Gang violence has always been a real issue, and in the late 1990s, it was at its peak with gang related war; in especially in Southern California particularly Los Angeles. Los Angeles has been a major problem with gangs since the early part of the 20th century. Los Angeles is informally known as the "Gang Capital of the Nation". In Los Angeles, law enforcement officials are aware of more than 1300 street gangs with over 150,000 members. In the City of Los Angeles alone, there are over 400 separate gangs and an estimated 39,000-gang member. The most common gangs that are in the Los Angeles area are the Bloods and the Crips. Both are recognized but the “colors” that they wear. Bloods wear bandanas, or other articles of the clothes that have a red color, Crips wear blue. Though they are known by their distinct colors, these two gangs are rival enemies. Also, they can be recognized by the different tattoos an individual has, there are certain marking each gang member will have.
Every year young children are joining these gangs in hopes to fit or belong somewhere. But, getting into these gangs isn’t easy there are initiations. The most common initiation would be "Blood in - Blood out.” This is particularly initiation the “Blood-in” refers to assaulting or murdering someone. “Blood-out” refers to the death of the member whether by his/her own death or at the hands of a gang member. Violence is not the only thing that is gangs are known graffiti, or "tagging." is one way the gangs mark their territory. By tagging an area, the gang might want to make their presence known or it may be a way of letting people knows where they are selling drugs.
Other Violence includes drive-by shootings, four teen-agers were wounded in a drive-by shooting and, by the end of 1989, and several drive-bys were being reported each week. One December, a 19-year-old man became the first