March 1995
Another 24 hours tick away. The idea of waking up at 6:30 a.m. and dealing with the same old routine of kissing another security guard's ass is a repulsive thought. He reluctantly gets up from his small bed, brushes his teeth, and heads for the breakfast ritual: cornflakes, a piece of ham, and a not too shiny apple. If he's lucky, he may get to listen to another counselor lecture about manners and responsibility. Unfortunately, today he is unlucky and he gets to curl up in the cold, dark, dirty, room. Sundays in juvenile hall are everything but sunny for Guello, a.k.a. Mr. Gu.
Mr. Gu has been in and out of juvenile hall since 1991. A lot of his crimes are related to his affiliation with a Latino gang called Border Brothers. The night that Mr. Gu was arrested, he was fighting for his family, the "homeboys" from Oakland. In looking at the rise in gang violence, many people associate it with the larger cities, such as San Francisco and Oakland, but what they don't realize, is that gang violence is happening everywhere. Even in the quiet upper class neighborhoods of Marin county.
Gang activity was minimal in this prestigious cluster of suburbs until three years ago when San Rafael and Novato police noticed an increase in gang related crimes. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS count report, there has been a steady rise in juvenile crime since 1985. Novato police corporal John Donnellan attributes the rise to the attitude the kids have toward public and private property, law enforcement officials, and even toward the attitude they have toward themselves.
In 1992, Marin's gangs were loosely organized and multiracial, allowing any gender or ethnicity into the group. "Now gangs have become organized around different racial groups," says James "Trout" Black, the director of the Novato Youth Center's counseling program. Many Hispanic cliques began to go underground 6 to 8 months ago when two rival gangs, Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia called a truce.
Many counselors and officers have different theories about why these kids get involved in gangs. The most common theory has to do with the child's lack of affection and recognition from their loved ones.
"Grouping together for Support"
Fourteen and bored, they're smoking marijuana, drinking beer, and bonding. This is a tempting invitation to join a family that pledges to stand up for their brothers and sisters no matter what it takes. At least that's what "Pee Wee" saw two years ago before getting jumped into 18th Street, a gang with nearly 2000 members statewide. "My homeboys care for me," says the 16 year old, "I care for them, you know?"
Youths join gangs for many reasons. They are drawn to the excitement of gang activity and are looking for respect and a sense of family. "Gangs are just an inappropriate response to kids' totally appropriate needs," says Black, who has worked with gang members for the last three years. "I think kids grouping together in tight peer groups and putting down other kids is just a totally normal thing for kids to do."
Growing up is hard to do, especially if one is struggling with an unhappy home situation. As a way to escape this problem, many adolescents turn to a group of people who promise to be there for them and help their struggle for their own sense of identity. "Some of these kids are grouping together for support," says School Resource Officer Richard Hill, who monitors gang activity in the North Bay. "There's no real home life. They get the love, the caring and the attention they're not getting at home."
Looking for Love
Some parents from large urban areas, wanting to get their children away from gangs, send them to an aunt or grandmother in a "safe" community. The children in turn, begin new gangs. However, that was not the case for "Moonbeam".
After being kidnapped by her mother, and then by her father after her parent's separation in 1982, the confused youth came to Novato from the barrios of Houston on a quest for love. She found it in the 18th Street gang.
"If you get jumped into 18th, you're helping La Raza and helping yourself," "Moonbeam" says, a sophomore at Novato High. It's not just for power, but it's something that you believe in." "Moonbeam" ran into the open arms of a real family that has been true to her. A family that claims blue.
According to "Claudia," "Moonbeam's" friend, everybody in 18th Street realizes they're going to get in trouble and be sent to juvenile hall at one point. However, they don't care because to them being together and supporting their friends is more important."Juvenile Hall is not the answer to problems that come from home," says "Claudia". "You shouldn't have to go to juvenile hall for running away. That's the parent's fault. Juvenile Hall will only make it worse; people will run away again, steal to get money and start doing drugs."
Police and schools throughout California are keeping tabs on kids who have never committed any crime, but have been labeled "gang associates" because they fit certain criteria, according to a pamphlet titled "Youth Gangs" distributed by the Novato police department.
This "criteria" includes living in a gang-identified neighborhood and wearing"gang" apparel, such as blue or red clothing.
"This is considered the worst part of being associated with 18th Street, according to "Pelon," a friend of the gang who's involved because his family are long-time members in Los Angeles. "We can just be walking by and a cop can drive by and he'll just stop us for suspicion, and I hate that."
At the moment, the Novato police department consists of three sworn officers of Latin descent as well as one dispatcher out of 55 police officers in the force. Having more Hispanic officers would be an advantage to the Latino community, because "the real problems they face calling the police due to an uncomfortable, victimized feeling will disappear," says Novato Chief of Police Brian Brady.
However, what will happen to Marin County and California when a gang that has emerged from a hard core past plans on getting bigger, better and powerful? The days go on. The opportunities of gaining new families surround inner cities and cow populated outskirts. Minutes pass, but nothing lasts longer than the 18 seconds it takes to become a member of 18th Street for life.