The New Face Of Chicago Gang Violence

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by Dream Chaser

Since Im young and being from the South Side , I will tell you what's going on. What's different now is everything is about sets ( fraction). Media is making it sound as gangs these days are just young people, but it isn't.Its all ages no different then back in the day. After the 1990s with all the busts, it became a breakdown of the gangs.Young generation are more disorganized. Older gang members ( 30 and up )contributing as much to the violence ,murdering and robbing. Its just not as reckless as the young ones.

Can you explain further, your insight is unique to this forum.

[C. Maurio]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I couldn't get these new maps to load very well on my iPad, but they looked identical to the old ones on the north side - I think the article/jwaiter's point is more on target for some of the insanely huge south and west side gangs. Although my take is that it really isn't anything new to see leadership of gang A or B taken down, it doesn't really change the overall dynamic that much. Let's just say the "career" (at least in free society) of your average high-ranking gangster is shorter than your average linebacker. These new little gangs only claiming a block here or there just look like "sets" from the old days, with the larger gang providing the networks/allegiances/clout necessary to not get pushed out by the big guys. But almost none of these gangs are stupid enough to parade around in their colors anymore, they have gotten a lot more subtle and evolved by necessity.

But yes, the GDs have had a presence in that chunk of LV since the waning days of Medusa's in the early 90s.

It isn't really that surprising, in that it doesn't mean they have actual gangbangers on corners in the area, it just means they have claimed the turf for drug sale purposes. ie, you try and start moving major amounts of illegal drugs near Wrigelyville (outside your little tight friend circle), don't be surprised if at some point the piper comes calling to either demand tribute in either money or an extended hospital stay.

Think about it - many of young twentysomethings want to party when they arrive in Chicago, but thanks to prohibition, they have to go to the black market.

It doesn't take more than a few apartments' worth of safe houses for a major gang to do their thing. Unlike their more IMO idiotic open-air markets on the south/west sides, these guys are actually going to be welcomed (within limits/reason) when they can bring the goodies into the clubs.nightlife circuit.

And if things get problematic, some meathead decides he doesn't like his girl fawning over the gangsters, one phone call and there are GD soldiers more than willing to take a trip to the softer north side to break a few heads.

One friend of mine got to know a local gang chieftain just out of home proximity, to outside eyes he's a fairly normal dude. Not sure how it came up, but he told my buddy "Look, I don't need to kill/hurt people. I have people to do that."

Yep. Kinda the way it works. I knew some gangsters and they weren't people and they weren't folks. But nobody messed with them either.

[tokentubes]

Its still plently of old people but right now theirs a huge shift happening. Gang culture use to be standing on corners and having large wide terrority, and many wars would be people coming from different hoods. Now with all the social change ( projects being destoryed, hoods like logan square becoming good, ) the gangs have spread and lost lots of usually tight commincation. Gangs have taken over areas like portage park and are going north, but more dispersed, filled by people seeking cheap cost of living. The point is is that stuff is changing, its safer now than the 90s that's forsure. Shoot going through most hoods now people aren't out, even a few years ago gangs would fear outsiders by dominating their local business district, you can walk in almost area and be safe untilled going into sidestreets. More dudes are about setting up little groups and selling drugs, gangbanging is still popular on the SS though . Also many areas that were once "off limits " are now" Meh", while once thought super safe Hood has become sketchy. The scene has changed so much tho,

[tokentubes]

On my phone so sorry about the poor writing