Do you think low level gang members are intelligent enough to even know who is the top boss when it comes to the gang they represent?

Here's another reason I do not classify gang bangers as real gangsters.

A real gangster knows who runs everything. No matter if they are an associate or a made man.

Your thoughts?

Your probably right but i don't think it's because of they're intelligence or having to be a real gangster ( whatever that's supposed to mean ). I think they wouldn't know because the boss would only be known by a handful of people he trusts to avoid informants being able to testify against him.

There's no such thing as a "real gangster". They are all just crooks parasiting on the society. The question of how organized and structured the group is belongs in terms of how to fight it. No kind of organized crime deserves any glorification, period.

I've thought about this and with the crime families etc And I think they dont communicate with them but do know who is boss. Especially nowadays when you got the Internet

From what I see, mob figures are much more organized and knowledgeable of their day to day operations compared to a gang member. All the men in the Mob know who is running things.

There are quite a few men in gangs that would have no clue if their "leader" was passing by them on the street. I wouldn't even put it past them to try to rob their own boss. Since they don't know who the fuck he is.

I don't think mobsters are any more intelligent than gang members which both are basically the same thing. The only reason why street gangs get arrested more often is because of the drugs, it bring a lot of heat to anyone not just street gang members. Obviously the lowe level gang members know who the boss is, why do you think other wise? The most famous ones are usually the ones with the more weight on them, it's part of the drug game.

Exactly. A high level drug dealer is going to have a reputation on the streets. So his own gang members will at know who he is. The low level members may not no where their drug connection comes from or the network of distribution, but they have to know whose is giving it to them.

It depends on which street gangs are you referring to as the L.A gangs usually have no hierarchy but a collective structure, or are you referring to Chicago gangs which have an hierarchy. If you mean the latter , then you be amazed at the fact that Chicago's gangs are equal or more organized than any la cosa nostra family. Also, the members do know their leader by his nickname.

street gangs are not even close to being more organized that mob famlies. If they were how do you explain the record numbers of street gang shootings in chicago

Not even close, but you are being sarcastic right? If you're not what facts can you show us to illustrate your point? Any articles/date from LE to lend credence to your claim?

Street gangs aren't as organized as the Mafia. But some street gangs ( Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords,...) are far more organized than some people may think.

Look into La Famlia in the atlanta area, 5 gangs all with bosses and structures joined together the exact same way that the 5 familys of new york do. Look it up, the only reason everyone has such a high opinion about mob families is because of places like this and the old days. The mob isnt on top anymore fellas, i hate to be the bearer of bad news.

Yeah I heard about La Gran Familia. I thought it was a set under the Latin Kings. They are indeed very structured.
But I think people's fascination with the mob comes from all those Hollywood-movies. They think the mob is that superior, highly structured, glamorous crime syndicate. A lot of people need to wake up and smell the 21st century, because nowadays the mob is as gritty as any other mafia/street/prison/biker/cartel gang.
NO, and I repeat, NO criminal syndicate is as spectacular in real life as they are in the movies or as the media may want you to believe.

I can't remember where I read or saw it, but some associates didn't even know what crime family they were working for LOL. Also some FBI guys have said the current genovese guys are so secretive they don't even know other members of the family.

I think the Genovese is one family that will be very powerful for a long time. Especially since there are so few snitches in their organization.
The Gambinos have a long history of having total fucking psychos in their ranks though

Nicky I remember that being mentioned but I can't see how that's possible in this day and age!

So do the Bonannos Mirra,Pitera,Galante.

Yeah, those guys also were demented

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CFcQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaselaw.findlaw.com%2Fus-7th-circuit%2F1498390.html&ei=iT8-UKn2NcLj0QGZ1oHICw&usg=AFQjCNF9-VhhWdn4-ii2r2_BWCqwGO0QHg. Here's my source if it comes out correctly. There's more articles if you want me to show more. My example will be the black disciples street organization, which is organized by a King, Don, Board of Directors, Ministers, Co-ministers, First Demetrius, Enforcers, and Soldiers. At their peak, drug sales earned them $500,000 a day and they have use there money to invest businesses, including a record label that came out with the hit single " Cha Cha Slide". Most of the top largest Chicago street organizations have a similar structure and the shootings are due to factions in-fighting and of course rivalry.

Sorry i cant agree with you i was in a street gang and a so called pretty oragnized one @ that...Gang members dont get arrested becase they deal in drugs...well i mean they do get arrested for drug but sorry to say it but gang memebers rob a place get high then fall a sleep in the get away vehicle... gang members are pretty dumb MS13 extortes people who run tortilla stands maybe they get 2 or 3 bucks... from each stand ..... there is no rules in gangs for the most partt.... gangs arnt deadly... i quit my gang without any repercussion and could be ratting to whoever abou my Governor... and they wouldnt do shit... gangs are weak unorganized un displined crap...

let me rephrase i said gangs arnt deadly.... they can be very deadly however... what i meant was me quiting the gang and not having o be in the program etc etc.

You should've just edited it.

another difference between the mafia and street gangs is that street gangs didnt start off as a criminal thing. they were mostly just little clubs that were defending there neighbourhoods, it wasnt till much later with when drugs were introduced into things that they started to organise into more of a criminal group, unlike the mafia who practically engaged in criminal activity from the get go when they arrived in america.

Another thing about gangs is that not every member of a gang that has 1000s of members is going equally involved in criminal activity or drug trafficking. Say if the gangster disciples have over 50,000 members the leader not going to be able to control all 50,000 its practically impossible. Thats why there are so many different sets.

heres some info i found on gang structures.
All gangs have identifiable levels of membership. These levels of membership indicate status within a gang and acts as the organizational maintenance systems. There are actually six levels of gang structure.

1. Leadership:
The leader(s) of a gang determines at what level of criminal activity the gang will function. Characteristics of the leader(s) are reflected in the day to day activities of the gang. The leader is all powerful.

2. Hard Core:
The hard core gang members are usually the older gang members, the individuals who are culturally and criminally enmeshed in the gang and are at risk of being so for life. Most violent gang activity emanates from the hard core gang members. Hard core gang members usually make up about 10% of gang membership.
3. Associate:
The associate gang member has usually made a personal commitment to the gang culture and is dedicated to achieving the level of recognition needed to attain hard core status.

4. Fringe:
The fringe gang member is still able to function outside of the gang structure and has not made a commitment to a life in the criminal gang culture. This type of member drifts in and out of the gang and seems to lack direction.

5. Wanna-Bes:
Wanna-bes are not actually gang members. They are youth who view the gang as an exciting place to be, a place where they could become "somebody". Wanna-bes may emulate gang dress, graffiti, hand signs, and other gang cultural symbols, and they may associate with known gang members, but they have not yet been excepted into the gang.

Cliques:
Very seldom is the gang at full strength. Exceptions to this, of course, would be times of conflict or possibly at social functions. What is most often seen as "the gang" is usually a clique from within the larger gang. The clique is a group of associate, fringe, and often, wanna-be gang members who gravitate around one or more of the hard core gang members. This somewhat resembles a gang within a gang.

Yeah what Scorsese said.
I think that most sets of a certain gang are just groups who do small-time activity for a nickel bag and for the rest are unorganized and weak. In other words : plain losers.
But there also are older sets who engage in the more organized activity like drug trafficking, prostitution, extortion of bigger shops or businesses,...

alot of members who grow up in the neighbourhood and join either out of necessity or to belong when they are young, i think a number of these end up becoming fringe members who commit small scale petty crimes for themselves or they might not commit any crime at all. These people are the ones most likely to drop out and have less chance of facing retaliation for it.

Ofcourse they would, If you were a member of a high profile gang then your bound to know who is the Boss, Im not a member but I see the Boss in alot of Trial Cases.

The hardcore members and associates organise themselves around individuals that are making the gang its money. So the members with the drug connects, burglary rings, prostitution, fraud will be the people that the other hardcore gangsters will structure themselves around.

Heres a few recent cases.
leader of chicago drug trafficking ring sentenced.
ranking member of gangster disciples sentenced.
rolling 60s crips sex trafficking ring
ny id theft ring
bloods street gang targets nj banks in hi tech scams

What gang where you from? I heard that New Orleans doesn't have gangs but crews. Not to be harsh or anything but you were probably a wannabe.

He said he was in a street gang everywhere has street gangs you should use quote next time so people don't need to look through all the comments to know what you're talking about.

I used the quote but it sometiems doesn't work or I at least I thought I did! It's true though New Orleans doesn't have gangs just crews of drug dealers, though I heard there was a small Blood gang presenc but for the most part it just crews.