Which gang began as a protective service for the neighborhood from crime and looked up to the Black Panthers?

Which gang began as a protective service for the neighborhood from crime and looked up to the Black Panthers?

• A. Crips
• B. Bloods
• C. Surenos
• D. MS-13

Answer: (A)

Gangs can start as organized neighborhood defense efforts, aiming to keep residents safe from crime, often drawing inspiration from community self-help models like the Black Panther Party. The Crips began in Los Angeles in 1969 as a group to protect their neighbors from crime and to organize for safety, with their members viewing the Black Panthers’ approach to community protection as a model. That protective origin and the Panthers’ influence are what set them apart from the others listed. The Bloods formed later as a coalition to counter the influence of the Crips, while Surenos and MS-13 have different immigrant- and gang-network roots that don’t trace back to starting as a neighborhood protective service inspired by the Black Panthers. So the description fits the Crips best.

Gangs can start as organized neighborhood defense efforts, aiming to keep residents safe from crime, often drawing inspiration from community self-help models like the Black Panther Party. The Crips began in Los Angeles in 1969 as a group to protect their neighbors from crime and to organize for safety, with their members viewing the Black Panthers’ approach to community protection as a model. That protective origin and the Panthers’ influence are what set them apart from the others listed. The Bloods formed later as a coalition to counter the influence of the Crips, while Surenos and MS-13 have different immigrant- and gang-network roots that don’t trace back to starting as a neighborhood protective service inspired by the Black Panthers. So the description fits the Crips best.