The Five Points, Manhattan is a location that was associated with gang activities from the early 19th century.[1]
In the late 1920s, Al Capone was the leader of the Chicago Outfit[2]
The Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle club was founded in 1948 and is considered a criminal gang by American law enforcement agencies, particularly for their involvement in drug-related activities and violent crimes.[3]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation website in 2014 stated that there were some 33,000 gangs in the United States which they classified as street gangs, motorcycle gangs or prison gangs. While some gangs are multi-ethnic, many criminal enterprises are organized along racial lines and restrict membership to individuals of particular ethnicities or races.[4]

Notable criminal gangs include:

By ethnic origin

African-American

Caribbean

Caucasian and white supremacist

East Asian

Eastern European

Hispanic

Irish-American

Italian-American

Jewish

Indigenous American

Pacific Islander

Southeast Asian

West Asian

Outlaw motorcycle clubs

Prison

Membership in this group may overlap other groups above.

See also

References

  1. ^ Asbury, Herbert (2008-07-01). The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld. Vintage Books. ISBN 9780307388988. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  2. ^ Capeci, Jerry (2005-01-04). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Alpha Books. pp. 84–. ISBN 9781592573059. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ^ Holmes, Ronald M.; Tewksbury, Richard; Higgins, George (2011-12-02). Introduction to Gangs in America. CRC Press. pp. 91–. ISBN 9781439869475. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Gangs". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  5. ^ "The Gangs of St. Andrews". 12 September 2012.
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