Sureños
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2009) |
 Gang's name tattooed on gang member's back. | |
| Founding location | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1960s–present[citation needed] |
| Territory | Southern California, small presence in Central California, and Northern California, all southwestern states, some central states, some northwestern states, and some southern states |
| Ethnicity | Latino (mainly Mexican-American) |
| Criminal activities | Murder, drug trafficking, extortion, assault, auto theft, robbery |
| Allies | Mexican Mafia, Mara Salvatrucha |
| Rivals | Norteños, 18th Steet, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Trinitarios, Sombra Negra, Dominicans Don't Play |
Sureños (Spanish for "Southerners") are a group of Hispanic street gangs with origins in the oldest barrios of Southern California. There are hundreds of Sureño gangs in California, and each has its own identity on the streets.[citation needed] Although they are based in Southern California, their influence has spread to many parts of the US and other countries as well.[citation needed] The gang's alleged roots came from a jail dispute between the Mexican Mafia (La EME) and Nuestra Familia (NF).[citation needed] While those that sided with the NF aligned themselves in Northern California (norteños=northerners). Norteños appear mostly in the northern areas of California, but are also present in numbers in western states like Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Utah (they also have a small presence in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles). Besides Southern California, Sureños can be found in more than 20 states (primarily in southwestern, central states) and small presence in Central California, and Northern California. The largest population of Sureños an be found in Southern California, specifically in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, and the the Inland Empire region. Norteños appear mostly in the northern areas of California, and also in southwestern and central states.[1]
History
The term "Sureños” meaning Southerner in Spanish. Sureño (male) Sureña (female) are the basics on what they are separated by. They originated from Southern California prison and made their way through "barrios"(hoods/neighborhoods).The Sureños identify with the color blue which comes from days past when the prisons offered two standard colors of bandanas, blue and red. Their enemies are Norteños (Northerners) and have been at war since the beginning. The term was first used in the 1960s 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 norteño (northern) California who aligned with NF, and those from southern California aligned with La EME. As Eme members paroled to the streets, they were tasked with creating new cells to help facilitate more crime. In addition, paroled members explained the North versus South war occurring in prison to the young street gang members. The youngsters were told that when they did enter the prison system that they should align themselves with the other Surenos. The term Sureno was soon adopted by Hispanic street gang members throughout Southern California. Sureño gangs are easy to identify since they have a 13 at the end of the gangs name. Gangs like MS 13 are part of the Sureño family. Now, Sureños are located all over California, and making their way through Chicago.[2]
Symbols and culture
Sureño gang members often identify themselves with the number 13; to represent the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, the letter M. This is used to pay homage to the Mexican Mafia. Surenos will use the symbols Sur, XIII, X3, 13, and 3-dots in their graffiti and tattoos. In many parts of the country they will identify themselves with the color blue. Mexican Mafia members may have Sureno idenitifers as they were probably a Sureno gang member before being recruited into the Mexican Mafia.
See also
References
- ^ Kinnear, Karen L. (2008). Gangs: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues). Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. p. 192. ISBN 1-59884-125-4.
- ^ "Tracy Press - Three men to stand trial on gang charges". Retrieved 2010-04-20.