Also known as: Dieciocho, Barrio 18, Mara 18

History: The 18th Street Gang is one of the largest street gangs in the United States, Mexico, and Central America. 18th Street originated in the 1960s near 18th Street and Union Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, California.

Membership/Hierarchy: Membership was originally open to Mexican nationals, and although most members tend to be of Mexican descent, membership has now been opened to other ethnic backgrounds.

18th Street has a loose hierarchical structure. It is well networked throughout the US, Mexico, and Central America, but there is no known central leadership. The majority of 18th Street cliques are the result of Los Angeles members’ migrating to other areas and establishing cliques under their leadership. Members originally from the Los Angeles area tend to be more respected than those in other areas. Cliques generally function independently, but will join forces when combating rival gangs or law enforcement.

The latest figures from the NDIC estimate 18th Street membership at 30,000 to 50,000 nationwide, with 5,000 to 7,000 based in the Los Angeles area.

Location: 18th Street cliques have been identified in 27 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 10 foreign countries.

Gang Identifiers: Tattoos and graffiti will often include the words "Dieciocho", "Sureño", or "Sur", the numbers "18", "666", or the Roman Numeral "XVIII".

18th street cliques maintain the traditional colors of blue and white in most locations.

Also known as: Almighty Latin King Nation (ALKN), Almighty Latin Charter Nation (ALCN), Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN)

History: The Latin Kings formed in Chicago in the mid-1960s with the goal of helping Puerto Rican immigrants overcome racial prejudice by forming an organization of "Kings"

Membership/Hierarchy: The Latin Kings are highly organized and gang leadership exists at the national, regional, and local levels. Membership is governed by a constitution with established rules and by-laws. The gang consists predominately of Puerto Rican males; however, the gang has begun to accept other nationalities, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Caribbean, and South Americans. Some Latin King chapters also have female associates, commonly referred to as Latin Queens. Latin King chapters are present nationwide with an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 members residing in 34 states. Chicago police estimate that nearly 25,000 Latin King members reside within the Chicago area alone.

Location: While active in 34 states, the Latin Kings can be found primarily in Chicago (where they are the largest street gang), New York, Texas, and Florida. Open source reporting indicates that Latin King chapters exist in Central America and Spain.

Gang Identifiers: Graffiti often includes a lion wearing a crown or a 5-pointed crown accompanied by the initials "LK". Their predominate colors are yellow or gold.

Also known as: Mara Salvatrucha, MS-13

History: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a Hispanic, Central American gang, is believed to have formed in the Rampart area of Los Angeles during the mid-late 1980s. Immigrants, fleeing war-torn El Salvador, settled into the Hispanic communities of Los Angeles and formed MS as a method of protection from other Hispanic gangs, particularly the 18th Street Gang. The 13 was added to the name later to show their alliance to the prison gang La Eme (Mexican Mafia).

In the early 1990s, law enforcement agencies began to target the Hispanic community’s violent areas and began deporting MS-13 members who were living in the United States illegally. These deported members established their own local cliques and continued their gang activities in El Salvador. These cliques spread into other areas of Central America, Mexico, and throughout the United States. The gang has become recognized for their violent activity, and their ability to adapt to new areas and law enforcement efforts.

Membership/Hierarchy: Initially, all members of MS-13 were El Salvadoran Nationals, but the gang is now known to accept individuals that simply share the Hispanic heritage and culture. While there is no identified international or national leadership, there is a hierarchy within individual cliques based on "member status". Members who joined the gang in Los Angeles, or those that have performed and earned a reputation within the gang, receive a higher status. The title of leader (also called "shot-caller" or "ranflero") is determined within the cliques.

Location: The gang has been identified in 33 States and the District of Columbia, as well as El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Canada.

Gang Identifiers: The most common gang hand-sign is created with the index and pinky fingers extended with the middle and ring fingers folded into the palm and the thumb covering the folded fingers. This hand sign is commonly referred to as the "Devil's Pitchfork".

Also known as: Sur 13, Los Sureños, Sureños Trece

History: The term "Sureños" was first used in the 1970s as a result of a California prison war between the Mexican Mafia (La EME) and Nuestra Familia (NF). This war resulted in a territorial division between gang members from northern California (norteños = northerners) who aligned with NF, and those from southern California (sureños = southerners) aligned with La EME.

Membership/Hierarchy: Sureño gangs share no common organizational structure; however, they are all subordinate to La EME. Within the prison system, members of these gangs often unite under direction of La EME.

Location: In addition to prison associations, individual Sureño gang members have migrated to areas ouside of California and assimilated under the name Sureños. These gang members rarely maintain associations in California, but use the name to signal their alliance with other Sureño gangs. These gangs use names such as Sur 13, Los Sureños, Sureño Trece, or other variations.

Gang Identifiers: Sureño identifiers will always include the number "13" and will likely include "Sur" or "Sureño". Gang colors are Blue and White.

Also known as: Vice Lord Nation, Conservative Vice Lords, Imperial Vice Lords, Insane Vice Lords, Four Corner Hustlers

History: The Vice Lords are the oldest and currently one of the most dominant and organized criminal enterprises in the state of Illinois. Originating in south Chicago, Illinois in 1958 by a group of African American juveniles who had met at the Illinois Training School for Boys in St. Charles, Illinois, the gang was formed for protection and profit.

Membership/Hierarchy: As the second largest street gang in Chicago under the People Nation alliance, the Vice Lords represent a major force in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. The gang has an estimated 20,000 members throughout the state, both in prison and on the streets. Although endemic to the Chicago region, the Vice Lords have expanded into neighboring states to advance the gang’s criminal activity, and currently sets have been confirmed in 28 states, with a nationwide membership of nearly 35,000 members and associates.

The Vice Lords are a predominately African-American gang consisting of numerous gang sets each with its own leadership and rank structure. Although recent attempts to unify the various sets under one umbrella organization have been unsuccessful, the gang, collectively, is becoming more sophisticated and organized.

Location: Vice Lord sets have been confirmed in 28 states in the United Sates, the primary location being Chicago, Midwestern states and Eastern cities. Sets can also be found in Central America and Spain.

Criminal Activity: Members of the Vice Lords are primarily recognized for their drug trafficking activities and violent acts to protect their drug trade and territory. Members are actively involved in numerous criminal activities including murder, drive-by-shootings, and weapons smuggling.

Gang Identifiers:

• 5-pointed star; top hat; martini glass; Playboy bunny; dollar sign; cane
• Handsigns that form the letters "VL"
• Gold, black, and red colors
• University of Iowa, Pittsburg Steelers, and Penguins attire; Louis Vitton (LV) caps; UNLV Jackets (UNLV- VLNU reversed, Vice Lord Nations United)