Always been somewhat confused about this, each gang has seperate "sets" but no actual hierachery or organization. You read about some sets, such as the Rollin' 60's who have about 1600 members, which seems far too powerful and you never read about one such person being head of that set. If there is no hierachery offering protection to its members and each set has different factions within it that no have no contact with one another, whats the point of being in the gang if there are no clear benefits?

Gang Leader Sentenced to 50 Years for Prescription Drug Trafficking
JUL 10 (SPOKANE, Wash.) – Arvin Terrill Carmen, 39, of Los Angeles, California, and Spokane, Washington, was sentenced to 50 years in prison following a five-week jury trial. Carmen was found guilty of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. In addition, Carmen was ordered to serve a life-term of court supervision following his release from federal prison and to pay a $50,000 fine. Carmen has been in custody since his arrest on February 28, 2013.

“It is clear that this organized criminal group contributed to the oxycodone and heroin epidemic in the Pacific NW. This lengthy sentence sends a clear message and should serve as a warning to all drug traffickers,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas James. “I would like to commend the outstanding contributions by all investigative agencies who worked tirelessly on this case.”

Evidence presented during court proceedings showed that Carmen initiated a drug-trafficking scheme that involved dozens of other members and associates of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips, a street gang headquartered in Los Angeles County that operated this criminal enterprise between Los Angeles and Spokane. Carmen and others illegally obtained large quantities oxycodone prescription pills in Los Angeles and utilized female couriers to transport the pills to Spokane for distribution on the street.

At the onset of the investigation, the drug trafficking group acquired 80 mg. OxyContin pills for approximately $40 or less in Los Angeles and sold them for approximately $80 each in Spokane. When the manufacturers modified the structure of the 80 mg. pills to discourage illegal diversion and abuse, the price per pill rose to approximately $125 each in Spokane. When the 80 mg. pills became scarce, the group acquired 30 mg. Oxycodone pills in Los Angeles for approximately $10-$12 per pill. The group then sold the pills in Spokane, for approximately $20-$22 per pill. The cash proceeds from Spokane-area sales, often in excess of $100,000 per shipment, were transported back to Los Angeles, and hidden in the checked baggage of female couriers. Based on the investigation, investigators initially estimated that possibly as much as 10,000 illegal OxyContin pills were transported to, and distributed in, Spokane every week for years.

In total, 62 co-conspirators, nearly all with gang affiliations, were charged in an Indictment handed down by a grand jury in January, 2013. Approximately 50 search warrants were simultaneously executed in Los Angeles, Spokane, and Seattle, resulting in the seizure of supplies of oxycodone-based pills, numerous firearms, and cash. Fifty-one co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.

This investigation and prosecution case is part of the Federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration,
the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force, and the Los Angeles Police Department, 77th Precinct.

they are called 'hoods because in LA the gangs are essentially just nicknames for the neighborhoods that they live in. so the 60's is a nickname for the territory of the 60th streets. their rivals, 8 Tray is just slang for 83rd street,etc. So it's hard to prove or denote membership. Anyone that lives in a neighborhood with a slang name, or nickname, could be considered a member. so in that sense, in LA people are born into the gangs. let's say you were born and raised on 60th street in south central LA, well then you are from rollin' 60s, by virtue of where you live. it's not as regimented or organized as the news media or Hollywood would have you believe. now, with that said,there are distinctions between people "from" a hood, and the "hardcore" members,but the hardcore are always the small minority,sometimes as few as 1 or 2 people per neighborhood.

One thing I started to realize when I was younger was the difference in mentality between the Chicano gang members and the Blacks.
Chicano gangs as well as Whites were a bit more likely to accept official hierarchies than Blacks. From speaking with Black gang members, many of them will tell you how they take pride in not following orders from anyone directly. They have more of an issue with authority. Even though being from a gang has rules no matter what, Black gang rules both on the streets and in prison are much more loose. Whereas Chicanos and Whites have strict gang rules and take pride in that while looking down at Blacks as being unorganized and primitive. Blacks in turn see the Chicanos as being weak as individuals in the sense that they're willing to follow orders from some higher up.
I'm only speaking SoCal though as I've heard/read different about other places.

Chicanos are more organized due to the influence of the Mexican Mafia. Otherwise, I doubt they'd be as organized as they are. The shot callers, lieutenants, tax collectors and whatnot.