This PowerPoint presentation provides information to help teachers, administrators, and parents recognize gang activity and affiliation. It defines what a gang is, explains how gangs mark their territory with graffiti, identify themselves with colors and hand signs, and get tattoos. Potential signs of gang involvement include changing appearance, poor grades, new friends or nickname, and drug use. The presentation also lists some known gangs in Wise County, Virginia and provides contact information for the Coeburn Police Department who sponsored the presentation.

1. RECOGNIZING GANG AFFILIATION
A POWER POINT PRESENTATION FOR
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS
SPONSORED BY
COEBURN POLICE DEPT.
CREATED BY H. STALLARD 11/ 08
hstallard@yahoo.com

2. RECOGNIZING GANG ACTIVITY
THIS PRESENTATION WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION ON
WHAT A GANG IS…
HOW THEY MARK THEIR TERRITORY…
WHY THEY WEAR COLORS…
WHAT THEIR HAND SIGNS ARE USED FOR…
THINGS THAT MIGHT INDICATE A STUDENT IS
INVOLVED IN A GANG…

3. WHAT IS A GANG ?

4. WHAT IS A GANG ?
A gang is 3 or more individuals (juveniles
and/or adults)
who associate on a continuous basis,
form an allegiance for a common purpose,
whose members collectively identify
themselves by adopting a group identity
and are involved in delinquent or criminal
activity.

5. MARKING THEIR TURF
Just as a dog will mark his territory…
Gangs use graffiti to mark their turf.

6. Some gang related graffiti signs
include:
CROWNS

7. Some gang related graffiti signs
include:
STARS

8. Some gang related graffiti signs
include:
PITCHFORKS

9. Some gang related graffiti signs
include:
Artistic drawings of gang's name

10. Hard to read-lettering

11. One gang will mark out another gang’s graffiti
often with their own colors…

12. GANG COLORS
All gangs have designated colors. Their colors
may be worn in any number of different ways,
beads, bandannas, clothing (including sports
attire) hats, shoelaces, key chains, back packs,
national flags, etc.

13. GANG COLORS

14. HAND SIGNS
Hand signs are used by street gangs and prison
gangs, as a silent language to communicate with
others. They are used by gang members to
identify their membership or to antagonize
members of other gangs.

15. HAND SIGNS

16. TATTOOS
Just as they mark their turf with graffiti, they
often use tattoos to mark themselves.

17. TATTOOS

18. OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT INDICATE
GANG AFFILIATION
Changing physical appearance with special
haircuts, shaved eyebrows, and specific
tattoos.
Caps worn backwards or to one side.
Utilization of hand signs.
Drawing gang graffiti on personal belongings,
such as backpacks, notebooks, posters,
furniture, etc.

19. OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT INDICATE
GANG AFFILIATION
Sudden poor school grades coupled with a
disinterest in school.
Use of unknown vocabulary (gangs utilize their
own terminology and codes).
A sudden change in friends.
Acquiring a new nickname.
Any evidence of drug abuse.
Oversized baggy clothing.

20. CODE OF VIRGINIA
• 18.2-46.2. Prohibited criminal street gang participation;
penalty.
• A. Any person who actively participates in or is a member
of a criminal street gang and who knowingly and willfully
participates in any predicate criminal act committed for
the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with
any criminal street gang shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony
(imprisonment for one to 10 years or jail for up to 12
months and a fine of up to $2,500, either or both.).
However, if such participant in or member of a criminal
street gang is age eighteen years or older and knows or
has reason to know that such criminal street gang also
includes a juvenile member or participant, he shall be
guilty of a Class 4 felony(imprisonment for two to 10
years and a fine of up to $100,000.).

21. CODE OF VIRGINIA
• 18.2-46.3. Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang;
penalty.
• A. Any person who solicits, invites, recruits, encourages or
otherwise causes or attempts to cause another to actively
participate in or become a member of what he knows to be
a criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor
(confinement in jail for up to twelve months and a fine of
up to $2,500, either or both.). Any person age 18 years or
older who solicits, invites, recruits, encourages or
otherwise causes or attempts to cause a juvenile to actively
participate in or become a member of what he knows to be
a criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 6 felony
(imprisonment for one to five years or jail for up to 12
months and a fine of up to $2,500, either or both.).

22. CODE OF VIRGINIA
• 18.2-46.3:1. Third or subsequent conviction of criminal
street gang crimes.
• Upon a felony conviction of § 18.2-46.2or §18.2-46.3,
where it is alleged in the warrant, information or
indictment on which a person is convicted that (i) such
person has been previously convicted twice under any
combination of § 18.2-46.2or §18.2-46.3, within 10
years of the third or subsequent offense, and (ii) each
such offense occurred on different dates, such person
is guilty of a Class 3 felony (imprisonment for five to 20
years and a fine of up to $100,000.).

23. KNOWN GANGS IN WISE COUNTY
Pagan’s
MOTORCYCLE CLUB

24. KNOWN GANGS IN WISE COUNTY
WARLORDS
MOTORCYCLE CLUB

25. KNOWN GANGS IN WISE COUNTY
MS 13
STREET GANG

26. KNOWN GANGS IN WISE COUNTY
Crips
STREET GANG

27. KNOWN GANGS IN WISE COUNTY
BALLA’S
A wanna be STREET GANG

28. • COEBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT
• 114 FRONT STREET
• 395-2111
• CHIEF SCOTT BROOKS
• sbrooks@townofcoeburn.com