The document discusses the historical context and impact of gang databases, particularly the CalGang database, on youth of color in Los Angeles. It outlines the origins of gang profiling, systemic racial violence, and the escalation of incarceration rates linked to policies originating in L.A. The analysis reveals stark racial disparities in treatment and outcomes for marginalized communities and critiques the extensive financial resources devoted to policing versus community intervention initiatives.

2. Tracked and
Trapped
The Impact of
Gang Databases on
Youth of Color
PO Box 73688, L.A., CA 90003 / www.youth4justice.org / freelanow@yahoo.com

3. THE CALGANG DATABASE IS ROOTED IN L.A.’S 164-YEAR-LONG
WAR
ON GANGS

4. 1848 California and the Southwest is
annexed into U.S. through illegal war
against Mexico.
L.A. :
Is the only region west of Texas to side with the
Confederacy.
Gains reputation as nation’s most violent city with one
murder per day by 1870. The homicide rate between
1847 and 1870 averaged 158 per 100,000, which
was 10 to 20 times the annual murder rates for
New York City during the same period. If we
had the same homicide rate today, we’d have
600,000 murders a year. French send troops to
protect their citizens.
By 1871, half of businesses are gambling halls, saloons or
houses of prostitution, most with political or law
enforcement ownership or involvement. Corruption is the
norm in L.A.’s police force until the Parker administration
of the 1960s. The Marshall’s Office is funded by
enslavement of indigenous population.
L.A.’s first jail is established (chain and a log.)

5. L.A.’S WAR ON GANGS
STARTS IN 1848:
L.A. has the highest lynching rate of any region in the country. the victims are largely Californios - now seen
since the war as Mexicans struggling to reclaim land and livestock taken through the war. First use of gang
profiling – “bandido/bandit” – to criminalize groups. Los Angeles had several active Vigilance Committees
during that era. Between 1850 and 1870, mobs carried out approximately 35 lynchings of Mexicans—more
than four times the number that occurred in San Francisco. Los Angeles was described as "undoubtedly the
toughest town of the entire nation.
1871 – Chinese Massacre is L.A.’s first of many “riots,” all of which are led by law enforcement or happen in
response to police brutality. A shootout between Tong factions leads to the death of a popular white
chicken rancher. A mob of 200-500 Whites and Latinos led by local government and law enforcement leads
to the lynching of 19 Chinese men and the burning down of Chinatown. Vigilante mobs and state sanctioned
murder typifies L.A.’s “justice” system throughout 1800s and early 1900s.
1881 - The L.A. Times is founded by Otis Harrison, and both he and the paper are a leading voice in L.A..’s
power structure which establishes L.A. as nearly all-white and union free by 1900.

6. Throughout the 1900s, the war on
gangs continued.
L.A. has more “riots” than any other region of the country - all are
either led by law enforcement or military against the community or
represent a community response police violence.
confiscation of all savings, businesses the most famous of which
was the Sleepy Lagoon Trial and Sailor (a.k.a. Zoot Suit) Riots
where “fear of gangs” was used to criminalize and incarcerate
youth of color.

7. THE BACKLASH AGAINST
YOUTH
POWER

9. OUT OF L.A. CAME THE BUILDERS OF SCHOOL DE-FUNDING AND MASS INCARCERATION

10. THESE POLICIES ALSO CAME OUT OF L.A.:
Nixon’s Law and Order backlash after 60s movements creates a massive
jump in incarceration. NIXON DECLARES WAR ON DRUGS. The prison
population increases 600% in 20 years. California and L.A. lead the world
in incarceration and harsh sentencing, including creation of adult court
transfers, JLWOP, Prop 21 and Prop 9 - all are written and financed from
L.A.; Three Strikes is financed from L.A.
Howard Jarvis and Ronald Reagan lead anti-tax movement (Prop 13), the “war on
drugs” and war on welfare, and mental health de-institutionalization without
community services, all lead to massive increase in homelessness and further
incarceration. L.A. creates “planned Skid Row” to force homeless into downtown
isolation.
Chief Parker introduces military-style policing and brings National Guard into Watts in
‘65. Gates takes militarization further by creating nation’s first SWAT and CRASH
(gang).’92 Gates also created DARE.
U.S. fuels wars against rebellions in Central America. In the 80s, LAPD and Sheriffs
work with U.S. military to teach counter-guerilla tactics, interrogation and torture
against civilians. In the 90s and 00s, they return to teach gang suppression when
people are deported - (the greatest number from L.A.)
2007 - Jordan Downs is first community in the U.S. to get internet-based surveillance
system. L.A. and Riverside first to use GPS monitoring to track people with gang
convictions returning home from prison.

11. IN L.A. :
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE U.S. STRATEGY INCLUDED FLOODING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
WITH DRUGS LEADING TO A RELIANCE ON AN UNDERGROUND DRUG ECONOMY

12. BY THE 1980s, YOUTH ARE LABELED
SUPER
PREDATORS
Even though John DiLulio, the researcher who created the
term later apologized for his flawed research.

13. In the 1980s, Los Angeles County built the nation’s first comprehensive gang suppression
policies:
[1] Gang injunctions - first started
in Pomona and West Covina in 1983 -
the ability to lock down a
neighborhood and arrest
people if they are
on the street with another
alleged gang member -
Including family - out past
curfew, or carrying a cell phone.
[2] In 1985, L.A. established CLEAR
[Community Law Enforcement and
Recovery] first multi-agency task
force and joint code enforcement
effort targeting street gangs.
[3] In 1987, the L.A. County Sheriffs Department created the first gang database -
a computerized file that labeled people as “gang members”
without their knowledge, without any chance to appeal, and without clear way to get off.
(4) The statewide STEP (Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention) Act in ‘88, the nation’s
first law targeting street gangs, first gang definition, first language referring to gang
members as “terrorists,” first gang enhancements in court, and took database statewide
to create the CalGang Database.

14. For most people, getting added to the CalGang Database begins with a police officer
stopping them on the street or in school, asking questions, and taking pictures
of them and identifying characteristics
(such as scars and tattoos.) During the stop, the
police fill out an F.I. card - known as a
“field information card.” Some
departments refer to
this as a field identification card.
An officer trained in
CalGangs - either
the officer who
made the stop or
another officer
they hand the
information off to -
determines whether or
not to add the person and
the information collected
onto CalGangs.

15. [1] CalGang is a secret police surveillance tool.
People (and their parents)
are not notified, they have no process to
challenge/appeal the label and
departments have no standard process
for removing people. If you are removed,
that is also kept secret from you.
[2] Whenever the person comes into contact
with law enforcement in the state - and increasingly
In the nation - they will come up as a “known gang
member.”
[2] Criteria to be added to the CalGang
Database includes that the person meet
two of the following: a. admits “gang membership”
or association; b. is observed to be associating on with
“known” gang members; c. has tattoos “indicating
membership;” wears clothing, symbols, etc. to identify
with a specific gang; is in a photograph with “known gang
members” or with gang signs; name is on a “gang document,
hit list or gang related graffiti; is identified as a gang member
by a “reliable source;” is arrested in the company of known
gang members or associates; corresponds with known gang
members or associates and/or receives correspondence about
gang activities; writes about gang(s) on walls, books, paper, etc.

16. Through submission of a Public Records Act request, the Youth Justice Coalition just
released the first-ever data on who is on the CalGang database:
201,094 people are currently on
CalGangs. 94.8% are male. Twenty
percent are African American; 66%
are Latino. The database includes
youth as young as ten.
The population of L.A. County makes
up 27% of California; but L.A. makes up
40% of the people on the CalGang
database.

17. Results of
L.A.’s
(Most Recent)
Multi-
Billion $
Gang War?

18. Results of L.A.’s Most Recent
Multi-Billion $ Gang War?
• After 30 years, L.A. has 6 times as many alleged
gangs and at least twice as many alleged gang
members.
• In 30 years, there are more than 100,000
shooting victims in South Central and Watts alone.
• In West L.A., 1 in 78,000 young men are
victims of homicide.
• In East L.A. it’s 1 in 6,100.
We have exported
• In South L.A., it’s 1 in 2,200. the street organizations,
• L.A. County leads the nation and the the violence and the
world in detention, incarceration and suppression policies
nationwide and
deportation> internationally.
• One in 3 African American males is under the
custody of the state.
• African Americans are 11% of L.A.’s population,
but 36% of detention and prison population.
• Latinos in L.A. serve five times longer sentences
for the same crimes as whites.
• Latino youth are five times more likely, and
African American youth 18.3 times more likely
to receive life without parole than white youth.

19. L.A.’s WAR ON GANGS FUELED CALIFORNIA’S ADDICTION TO INCARCERATION

20. IN THE EARLY 80s, CALIFORNIA STARTED TO
RAPIDLY EXPAND THE BUILDING OF PRISONS
AND CUT THE BUDGET TO EVERYTHING ELSE.

42. DURING THAT SAME TIME,
CALIFORNIA BUILT ONE UC AND
TWO CAL STATE UNIVERSITIES.

43. California used to be #1
in school spending
and had one of the best
school systems
in the world.
Now, California is #1
in prison spending,
and with this year’s
budget cuts,
dropped from #47 to
#50 in school
spending.
South and East L.A. lead
the nation in school
overcrowding,
low test scores and
drop-out/push-out rates
with only 40%
of students graduating.

44. Just
1%
of L.A.’s Courts,
Police, Sheriffs’
District Attorney’s,
Probation’s and City
Attorney’s Budgets
would pay for: 500 full-
time gang intervention
workers; 50 youth
centers open from 3pm -
midnight, 365 days a
year; and 25,000 youth
jobs!

45. Job and Cost Comparisons Between Law Enforcement and Intervention