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2. Gangs i n the Twentieth Centur y DHERE HAV E BEEN FOU R periods of American juvenil e gangsters, violence, and gang warfare i n the twentieth century : 1. The first fifty year s wer e characterize d b y a benig n perio d o f yout h camaraderie, a concer n wit h territoria l control , variou s act s o f delin quency , and violence — largely involving fistfights and knife assaults. 2. Th e secon d identifiabl e perio d wa s in th e post-Worl d Wa r II era, in th e 1950s up to the mid-1960s, and showed a shift towar d violence related to territorial dispute s acted-out i n more severe forms, stabbings now and a n occasional murder using a gun. 3. Th e thir d identifiabl e perio d sa w a hiatu s i n gangs , gang violence , an d warfare durin g the lat e 1960 s through th e earl y 1980s , partly as a consequence o f variou s quasi-politica l group s lik e th e Blac k Panther s an d the Brow n Berets . Thes e group s an d other s include d man y blac k and Chican o youth s wh o migh t hav e participate d i n gangbangin g vio lence int o relativel y positiv e effort s fo r socia l chang e throug h politica l activities. 4. Th e contemporary violent gang problem i s entwined with the business of drugs, involve s drive-b y murder s usin g high-powered , letha l automati c weapons, and has resulte d in extreme violence. 28 Gangs in the Twentieth Century I 29 GANGS, 1900-195 0 The historica l documentatio n o f any subject i s at best a n imprecis e disci pline . In looking back on the history of gangs, I am dependent on the writing of a fe w individual s fro m th e pas t wh o had th e tim e an d inclinatio n t o research an d write about gangs. Despite this, an analysis of violent gangs in America fro m a n earlier era provides a useful contex t for understanding the contemporary gang. EARLY ADUL T GANG S Juvenile gang s emerge d ove r th e years fro m a mold create d b y early adul t gangs. The earliest reports of adult gangs in America appear around the turn of the century on the Lower East Side of New York City. The phenomenon was chronicled i n a colorful boo k b y Herbert Asbur y calle d Gangs of New York.l These earl y gang s ha d such name s a s the Dusters , th e Pug Uglies, the Dead Rabbits, and the notorious Five Points gangs. According to Asbury, the Five Point s gang s an d the Bower y gang s carrie d ou t their grudge s agains t each othe r wit h constan t warfare . Scarcel y a wee k passe d withou t a hal f dozen conflicts . O n on e occasion , le d by the Dea d Rabbit s an d the Pug Uglies, al l o f the gang s o f the Fiv e Point s bega n thei r celebratio n o f the Fourth of July with a raid on the clubhouse building of the Bowery Boys and the Atlanti c Guard s gangs . Ther e wa s furiou s fighting, bu t th e Bower y gangsters triumphe d an d drov e thei r enemie s bac k t o their ow n neighbor hood . I n th e melee , a few metropolitan policeme n wh o tried t o interfer e with the gang warfare wer e badly beaten. There were apparently no guns or knives used. The warfare too k the form o f fistfighting and the use of a few bats. The gang s o f this er a were territorial , an d thi s facto r ma y have se t the precedent fo r th e enormou s valu e place d o n turf , hood , an d barri o b y contemporary youth gangs . Another factor i n the early adult gangs that may have set a precedent for today's gangs was a disrespect and antipathy toward the police...

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