The Re-Evolution of American Street Gangs

The problem of gangs and gang subculture is a growing threat to the stability of neighborhoods and entire communities. During the past two decades, gang members have increasingly migrated from large urban centers to suburban areas and other countries. This book addresses the intricacies and diversities of street gangs, drawing on the expertise of high-ranking law enforcement officials monitoring terrorist activity and gang-related crimes as well as professional private investigators who have spent several decades investigating gangs and learning their subculture, lifestyle, motivations, and relationships.

Ideal for supplemental reading in gang violence courses on criminal justice, sociology, law, and psychology, this comprehensive anthology presents thorough coverage of a notoriously difficult subject. It explores the following key topics:

• Social, psychological, and criminal impact of street gangs on juveniles
• Psychology of gang membership and the pathways that lead into and out of gang culture
• Relationship between religion and dangerous criminal gangs
• How U.S.-based gangs are using technology to advance their operations
• Use of graffiti by street gangs
• Evolution of gangs and recommendations for preventing future growth
• Gang enhancement crimes and associated misconduct of police and prosecutors

Like any type of crime, street gang criminal activity cannot be totally eliminated. This book aims to provide a better understanding of gangs so that we can influence today’s potential gang members to make the right decisions for their sake and the sake of society.

Dale L. June has been involved in criminal justice for his entire adult life. After a career in policing and government service, he became a private investigator and personal protection specialist. He has given protective services training to law enforcement officers and private and public corporations both domestically and internationally. June earned a master’s degree from George Washington University with a major in criminal justice. He served in the U.S. Secret Service under Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. In 2001, he became a co-founder of Henley-Putnam University (Santa Clara, California) and remained with the university as a special consultant and adjunct instructor until 2010.

Gregorio "Greg" Estevane, PI/JD, is an adjunct criminal justice professor currently at DeVry and Argosy universities, teaching and researching in the areas of gangs and criminal investigations. Estevane was the 2004 chair/dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Westwood College (Los Angeles) for five years and built that department from 200 to 600 students, building an "all-star cast" staff of 15 adjunct professors from sitting judge, FBI agent, former Secret Service agent, district attorney investigators, city gang prosecutors, probation officers, police, defense attorneys, and others. Estevane is a Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego County Superior Court gang expert witness/investigator panel member.

Mohamad A. Khatibloo, PhD, is a co-founder and vice president of operations for a Southern California-based firm, having affiliates across the country and worldwide, specializing in investigative and expert testimony in gang typology and terrorism issues, and related traditional investigative cases. Dr. Khatibloo holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Chapman University (Orange, California) and completed his doctorate in criminal justice management, and is currently enrolled in a psychological doctorate program, specializing in criminal and deviant behavior.