Annotated Bibliography #1

Binyam sirmollo
4/2/08

Lloyd, J.D. “African American Street Gangs in California.” Contemporary Issues Companion: Gangs: 1-6. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. March 27th, 2008. <http://www.bpl.org/electronic/index.htm. >

The African American gangs began during the 1920s. The gangs in the 1920s were no as violent as present gangs in America. But from 1955 to 1965, membership in African American gangs had increased. The Crips and Bloods came in the late 1960s in Los Angels, California. In 1980s, both gangs spread throughout America influencing young teens to join. Youth ages 14 to 24 joined the Crips and Bloods by 1980. By 1990, the gang members now range in from 12 to 35 and sometimes even 40 years old. By 1990, the Crips and bloods had spread to 33 states and 123 cities with 135 homicides, 1416 assaults and 775 robberies. Both gangs have been in robberies and the estimated combined loss from those robberies is $4.7 million. The author is stating that there is an argument against the crimes the gangs have done in this article; it is telling how gangs have increased in certain years. As the years go by, African American gang has increased and new gangs are being formed. Also more crimes and gang violence have increased as years go by. J.D. Lloyd’s, perspective is to tell readers how gang violence has changed completely from the past.


Although it is terrifying, this article is definitely useful because it gives information about the gang violence that started out in one state and then spread through America. “Federal and state law enforcement authorities report Crips and Bloods gang members in 33 states and 123 cities.” It is important to the project because the community is surrounded by the gangs that Lloyd has written about. The author has statistics, years, and details from the past. The author does not like the gangs in America because they have caused more crimes over the years. Yes, the author is worried because over the years, the violence from gangs has increased and it is a bad sign for American society.

Annotated Bibliography #2

Binyam Sirmollo 4/08/10

Carlie, Mike. “The media sensationalize the gang problem.” Opposing viewpoints: gangs 2005: 1-7. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. April 7th, 2008. Http://www.bpl.org/electronic/index.htm.

The major argument that the author makes is that the media that the people watch are misrepresenting the gang problem. The reporters say different and confusing facts about gangs. The media should be held responsible for the wrong information they present on gangs. Most reporters focus on gang violence more than rape and murder. This article tells the readers that all the facts that reporters say about gang members and gang violence in the community may be wrong. All the media wants is for their income to increase. Mike Carlie believes that media are sending the wrong facts for the public about the gangs in community and also creating war between the communities.

Even though the gangs get mad that wrong facts are reported about them, this article is useful because the gangs are being treated in a wrong way even though they don’t do the things, they’re being judge at. The author is biased that the media is misinterpreting gangs. “The media misrepresent the gang problem…” the author seems he does not like what the media is sending to the public, because it’s makes the public scared of the youth gangs. Maybe the media is trying to get something online; they cast the gang violence from what they observe from the gangs.

Blog Introduction

My topic is about Gang Violence and I believe it is important to me and important to the community. Gang violence is bad for the community and for young youth. Gang violence is negatively influencing the youth to be involve in gang violence. It is important to me because the community are afraid and also divided from other communities. The gangs are controlling thecommunity and it is good facts for people to know. I believe gang violence exist because I am surrounded by gang violence and my community is divided by others. That means it is dangerouse for me to be in other communities because they know where i am from. We live in a tough society where people don't get along. We the people have the power to prevent the gang violence around us.

Rise in Gang Violence

This article talks about how the gang violence in America has increased over the years. there was 64 percent homicide done by the gangs. Doctors and emergency physicians sees a tragic result from the homicide. There was about 82 percent murders done by same race, for eaxmple (Hispanic vs. Hispanic, African American vs. African American.)

CIS SFV

This organization is called CIS SFV and it is a gang intervention and prevention. The organization serve more than 1,000 youth and family and the people that leads the program are former gang members. The ornaization goal or strategy is to prevent the gang violence and to protect the citizens of America.

Annotated Bibliography #3

Binyam Sirmollo 4/10/08

Carroll, Rebecca. “Latisha: Fourteen; Portland, Oregon.” Sugar in the raw New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997.

In this chapter, Latisha talks about how each gang represent themselves. It is easy to tell when a person is in the gang by their clothing. Each gang as a color that represent their gang. For example, the Crips use blue and the Bloods use red. Each color means something to the gang members. The gangs also have their own language with their style and English in it. The Crips and Bloods have had a war since the 1960’s. Wearing a gang color is dangerous because you can be attacked by other gang members even though you are not in a gang. Young youth join different kind of gangs because they did not have a father figure guiding them the right way. That happened to Latisha’s brothers because they did not have their father figure around them. The argument that the author is making in this chapter is that it can be a bad decision to wear gang colors even though the person is not in a gang. Gangs are different than regular person when it comes to dressing and to the language they speak.

This chapter is useful because it provides evidence on how gang’s members dress and talk and it explains the best way to stay out of trouble from the gangs. The author seems biased about how any person can be in trouble for wearing one gang color. “You gotta be careful, too, because if you’re wearing one of those colors, you can get in real trouble. Even if you are not gang-affiliated and you are wearing either red or blue, you can be identifying as gang-affiliated even if you don’t want to be.” The author does not like the idea of people getting hurt for wearing the clothes they want, and feels like it should be reported to police. This is a good book because it has a lot of facts about each gang. Every reader should believe this book because this book is being experienced and it makes it interesting. This book seems true because what people read is what they see on the streets.

Gang Violence

Mothers Against Gang Wars

This organization's mission to end the gang violence because it's destroying youth around America's communities. The organization was formed in 1991 by Sandra Davis. The MAGW are willing to help yound adults by listening to what they have to say.