Jackson Coyne

SOC222
9/13/15
The formation of the Crips and Bloods was the result of a trifecta between a lack of organized
youth groups, systematic housing segregation, and the disenfranchisement of the African American youth
during the civil rights movement. The positivist approach to the Crips and Bloods would most likely
classify them as criminals just due to the fact that they murder, sell drugs, and extort; but the
constructionist approach develops a much more in-depth portrayal of a youth that was caught up in the
wrong circumstances. Constructionist would identify the fact that segregation was so heavily engrained in
society that African Americans began to internalize the label of being inferior to whites which
highlighted the power dynamic between the black and white community (black being subverted by
white). In general the entire population of LA-black, white, Hispanic, Asian-were all conventional but the
blatant and heavily engrained racism enforced by a partial government led to a large gap between races
and widespread social inequality. Kumasi was stopped and arrested for walking through a traditionally
white neighborhood and the police just said you look like youve been robbing, this was before the LA
Riots were even on the horizon, Kumasi describes that and many other experiences as being fed a
spoonful of self-hate which would lead to his idea that if he hated himself so much then he hated those
who fed that hate him even more. This ubiquitous label became increasingly toxic to the mental wellbeing of any black person in LA and helped further define the racial tensions.
As a child growing up during the civil rights movement, in LA, while most likely being in the
lower class and facing segregation every day, many tried to join organized youth groups such as the
Boy/Cub Scouts but were normally unwelcome because of their color. Despite their rejection from
established youth groups, black children began to form social clubs which were quickly branded as
gangs by local police-this label was initially ignored but eventually internalized as those very same
clubs transformed in to gangs following a string of murders or jailing of prominent figures within the civil
rights movement (e.g. Malcolm X, MLK Jr, several Black Panthers). Loss of social control among a
group that had so much momentum led to a chaotic period in which there was no leading figure for the
disenfranchised black community. The transformation began with the LA Riots during which it became

prevalent that the constant devaluing of black lives by white people led to a mutual devaluing of white
property so rioting became morally justified and was glorified for its call to action for social upheaval.
Almost directly after the riots had been quelled by martial law, those clubs developed in to gangs because
black youth couldnt rely on a complacent older generation or a racist city government for help-finally
fulfilling the label branded upon them by the police. This internalization of the gang label also led to
the gangs developing a sense of pride in the illegal activities that they took part in which also led to a
lethal competition of one-upmanship to prove who is the hardest veteran. Social Reality theory is
displayed in white community branding blacks as criminals before they committed crimes en masse,
making life for blacks extremely trying leading to the LA Riots which then gave the whites more cause to
label blacks as criminals. Constructionist thought really accounts for the hostile setting that the black
community was dealing with whereas positivist thought focuses more on just the crimes of the gangs
which is after all of the racial tension had been built and kind of ignores the fact that the continued racism
brought about the riots.
As a result of the relegation of the black population in LA, the gangs were innovating to meet
their financial goals through new means such as dealing drugs, robbing, and extortion (Mertons Strain
Theory). This innovation fed into the label already placed upon the black community, specifically the
full-fledged gangs, that they were all criminals. This drove the racial divide even further in LA, leading to
a void of attachment among black youth to white institutions, giving them further reason to deviate from
the subversive norm and tear down conventional institutions (e.g. businesses, houses, police stations, etc.)
The constructionist view of the LA Riots provides a less partial and more fully developed picture
of the social inequality that brought about the bloodiest period in recent urban American history. It was a
large community that was continually oppressed and pushed further and further back by segregation until
it became to detrimental to ignore any further.