Graffiti Awareness

Safe School Campus Initiative

Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood

Services

City of San José

Training Purpose

To train community members on:• Recognizing the differences between

gang graffiti and “nuisance” graffiti• Identifying a potential “gang house”• Share resources available to help make

your community a cleaner and safer place

Thugs/Taggers

•Ethnically Diverse (Latino, Asian, African American, Caucasian, Etc.)

• Black Rag (Thug Life)

• Widespread / Highly Mobile

• Membership Requires Less Commitment to One Gang / Crew

• Less Traditional (Bi-laws / Dress)

• Will Affiliate With Norteños or Sureños, Crips or Bloods, Etc.

•Primary Goal: Fame

• Fights Primarily with other Tag and Thug Crews

• Known as “Writers” and “Taggers”

• Will hold alliances with several other Thug/Tagging Crews

Piecing/Bombing

Thugs/Tagging Crews

Several crews crossing each other out and writing over each other showing disrespect and challenging the other crews. (KSU & AOT crossing outing TSU)

AOT (All Out Thug) and KSU (Kan’t Stop Us) in the past were two of most active crews in the city.

Thugs/Tagging Crews

Taggers will write on anything they can. White cargo vans are preferred because they are highly mobile and visible.

Taggers will at times draw characters as there signature mark on the streets. This drawing was by a member from an older crew, JBF (Just Bustin’ Funk)

Thugs/Tagging Crews

Street Communication

Thug and tagger crews, as well as traditional gangs, will communicate with one another with the writings on the walls.

“Next Time Don’t Run KSB”

Norteño Graffiti

Norteño Graffiti

Can You Spot The Gang Graffiti?

Let Me Help…

Sureño Graffiti

Sureño gang (SPV) which has formed an Alliance with another Sureño (KVT) from another part of San Jose

East Side San Jo 13

Sureño Graffiti

Gang Cross Outs

Identifying a “Gang House”There are some visual clues that you may have a “gang

house” in your neighborhood:• Foot traffic at all hours of the day and night• Teenagers and young adults always “hanging out” and frequent

parties, especially on the weekends• Residents seem to wear a lot of a certain type of color• Increase in tagging in the community, particularly near the

residence, and subsequent “crossing out” of tags• Possible increase in violence in the community (i.e.: assaults,

robberies, car vandalism, fights, etc.)• Possible increase in drug sales and usage in the community• Intimidation of residents

Slap Tags

Hate Graffiti

Contact Information:

Fernando P. LopezCommunity CoordinatorSafe School Campus InitiativeCity of San JoseCell: (408) 690-2165Office: (408) 794-1634Email: fernando.lopez@sanjoseca.gov

Danny PerezCommunity CoordinatorSafe School Campus InitiativeCity of San JoseCell: (408) 210-5217Office: (408) 794-1638Email: danny.perez@sanjoseca.gov

For More Information:

Anti-Graffiti Hotline(408) 277-2758

Anti-Graffiti Main Line(408) 277-3208

METRO SJPD Confidential Information Hotline(408) 293-GANG / (408) 293-4264

Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force(408) 794-1630

Thank You!