The Structure of a Street Gang: P3
Secondary members, as a whole, are lower on the food chain. Secondary personnel do not have access to inside information. They don’t know where the drugs, products, or cash are stored. They may not broker any deal, indicate terms of payment, or make any type of arrangement unless instructed to do so by a primary gang member.
Included within the category of secondary members you’ll find what are known as contractual associates. These members are responsible for much of the gang violence we hear about. They are responsible for threatening, harassing, assaulting, or killing anyone who is viewed as a problem. These individuals work on behalf of the gangs to carry out the contract hits you hear about on the news. Most of these hits, or murders, are because of fights over encroachment of territory – both in public and in the prisons.
The majority of secondary operatives are made up of sympathizers and female factions. These “wanna-be’s” may have some connection to the gang and should be taken very seriously. They are eager to gain a more attractive role and to be accepted into the union (or main gang) and are very willing to take a high risk if it means they will become recognized. The juvenile sympathizers, considered appretices, help to create a strong link to the gang subculture.
Female auxilary members are considered to be secondary but are at the disposal of primary members alone. Female auxilary members are often sent to visit incarcerated gang members and in many cases are involved in violent fighting behavior while out in the local community.
Most secondary gang members can and will involve themselves in confrontation and violence meant to address matters of honor and disrespect (however the gang defines those terms). Some gangs have a distributed set of bylaws because if they are discovered they give law enforcement a deeper insight into their social order.
Next time we’ll wrap up by talking about gang recruitment and activities you may or may not be familiar with…
