Blood Crips Hand Signs

Crips Background: The Crips, a fierce rival of the Bloods gang, are an extremely violent street gang which originated in Los Angeles, California in the late 1960's. The original Crips were a Black gang were first reported on the campus of Washington High School in South-Central Los Angles. During the early 1970's the gang grew and branched out to other parts of Los Angeles County. These new subsidiary street gangs were known as sets and they used the term "Crips" in their individual gang name - i.e. Harbor City Crips, Compton Ave Crips.

Membership: Most Crip street gang members are between the ages of 12-24 years. The average age is 17-18. Most members are Black but Whites and Hispanics are known to be members of Crips sets in various parts of the United States. Crip members rarely carry identification and in addition to their street moniker (nick name) use an alias. Gang initiation is usually done in various ways: an armed robbery, an assault or murder, drive by shooting, or a beat-in where other members physically beat up the prospective member. This frequently called a "jump-in" and is designed to show courage and gang loyalty.

Identification: Crips identify with the color blue and usually wear a blue bandanna as an identify item, called the flag.

Crips refer to one another as "Cuzz" and use the letter "C" to replace the letter "B" in their conversations and writings. They have an intricate communications system which involves not only graffiti on walls - which marks their territorial boundaries - but also use of hand signals (flashing) , displaying their colors and wearing selected athletic clothing. The initials BK represent their status as "Blood Killers." Crips seldom wear tattoos. Their graffiti represents past or future gang activity.

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