Essay Sample on Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs: The Dark History of US Organized Crime

Introduction

Organized crimes in the United States have a long history. In the late 1940s, the outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG) were established. The OMG was made by World War II veterans who returned to the country with armed weapons. For instance, these veterans returned with original jeeps and motorcycles touring bikes which were well equipped for the war. Due to a large number of individuals who joined the group, they started organized and sophisticated crimes all over the country. At the start, there were about 800 motorcycle gangs (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017). Due to a large number, the gangs splinted into four powerful groups: the Hell's Angels, the Outlaws, the Pagans, and the Banditos. Due to its superiority, OMG moved to other continents such as Europe, Australia, South America, and Africa. In the United States, OMG had a well-developed network system which helps to spread the activities overseas. Moving outside, America was an effective approach to enhance international criminal connection. As a way of enhancing their performance, OMG has well-written constitutions which highlight how each individual must live within the group. According to the constitution, every member of the gang group is required to attend a meeting and must confirm their presence. In case a member fails to follow the rules, there are highly punished in which some are subjected to death punishment. As a way of enhancing their identification, OMG has a gang logos which is identified based on the colour. This helps to recognize those individuals working in the same group. To enhance this identification, gangs have specific greetings which they refer to them as 'church'.

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After World War II, those soldiers who were fighting went back with their materials. Due to the availability of cars, these individuals effectively participated in activities such as racing. For instance, the America n Motorcyclist Association race that took place in 1947 in California gave rise to conflict after some individuals from the group started a war (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). Those who engaged in the conflict were associated with extreme drunk and hence, they engaged in some damages. Additionally, several damages occurred, and hence, the motorcycle club organized a group that would conduct an act of revenge. This group engaged in massive damage and killing. Due to the action, the concept gave rise to the development of criminal motorcycle groups which started engaging in illegal actions. However, some of the motorcycle clubs remain loyal and obeyed the law.

Today, there are hundreds of OMGs in America. Some of these gangs focus on international crimes. Normally, they engage in various criminal activities such as selling of illegal drugs, possession and sale of illegal weapons, vehicle theft, violence, and much more. In this case, they are driven by the philosophy that they must have a good time regardless of the situation. Additionally, each member is required to be loyal to each other and ready to share. In case a person cannot share, they may not become a member of OMG (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). Selling of drugs has been the key activities that have boosted the growth of this group. In this case, the group engaged in selling of methamphetamine law enforcement did not believe that it was a threat. However, currently, these gang groups engage in terrorism and other deadly activities. Additionally, they have been associated with selling, distribution, and trafficking of drugs in various parts of the world (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017).

Hell's Angels

This is the best-known group of motorcycle clubs. The group was established in 1948 in San Bernadino, California. In the beginning, the group was not initiated as a criminal organization, but it gains some fearsome status after engaging in various activities which violated the law. The reputation was highly experienced in 1969 incident that took place in a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017). The incident engaged the Rolling Stones fan and member of the Hell's Angels. The member of the gang group was hired as security. As a result of the conflict, a fan was stabled to death. This incident created a lot of conflict among the affected group. Additionally, Hell's Angels have been involved in several violence activities such as the 2002 incident where a Mongol member was killed in Las Vegas. Since the 1960s, Hell's Angels have been associated with large scale crime activities (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). In this case, they have been linked with the manufacture, sales, and distribution of drugs. Additionally, the groups engage in money laundering and property crime, such as motor vehicle theft. Due to these actions, Hell's Angel has a lot of financial supports. Financial support makes it hard for law enforcement agents to counter them. Currently, the government states that there are about 100 chapters of Hell's Angels around the United States. These chapters are made of about 1,000 members (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017). These groups have been made powerful due to the support from external members in about twenty-six foreign nations.

Outlaws

The outlaws were established in 1935 in McCook, Illinois (Blokland, Van Hout, Van der Leest, & Soudijn, 2019). They are the dominant group of outlaw motorcycle gangs, especially in Great Lakes areas. Outlaws have a bad relationship with Hell's Angels, and they regularly engage in conflict. Today, they operate in about 100 American chapters which are located in about 20 states (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017). This number represents about 1,000 members. Internationally, the outlaws have a large number of chapters in about 12 foreign nations (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). It is believed that these groups engage in various criminal activities such as drug selling, robbery, kidnapping, prostitution, and theft. These are the key activities which earn the group income. Additionally, members of this group were only limited to men. These men who were recruited must be having an American made motorcycle of a certain size. They use a small skull as the club logo. They are entailed to have a black shirt and painted leather jackets.

Pagans

The group was established in 199 as a civilian motorcycle. However, it later developed as a criminal group which engaged in organized crimes. The group was smaller as compared to Hell's Angels. It has about 250 members who are located in various regions. They have about 40 chapters which are located in more than 12 American states (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). When recruiting members, a person must be above 21 years and have a Harley Davidson motorcycles of certain engine power. The group participate in drug distribution, sales, and trafficking. Additionally, they engaged in extortion, murder, bombing for hire. The group have been involved in deadly action which has made it be so popular. In Mid Atlantic areas, Pagans are the most powerful group as they have been associated with a large number of organized crimes, especially in New York and Philadelphia.

Banditos

This is the newest of all the OMG group. It was started in the 1970s in California (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). They have a long conflict history with Hell's Angels as they try to see which group should dominate the Pacific and Southwestern America. According to law enforcement agents, Banditos is the most violent group which engage in some inhumane activities. They participate in drugs selling and distribution, production and selling of weapons (Blokland et al, 2019). Due to the massive production of weapons, Banditos participate in deadly activities. Additionally, they are hired to conduct a certain crime in the countries. This group is distributed in various parts of the country.

Leadership System

Normally, an organization in various groups vary in their leadership system. In most cases, the internal organization of OMC were made of a president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary, road captain, and sergeant at the arm. The president is the chief leaders who control all activities that take place in the organization. Additionally, the president has the authority to appoint other officials who engage in various group activities. The road captain was responsible for conducting all transportation activities within the group. The president is the head of the mother chapter (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). Each chapter has a leader who directs and deliver president wishes to members. Furthermore, the president has the authority to set the policies which help to settle varies issues within the group. These clubs have special private offices, which all activities are organized. Additionally, these offices have a high store where products are preserved before distributed and sold.

Identification of Members

Typically, members are identified based on the vest adorned. This vest is perceived as the primary visual identification aspect as it has a large patch which is located in the centre of the back. These patches are fixed with club log and their name (Blokland, Soudijn, & Van der Leest, 2017). However, non-outlaw motorcycle wears the same jacket without including MC on the backside. These patches are given when a person is recruited in the club. Therefore, they remain the property of the club and not individual. Additionally, only members who are allowed to wear this club's patches. A person must observe the rules and should not share the garment outside (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). In case a person shares, the action may be perceived as a disgrace and may cause a person to lose their membership. Additionally, they may be subjected to heavy punishment.

In OMC, gender is a critical aspect that leaders examine before they recruit a person. In most outlaw motorcycle clubs, women are given very little chance. They offer about a 1 percent chance to women. Men are more seen as more active as compared to women. Those women who are deployed in these clubs are engaged in prostitution and street-level drug trafficking. This has action has subjected woman into physical and sexual abuses (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018).

Prevention of Taking Down the Crime Groups

Preventing people from engaging in such action by establishing more threats which will discourage people. Normally, the establishment of the threat of punishment is an effective social sanction which may hinder a person from engaging in such action. In this case, police should make the life of those who engage in outlaw motorcycle clubs crimes harder. This may reduce the attraction rate among those who would wish to engage in the action. To improve the performance, police should establish a detective at ground level to ensure all those who are participating in the mission are controlled. Additionally, police should work in contact with the public to ensure they share the information which may assist in controlling the crime groups. Those who are found engaging in the activity should be prosecuted according to criminal acts (Kuldova & Sanchez-Jankowski, 2018). These actions will help to reduce the number of people who may wish to join the groups since they understand the kind of risk they may engage.

To ensure all bikes in the country participate in legal activity, law enforcement should encourage all motorcycle clubs to register. Registration is an effective way which may help to identify that those who are participating in the activities abide with the law. Additionally, registration may help to recognize those groups which are encouraging their members to engage in crimes.