California Nuestra Familia Gang and the Role of Police in Curbing the Gang's Crimes (Research Paper Sample)

California Neustra Familia Gang
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California Nuestra Familia Gang
California defines a criminal gang as a continuous association, affiliation, or gathering of three or more persons whose essential exercises incorporate vicious crimes; with a common name or distinguishing sign, and whose individuals separately or in a group display a consistent pattern of criminal activities (Ojjdp.org, n.d., para. 4).
Nuestra Familia is a profoundly organized, to a significant degree brutal, jail based group of individuals operating primarily in penitentiaries and groups in California. A majority are solely Mexican or Mexican American people living in Central or Northern California or housed in the state's jail stem. Both inside of the prison framework, the community and most often are involved in coercion and drug trafficking in the city. Additionally, Nuestra Familia is associated with different gang activities such as murder and burglary. The criminal network is upheld, principally dynamic in detainment facilities and groups in Central and Northern regions of California.
Notably, the name Nuestra Familia is a Spanish name that is translated into English as ‘our family’. Initially, it was started in the year 1966 by a group of inmates who were of Mexican origin. As noted, ‘our family’ formed to protect themselves from a rival gang known as the Mexican Mafia. Essentially, the Nuestra Familia members were solely Mexican from the rural areas, while the Mexican Mafia members (Mexican-Americans) came from the urban parts of California known as Barrios (Crptome.org, 2003, p. 1).
Additionally, a major conflict shortly followed in the year 1967, in a correction facility. The reason behind the conflict was that a member of the Mexican Mafia (also known as La Eme), allegedly stabbed a member of the Nuestra Familia gang. The main reason behind the violence was the issue of drug control between the two groups. Since the stabbing that happened in the correction facility, the two gangs have been bitter rivals and are said to be involved in a ‘murder on sight’ kind of conflict.
The Nuestra Familia has grown since then, and the leading factor is that the gang members have managed to establish themselves as an organization where some rules bind all members. For instance, the organization made a composed constitution that built up an administrative structure on a paramilitary basis. NF positions incorporated a general, and additionally commanders, lieutenants, and troopers. Every part was required to maintain principles concerning dress codes, cleanliness, and conduct, with brutal discipline imposed upon infringement of any of those principles.
The gang's participation has been restricted to Mexican and Mexican American detainees with binds to Central or Northern California. There is no base age prerequisite, but the age bracket of twenty to forty persons is the average recruitment age. For one to be incorporated as one of the gang members, a prisoner must be supported by a Nuestra Familia member on favorable terms and his enrollment must be endorsed by a gang leader. To be supported, one must substantiate themselves as worthy by comprehensively internalizing the gang’s philosophy, rules, structures and conducting operations for the gang.
Notably, a norteno (a person from the northern part of California), who wants to join the Nuestra Familia is often required to spill blood for them to be accepted as one of the members. It means that one has to make an assault or commit murder to get qualified. Likewise, the blood spilled upon entry symbolizes allegiance to the organization. Therefore, if a member wishes to leave the organization (which is a gross violation), the punishment is death.
On the other hand, the gang has a hierarchy and for one to be promoted to a higher level in the organization, the qualifying factor is committing murder! Overall, a member of the Nuestra Familia cannot resign and should be committed to the gang’s activities throughout their life. Likewise, any gross violation of the gangs rules the penalty is the same: Death. However, the organization allows for retirement after twenty years of service, but one can be ordered to carry out a mission on behalf of the gang, and it is necessary to adhere to the instruction or faced death. On the other hand, those who join the gang in prison, notably the northerners (or nortenos), serve as members of the gang until their release. Therefore, they are not required to carry out any activity on behalf of the gang.
One may be tempted to ask, are women allowed to join the gang? Well, the answer is no. Nuestra Familia does not recruit women. However, they play an important role especially smuggling, and communication. For instance, they smuggle money, drugs, and sometimes weapons to those in prison. From a communication’s perspective, they act as the link between the inmates and the gang members on the outside.
Nuestra Familia built up a vicinity in the city of California. The introductory Nuestra Familia road regiment, known as Car, was set up in Fresno, California, and got to be known as the Fresno Car. The Fresno Car's primary wellsprings of pay were circulating drugs illegally, carrying out extortions to other drug traffickers (Cryptome.org, 2003, p. 2).
Apparently, the Fresno sent illegal drugs and a quarter of the cash earned from unlawful deals and coercion as a tribute, or duty, to detained NF individuals. Also, gang members who are released from prison go and purchase illegal drugs while the wives and girlfriends of those members in prison, sneak them in. Along with such illicit drugs include weapons, money and messages.
It is crucial understand among the major criminal activities conducted by the Nuestra Familia is drug trafficking. Nuestra Familia makes most of the cash via drug trade and extortion. In the present, the gang's focus has shifted to controlling drug trade within the jail frameworks and in neighborhoods dominated by the Nuestra Familia members and affiliate gangs such as nortenos. The gang and its affiliates distribute the drugs to earn money for personal reasons and purchasing illegal firearms among other things.
Notably, the activity is substantial in the sense that it is also conducted across borders, and the sums of money involved are large. For instance, just like other criminal gangs (including La M), the Nuestra Familia works with close ties to the Mexican drug cartels. For example, the Mexican drug cartels have a huge influence on the Nuestra Familia gang, the reason is that the gang has attained roles as enforcers, traffickers, smuggling weapon, and conducting contract assassinations on the behalf of the Mexican cartels (Cawley, 2014, para. 3).
As such, the gang can access the drugs in bulk directly from these cartels. Therefore, they evade the middlemen this enables them to receive almost fifty percent in discount. This relationship between the Nuestra Familia and the Mexican cartels allows the latter to conduct direct operations without entering US borders. Along these lines, it mitigates the cartels' risks of expanding their distribution systems. The Nuestra Familia offer the added advantages of having the capacity to cross the border with less danger of discovery and having a top to bottom knowledge of the zones where they work. Additionally, the money gained from such activities are used for boundary expansions, and protecting the convicted members of the Nuestra Familia.
However, the drug trafficking activities have consequently led to other criminal activities such as adult and murder among rival gangs. For instance, the Nuestra Familia gang had been in conflict with the Sorenos (rival gang from Southern California) especially when the latter tried to cross over to the Nuestra Familia’s territory (Cawley, 2014, para. 8). In most cases, however, the drug trafficking that is conducted within California, has the drugs being locally produced, and the gang members use stolen or hired vehicles for distribution. Additionally, Nuestra Familia individuals outside the jail procure cash by compelling independent dealers and non-affiliated gangs to pay rent for the benefit of selling illegal drugs in a specific area. Likewise, it is a prerequisite for all members of the Nuestra Familia to contribute a quarter of their income, whether from legitimate or unlawful means to Nuestra Familia banks.
Likewise, the Nuestra Familia gang members have actively been involved burglaries in private and business foundations and also against unassociated drug traffickers. Residential thefts, known as home attacks, are often used to acquire cash, drugs, guns, and valuable items from people who do not attempt (due to fear of being murdered) to report or help with the investigations of these violations (Cryptome, 2003, p. 7).
The other illegal activity associated with the Nuestra Familia is violence. For instance, the gang members confer and debilitate to carry out violent activities including killing and assault to advance and pursue their operations, guarantee loyalty, and to ensure that discipline is observed to the letter. Individuals outside jail utilize an assortment of firearms, and individuals inside penitentiaries produce and besides, utilize sharp weapons known as shanks. People who are not affiliated with the gang, but rather who meddle with its exercises, are liable to ambush and kill. Street dealers who disseminate drugs in regions controlled by the gang and who decline to pay rent or a rate of their income to Nuestra Familia can be assaulted or even killed.
In the present, various States (including California) have authorized laws that improve the punishments for offenses related to gang activity, and numerous nearby locales have embraced statutes that a...