Ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served two terms as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 ...

disbanded the Chicago Police Department's anti-gang unit in 2012 in order to focus on beat patrols, which he said would have a more long-term solution to violence than anti-gang units.

Composition

Most traditional Chicago street gangs, known as ''nations,'' fall under two main factions called the People Nation and the Folks Nation, with the former having most, if not all gangs under the "Almighty" moniker while the latter having most gangs divided into various sub-factions, the majority of which are a part of an alliance called ''Latin Folks'' which are further divided into groups called ''familias''. There are also nations that are independent of both the Folks and People Nations, such as the Black Soul Nation. Street gangs that are independent of Folks and People but retain similar identifiers and symbolism as well as maintain a hierarchical structure in membership are known as ''war crews'' and do not identify as nations though they will engage in traditional gang activity and may conflict with nations as well as other crews. Street gangs that do not retain any semblance of traditional nations or war crews are known simply as ''cliques.'' Each individual gang is divided into ''sets'' which are territories spanning blocks or neighborhoods that may be divided further into subsets. There are currently at least 70 active Chicago street gangs with 747 factions that have been identified. All currently active street gangs in Chicago are: Folks Nation Latin Folks Familias: Almighty Familia: * Almighty Ambrose Nation * Almighty Brazer Nation *

Almighty Harrison Gent Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations *Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago *A ...

Almighty Imperial Gangster Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations *Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago *A ...

* Almighty Insane Pope Nation (Folks Nation) * Almighty Krazy Getdown Boy Nation * Almighty Latin Eagle Nation * Almighty Simon City Royal Nation

Gangster Familia A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

: * Gangster Disciple Nation *

Gangster Two-Six Nation A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

* Gangster Party People Nation *

Gangster Sin City Boy Nation A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and r ...

Insane Familia Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

: *

Insane Ashland Viking Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

Insane Campbell Boy Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

(defunct) *

Insane C-Note Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

Insane Deuce Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

Insane Dragon Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

Insane King Cobra Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain Abnormality (behavior), abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of Norm (sociology), societal norms, including a person or perso ...

Insane Orquesta Albany Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

Insane Spanish Cobra Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or t ...

* Insane Young Latino Organization Cobras Maniac Familia: *

Maniac Latin Disciple Nation Maniac (from Greek language, Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior. Maniac may also refer ...

* Maniac Campbell Boy Nation *

Maniac Young Latino Organization Disciples Maniac (from Greek language, Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior. Maniac may also refer ...

No Family: *

Allport Lover Nation Allport may refer to: * Allport (surname) * Allport, Arkansas Allport is a town in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States. Although a black enclave in the largely-white Lonoke County since the 1870s, the town did not incorporate until 1967 in ...

(likely defunct) *

Aztec Soul Nation The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl l ...

* Black Disciple Nation * Black King Cobra Nation (No relation to Black Cobra Souls, Mickey Cobras, Insane King Cobras or Insane Spanish Cobras) *

Boss Pimp Nation Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, a p ...

* Hoodlum Nation *

Insane Gangster Satan Disciple Nation Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain Abnormality (behavior), abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of Norm (sociology), societal norms, including a person or perso ...

(formerly Insane Familia and Gangster Familia) * Insane Gangster City Knight Nation (given prefix by Insane Gangster Satan Disciple Nation) * Insane Two-Two Boy Nation (formerly Insane Familia) * Insane Majestic Nation *

La Raza Nation La Raza is a street gang founded in Chicago in 1973. Their colors are green, white, and red (same as the Mexican flag). Their symbols include the Mexican flag, cross, and a six-point star. Relations with other gangs Although La Raza Nation is ...

* Latin Dragon Nation * Latin Jiver Nation * Universal Latin Lover Nation (possibly defunct) *

Latin Soul Nation Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

* Latin Styler Nation *

Milwaukee King Nation Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...

Spanish Gangster Disciple Nation Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

* Wolcott Boy Nation People Nation *

Almighty Bishop Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations * Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago ...

* Almighty Black P. Stone Nation * Almighty Familia Stone Nation *Almighty Four Corner Hustler Nation * Almighty Gaylord Nation *

Almighty Insane Latin Brother Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations * Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago ...

* Almighty Insane Latin Count Nation *Almighty Insane Pope Nation (Southside, People Nation) * Almighty Insane Unknown Nation *Almighty Laflin Lover Nation (likely defunct) * Almighty Latin Angel Nation * Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation *

Almighty Latin Pachuco Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations * Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago ...

Almighty Latin Stone Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations * Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer *Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago ...

* Almighty Noble Knight Nation * Almighty Party Player Nation * Almighty Puerto Rican Stone Nation (likely defunct) * Almighty Saints Nation * Almighty Spanish Four Corner Hustler Nation * Almighty Spanish Lord Nation * Almighty Spanish Vice Lord Nation * Almighty Stoned Freak Nation * Almighty Twelfth Player Nation *Almighty True Warlord Nation * Almighty Vice Lord Nation *

Almighty Villa Lobo Nation The Almighty (or "God Almighty") is an Abrahamic term for God. Almighty may also refer to: People and organizations * Almighty (rapper), a Cuban/Puerto Rican raised Latin trap rapper and singer * Almighty Saints, a street gang active in Chicago ...

* Chi-West Nation *Fourth Generation Messiah Nation * Mickey Cobra Nation * Taylor Jouster Nation (defunct) Independent gangs * Black Gangster Nation *

Black Souls Nation Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...

* Mara Salvatrucha (defunct) * Bloods (defunct) * Sureños (defunct) Crews * 103rd Street Crew *

35th Street Crew Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

* 61st Boys * Adidas Boys * Akrhos * Bad Boys * Born Legends *

Crazy Latino Boys Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or t ...

Goonie Boys ''The Goonies'' is a 1985 American adventure comedy film co-produced and directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus, based on a story by Steven Spielberg. In the film, kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Asto ...

(likely defunct) * Homicide Boys * Krazy Ass Latinos * Lynch Mob * Mafia Family (likely defunct) *

Maniac Players Maniac (from Greek language, Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior. Maniac may also refer ...

One of the Boys ''One of the Boys'' is the second studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 17, 2008, by Capitol Records. She collaborated with producers Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Dave Stewart, Max Martin, and Ted Bruner among others, on ...

* Outlaws * Nike Boys * Polish Mafia * Slag Valley Boys * South Deering Boys * Southwest Boys (formerly a Gangster Two-Six ''future crew'') * West Lawns (defunct) * Winchester Boys * Vietnamese Clan

History

Hispanic-on-Hispanic homicides increased in the summer of 1971 due to the Latin Kings gang election meetings. In July 2021, federal agents participating in Operation Legend arrested 27

Black Disciples The Black Disciples (often abbreviated as BDN, BDN III, BD's) is a large street gang based in Chicago, Illinois, which received significant news coverage after the murder of one of their own members, an 11-year-old named Robert Sandifer. H ...

gang members associated with drugs and gun violations in the Englewood neighborhood on the

South Side of Chicago The South Side is an area of Chicago, Illinois, U.S. It lies south of the city's Loop area in the downtown. Geographically, it is the largest of the three sides of the city that radiate from downtown, with the other two being the north and w ...

.CHICAGO BLACK DISCIPLES GANG LEADER AMONG 23 CHARGED IN FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, OFFICIALS SAY
ABC7 Chicago, July 19, 2020

References

{{Gangs

Causes

Policing strategy

Composition

History

See also

References