Gang

A Gang is a group of individuals who are drawn together by a common trait or cause.

The most oft referred definition of the word gang refers to street gangs, groups who take over territory in a particular city for the purpose of drug sales, personal protection, or lack of something better to do. Gangs have been known to claim colors such as red or blue, a trend that started as far back as the late 1700s and early 1800s with Mexican banditos and roving marauders in the southwest/western United States.

The two largest original street gangs in America are the Crips and the Bloods, the Crips claiming blue and identifying themselves by blue clothing, and the Bloods wearing red, identifying themselves with red clothing. Gangs often spread by a parent or family moving out of the gang neighborhood, and the children taking the gang culture and lore with them to a new area and recruiting new members for their old gang. This concept is referred to as satellite gangs. Some offshoots of the original Blood/Crip concept include Norteños and Sureños, Latin American gang members who identify with either the Northern Or Southern part of California, with the imaginary line being somewhere around Bakersfield or Fresno, California. However, Norteno and Sureno gangs have established 'satellite gangs' as far North as Canada and as far south as Chile. Other large street gangs include the Aryan Brotherhood, a mostly prison-based white power gang, the Neo-Nazi Low Riders, or LNR, the Latin Kings, The Black Gangster Disciples, and Los Angeles-based 18th Street gang.

Apart from street gangs, motorcycle gangs feature prominently in the popular imagination.

The word "gang" generally appears in a pejorative context, though within "the gang" itself members may adopt the phrase in proud identity or defiance. As formally defined, nothing distinguishes a gang from a more so-called "respectable" group within society: a service club, a political party, a religious sect or an interest group, for example.