Threesology Research Journal
Criminal Twos...
pg 2

(The Study of Threes)
http://threesology.org


Note: The title "Criminal Twos" was conceived of after I had run a spell check of page 1 in the evening prior to going to bed. As I lay in bed, my mind ventured to and fro into the realm of recalling the common expression "Terrible Twos" which refers to the state of affairs some parents experience with respect to a child who reaches two years of age. For some, it is a tumultuous time for which the only consolation is that the period is one the child will grow out of and a parent's exhausted patience can projectively look towards Heaven and exclaim "Thank God!".


While many parents endure a "terrible twos era" of a child's life, other parents say their child didn't experience a similar eventful period until a later age, be it three, four... or a child's teenage years. While the maturational "growing pains" of teenagers can be a considerably trying time for parents and child as well, the reasons for such have not been looked at from a threesological perspective. On a fundamental level, such a perspective acknowledges, organizes and designs a specific observational perch, just as does any artistic, religious or scientific interest, mix and match as you will. However, by avoiding the ensuing characteristics of biased fanaticism which breeds a tunnel-visioned blindness, there are some benefits to harboring an open-minded "giving the benefit of a doubt... non-punishing listener" approach.


As a Threesological researcher, I attempt to not only identify simplistic correlational models with respect to innumerated comparisons, such that in one instance any pattern-of-three example can be lumped with all other patterns-of-three, but also identify qualitative differences as I did on the previous page with respect to patterns-of-two. With this said, while lots and lots and lots of teenagers express a pattern-of-two orientation, it must be acknowledged that most teenage minds are in a transitional phase of development from which they will emerge into a predominant three-patterned orientation as called for by cultural requirements, even though most will be unaware they have transistioned into a three-patterned frame of thinking. In many cases, some acquire a greater usage of a culture's dominant underlying orientation, whether or not they are aware of it.


But some teenagers do not transition out of a patterns-of-two focus and develop a form of two-patterned thinking that quite commonly leads them along a path of confrontation— into criminality. I am not talking about age-related status offenses such as a teenager drinking an alcoholic beverage or using tobacco. And I am not talking about teenagers having arguments that turn into fist fights over something the child, as an adult, would view as a trivial concern. For whatever reasons you would like to consider, some have chips on their shoulders under conditions which promote them to intentionally seek out confrontations, while others conceal a "ready, willing, and able" defensive posture in a silent reserve of potential that they express in a school sport or other class activity such as in a debating or chess club, or promoting a friend for a student body office against competitors.


Lots of teenagers join teams, clubs or gangs, for which they may remain a member of far into their adult years, long past when others have moved their lives onto other interests. It is those whose association in such a group which is also engaged in criminality, (white and blue collar crime notwithstanding), that is to be discussed at present. Instead of looking at a specific individual or a specific gang, let's look at a multitude of gangs with respect to the names they employ for self-identification an organize such names according to an inferred numerical relationship.


One... Two... Three...


1- Word Names 2- Word Names 3- Word Names
Bandidos
Bishops
Blodgettes
Bloods
Boozies
Bosozoku
Crips
Enchanters
Five Prisoners
Goodlows
Grandel
Judas
Kelleys
Mafia
Magnificents
Marielitos
Matatones
Mexikanemi
Natoma
Nietas
Norteños
Outlaws
Pagans
Pachucos
Pueblos
Shorties
Silenciosos
Skinheads
Sureños
Untouchables
Warrior
YaKuZa
yakuza
Aryan Brotherhood (ABH)
Asian Bloods
Asian Boyz (ABZ)
sian Crips
Asian Mafia
Asian Pride (AP)
Baby Avenues aka Avenue Cribs
Bad Boys
Barrio Azteca
Border Brothers
Brown Union
Cambodian Crips
Cheap Boys
Compton Crips
Confederate Hammerskins
Crittenden Crew
Denver Lanes
Dirty Punks (Asian female)
Dog Pound
Driver Brothers
Eastside Crips
18th Street
El Esquadron
El Rukns
F Mob
1512 Crew
Five Percenters
Florencia 13
Folk Nation (Crips)
14 words
G 27
G-27
Gangster Disciples (nation)
Gardenia 13
Grupo (Group) 27
Gypsy Jokers
Hatian Mafia
Hatien Boys
Hawaii Boys
Hawaii Brothers
Harrison Gents
Hell's Angels
Hobart Stars
Hothead Boys
Hoover Nation
Imperial Gangsters
Inglewood Crips
Insane Unknowns
La Eme
La Familia
La Mugre
La Ñeta (Puerto Rican)
La Raza
Lady Rascals (Asian female)
Langston Crew
Latin Gents
Latin Kings
Latin Ladies (Hispanic female)
Latin Queens
Lincoln Westmoreland
Los Solidos (The Solid Ones)
Los Zetas
Lue Boys
Malditos 13
Mandingo Warriors
Mara Salvatrucha
Mau Mau
Mellon Mob
Mexican Mafia
Mickey Cobras
Midnite Pearls (Hispanic female)
MS 13
Neo-Nazis
[Ñeta Association (Asociacion Ñeta)]
Norteños 14
Northern Structure
Orchestra Albany
Orleans Crew
Pachucos 21
Parkland Crew
People Nation (Bloods)
Pomona Girls (Asian female)
Purple Hearts
Rat Hunters
Raza Unida
Renegade Slauson
Riverside Locos
Rock Machine
Rosedale Crew
Savage Nomads
Savage Skulls
Shorty Folks
Shower Posse
Sinaloan Cowboys
Southside Scissors (Asian Female)
Straight Edge (sXe)
Sur 13
Sureño 13
Surenos 38
Sureños Trece
Texas Mafia
Texas Syndicate
The Mob
31st Street
3500 Crew
Tiny Rascals
Toy Soldiers
20 Luv
211 Crew
203 Crew
28th Street
Valentine Bloods (VB)
Vatos Locos
Vice Lords
Viet Pride(VP)
Wally Girls (Asian Female)
Westside Crips
Wetback Power
Woodland Crew
Young Guns
Young Lords
Zulu Nation
African American Council
Afrikan Liberation Army
Afrikan National Ujamaa
Alabama Avenue Crew
Allison Street Crew
Arizona Aryan Brotherhood
Arizona's Old Mexican
Asian Hillside Crips
Asian Northside Crips
Asian Westside Crips
Athens Park Boys
Avalon Garden Crips
Ba Hala Na
Barrio Pobres Locos
Barry Farms Crew
Black Gangster Disciples (BGD)
(BGD = Street Killing Boys)
Black Guerrilla Family
Black P Stones
Black Panther Party
Bloods (United Blood Nation)
Born to Kill
Brothers of Struggle
Brown Mexican Pride
Brown Pride 13
Brown Side Locos
Bull Dogs (F-14)
Cash Money Boys
Clifton Terrace University
Condon Terrace Crew
Congress Park Crew
Conservative Vice Lords (CVL)
Diamond Street Gang
Dirty White Boys
Dominicans Don't Play
E Street Crew
East Side Latinos (ESL)
Elm City Boys
Fairfax Village Crew
Fern Street Crew
1st generation Goths
501 Capers Crew
58th Street Mob
Five Percenters (5%)
14th & Clifton
Four Corner Hustlers
Gangster Killer Bloods (GKB)
Greene Avenue Stompers
H Street Crew
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos
Highland Court Crew
Hit Squad Brims (HSB)
Hmong Nation Society
Imperial Vice Lords
Insane Gangster Disciples
Insane Hmong Pride
Insane Clown Posse (ICP)
Insane Spanish Cobras
Insane Vice Lords (IVL)
Kentucky Courts Crew
Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
La Cosa Nostra (LCN)
La Familia Nation
La Gran Familia
La Mara Park
La Mara R
La Nuestra Familia
Levis Street Crew
Lincoln Heights Crew
L.A. 213 18's
Lueders Park Hustlers
Mad Stone Villains (MSV)
Maniac Latin Disciples
Mara Salvatrucha 13
Masters Of Destruction (Hmong)
Mexican Crazy Killers(MCK)
Mexican Posse Kings (MPK)
Michigan Park Crew
Money and Murder (SMM
Montana Avenue Crew
Moon City Locos (MCL)
Naylor Road Crew
Nazi Low Riders
New Mexico Syndicate
Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG)
92 Hoover Crips
Old Mexican Clique (OMC)
Oriental Ruthless Boys
Park Morton Crew
Piru Street Boys
Pissed Off Bastards
Playboy Gangster Crips
Potomac Gardens Crew
Puro Vato Locos (PVL)
Puros Vatos Locos
Queen Street Crew
Riggs Road Crew
Rolling 30s Crips
Rolling 60s Crips
Santa Ana Boys
Simon City Royals
Sons of Samoa
Stanton Terrace Crew
Street Killer Boys
Supreme White Power (SWP)
10th Place Crew
The L.A. Brims
The Mexican Boys
The New Moon (1970's)
Tiny Little Rascals
Tiny Rascal Gangsters (TRG)
Todd Place Crew
Tongan Crip Gangsters (TCG)
TRG (Asian)
12th Street Crew
Two Two Boys
United Blood Nation (UBN)
Varrio Loco Town (VLT)
Wellington Park Crew
White Aryan Resistance (WAR)

Many of the names of gangs were taken from: Gangs OR Us - Robert Walker - Gang identification expert --- Gangs OR Us- Robert Walker ---

Other examples are from various websites and a few from books found in libraries, as well as by simply asking a few incarcerated youth/adults.


Some readers might argue that, according to the previous list, that patterns-of-two are dominant, which would rightly correspond to a dominant pattern-of-two oriented mentality, but often fail to take into consideration that the list is merely illustrative and is not comprehensive... however accurate such an assumption may be if the names of all gangs everywhere, interpreted culture-by-culture, were catalogued. There are many names of gangs that are specific to a small area, while others cover a larger area... sometimes merely by nothing more than a copycat form of self-labeling. There are many names that are not recorded and lots of names that have vanished from history because the group or gang members have either stopped associating with one another as a gang because of disinterest or maturity, or they have died. Other gang names from past eras that were recorded, are buried in the annuals of law enforcement, social worker, or other types of reports. However, one might want to make the case that military exploits are also gang activities, albeit on a more structured and socially accepted as well as accredited level. Hence, a military group called "The Flying Tigers," "Special Forcers," or "The Delta Group", etc., could likewise be recorded a one, two, or three position relative to the quantity of words used in the groups' name.


Curiously, while working in adult and youth corrections facilities years ago in America, I found the predominant perspective amongst inmates to be a patterns-of-two focus that can be described as dichotomies, yet, curiously, many names of gangs exhibited patterns-of-three generally displayed with three-letter designations, like militant-oriented but socially accepted organizations such as the U S Army, FBI, CIA, American Secret Service, and US Marshals, though many other different types of militancy (business, scientific, political) also engaged in such a three-lettered acronymic usage. While the names of many gangs (at least in America) presently show three letter abbreviations, (like so many government organizations), research into the names of gangs of past decades (to the beginning of the 1900's) revealed there was a predominant gang usage of two and one-patterned names or symbols, which included those groups that referred to themselves as "clubs" instead of as a gang.


As a threesological researcher aware of the existence of a one- two- three maturational development trend being exhibited by the human species, not only cognitively but with multiple physiological examples that can not be explained by claiming they are due to cultural fads; it might be considered that the usage of some three-patterned representations arose as nothing more than a "one-upmanship" response to the presence of two-patterned ideas that portrayed the world in a polarized fashion such as heaven/hell, good/evil, light/dark, etc... To take but one example of comparing the developmental trend from a two to a three- linguistically portrayed pattern, let us look at the names which have been adopted by some street gangs over long passages of time; in this case, American gang names.


When we look at the names of gangs in the early decades of the 20th Century and compare these with the names of gangs from the later decades, we see a distinct increase in the usage of three-patterned names that are frequently abbreviated into three letters, with or without mixing in other elements such as numbers or symbols.


Early 1900's America
2-patterned dominant
Late 1900's America
3-patterned dominant

The Tigers
The Murderers
The Ravens
The Warlords
The Sharks
The Scarboros
Blue Valleys
Joe's Gang
The Conquerors
The Rialtos
The Serpents
The Jaguars
The Friars
The Avengers
The Debutantees
The Toltecs
Drag Strippers
The Saracens
The Marvelettes
The Oblongs

WSG- West Side Gangsters
SIA- Samoans In Action
ABH- Aryan Brother Hood
VGL- Varrio Grande Locos
M1F- Murder One Family
CCB- Crip City Boys
THC- Trigger Happy Chicanos
BBH- Brown Brother Hood
VPB- Vision Piru Blood
BSG- Brown Society Gang
TCG- Tongan Crip Gang
TSG- Tongan Style Gang
LVL- Los Varrio Locos
NFL- Nortenos For Life
VCF- Varrio Chosen Few
QVO- (pronounced QueVo)
BTC- Black Top Crip
LLC- Lay Low Crip
BCB- Big Circle Boys
WAR- White Aryan Resistance

Common Abbreviations
3-patterned recurrence

ABC --- (American Broadcasting Corporation)
ADA --- (American Dental Association)
AMA --- (American Medical Association)
BBC --- (British Broadcasting Corporation)
CIA --- (Central Intelligence Agency)
CBS --- (Central Broadcasting Station/Service)
DEA --- (Drug Enforcement Agency)
DOA --- (Dead On Arrival)
DOB --- (Date Of Birth)
ETA --- (Estimated Time of Arrival)
FBI --- (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
FFM --- (Frequent Flyer Miles)
GMC --- (General Motors Corporation)
IRA --- (Irish Republican Army)
IRC --- (Instant Redeemable Coupon)
IRS --- (Internal Revenue Service)
IYQ --- (I like You)
KGB --- (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti)
KKK --- (Ku Klux Klan)
M/D/Y --- (Month/Day/Year)
MVP --- (Most Valuable Player)
NBC --- (National Broadcasting Corporation)
NRA --- (National Rifle Association)
SKU --- (Stock Keeping Unit)
UPC --- (Universal Product Code)
UPS --- (United Parcel Service)
USA --- United States of America)

A criminal street gang is an ongoing organization, association or group of three (3) or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its primary activities the commission of one or more criminal acts and that has a common name or common identifying sign, symbol or specific color apparel displayed, and whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity.

Definition source:

--- Gang ---
http://www.wheaton.lib.il.us/pd/gang.html

Yes, there are examples of three-patterned names of gangs before and during the first decades of the 20th Century. But by using a 1- 2- 3 model of organization, we can clearly see there is a distinctive change in the basic structure of the names. There are more one and two-patterned names in the early part of the 20th century, and more three-patterned names in the later part of the same century. This 1- 2- 3 formula becomes even more telling when we look at gangs with a dominant Asian membership. We find a common usage of such two- patterned names as White Eagles, Black Eagles, Red Dragon, etc., and yet the epitome of Asian gangs is the Triad. It is as if the Triad is that which one must strive to be a part of if not by direct membership, then by emulation. Yes there are Asian gangs with three-patterned names. Just as there are other gangs with a predominant minority membership which have three-patterned names. The point to make is that there is a distinctively large absence of gang names with patterns-of-four, five, six, seven, eight, etc... Here we have another reference to the previously mentioned idea about an underlying 1- 2- 3 maturational template that is represented in vocal behavior which no doubt influences how we think.


In the above table, I included examples of 3-lettered Abbreviations to present the consideration that some people might want to think that the young are merely copying (emulating) the behavior of adults in society by adopting three-patterned marks of identification such as when a government agent flashes an identification badge with FBI, ATF, or CIA on it. The showing of the three-patterned identification card/badge is like a gang member flashing a three-patterned gang sign. No less, the handshakes of many young are three-patterned while we see two-patterned "slaps" of palms primarily exhibited by blacks or those involved with blacks. The one-patterned handshake is still widely used by many in a common greeting. However, in parts of Europe, there is the greeting of first kissing one cheek, then the other, then the first one again. Yet, a two-patterned abbreviation of this may be displayed by those having experienced some degree of conflict. Thus, the 1- 2- 3 handshake examples are another reference to the idea of a 1- 2- 3 cognitive template, suggesting a biological counterpart that may have had an initial geophysical influence during life's pristine development.


Chinese people in 1900, considered themselves too polite to exchange a greeting in so barbarous a way as to shake hands in the 1-handed Western style, and preferred to make a motion with their two fists in front of themselves. This gesture became the symbol of solidarity of the Chinese Nationalists. Sports- minded Westerners of that era interpreted the gesture similar to that seen by boxers in a boxing ring, and promptly labeled the nationalists "Boxers" and their rebellion against imperialists as the Boxer Rebellion. The point I'm trying to make in using this example is to provide another indication of a "two-patterned" orientation.


At this point in the discussion let me interject the view of some readers who may hold the notion that we of the present are merely exhibiting instances of the past cloaked in the dress, mannerisms, and language of our time that have manifested into larger social conflicts due nothing more than to the increase in population. For example, whereas in one era abortion was widely participated in with a few dissenters keeping quite for fear of one or more forms of social censorship, the once socially silenced anger turns into modern protest because the presence of like-minded others, as well as free speech laws, contributes to the confidence felt and expressed in the adage "strength in numbers". There are of course other examples such as voting rights for women, child labour, employee rights, etc...


But such foregoing examples foremostly correspond to the industrial age, though the issues themselves may have been of concern by some in the very distant past as one might venture to consider a "cave" woman exhorting her political opinion on the clans male elders. If such expressions were "out of the usual order" of things as traditionally practiced, she might very well have had a verbal condemnation, if not a rock, thrown at her. Nonetheless, there are those readers who actively and frequently attempt to correlate present human behavior as modernized expressions of earlier human behavior. Sometimes in past decades, several centuries ago, or personalized assumptions consistent with what they believe to be was a behavior characteristic of early hominids, sometimes colloquially referred to as "cave man".


Typically, perhaps as a testament to an ongoing undisclosed mental trend, many try to interpret present events with early historical periods such as those thought to have occurred in the middle ages, as a means of enhancing their own understanding by way of interpreting modern behavior as nothing more than recreated past occurrences. Hence, from this perspective, the names of gangs are sometimes viewed as being used as modernized versions of passwords of notoriety, shields, weapons, and various other social tools of "secret" (or secrets hoarding) past organizations, similarly advocated and toted about by mainstream recognized institutions and organizations.


Yet in all the many digressive considerations one might want to discuss as an attributive thought, we come back around to the main discourse by slapping ourselves upside the head, after a swift kick in the pants, forcing us back into some semblance of the present reality, by asking "Why?". Why do some teenagers stuck in a two-patterned mindset when they are subjected to a plethora of threes in our public classrooms?


For those readers who have long forgotten (or never came to realize) the many different kinds of three-patterned information students are subjected to, let me provide a condensed narrative of an American classroom scene. Please be aware that most of the teachers I have known and worked with do not have a working knowledge about different numerically identifiable cognitive variations and did not make any attempt to emphasize a pattern-of-three acknowledgement amongst their students. The following examples are expressed in a format to provide a stark realization of a three-patterned formulaic existence (to be contrasted with a two-patterned world view) and are frequently used in various subtle patterns within a working classroom.


  • "Today Class, we are going to write a story. All stories have a Beginning~ Middle~ End, sometimes referred to as Title~ Body~ Conclusion.

  • Remember, Nouns are Persons~ Places~ Things;

  • There are 1st~ 2nd~ 3rd person Pronouns,

  • and I~ before E~ except after C.

  • Don't forget that you end a sentence with a Period~ Question mark~ or Exclamation point.

  • If you need more information you may go to the library and look it up by Author~ Title~ or Subject.

  • And please remember to hold your pen or pencil with three fingers and not your toes.

  • Also, I want to remind you about tomorrow's test which will have Multiple choice~ True/False~ and Essay portions."


In addition, the school's administration may use a one- two- three bell ringing method as a signaling device. It should also be mentioned that a teacher that uses a two-patterned pass/fail grading system creates unspoken conflict amongst three-patterned thinking students. Such a mentality would perhaps be best placed into a classroom selectively chosen for two-patterned thinking students.


Most of the kids will (unconsciously) use these and other three-patterned rules-of-thumb as mnemonic devices to turn in relatively acceptable papers. But Lo and Behold, as most teachers will no doubt attest to...there is a boy or girl who just doesn't seem to get it. For theirs is a world made mostly of patterns-of-two:


My gang
Heaven
Smart
Weak
Yin
Pretty
Rich
Popular
Black
Black
Black
Hispanic
Native American
Asian
etc...

Your gang
Hell
Dumb
Strong
Yang
Ugly
Poor
Unpopular
White
Polynesian
Brown
White
White
Caucasian
etc...


Of those inmates I encountered while working for a time in youth and adult male corrections facilities, there was a distinct world-view based on polarities such as My gang/Your gang, Rich/Poor, Right/Wrong, Yes/No, Smart/Dumb, Pretty/Ugly, Weak/Strong, With us/Against us, Good/Bad, Heaven/Hell, Stop/Start, Satan/God, Up/Down, In/Out, Yin/Yang, Positive/Negative, On/Off, Peace/War, Hot/Cold, etc... It is the same mentality used by business, government and religious administrations when it is focused on persuading the public to accept, defend, and support "assertive" (aggressive, assaultive, "attentive") activities that may speciously be referred to as the old parental philosophy of "my way or the highway". There is no middle ground of consideration when this primivity of thought becomes manifest. In contrast, when administrations or individuals are not focused on such activities, a more diplomatic "middle ground" (three pattern alternative) approach comes to the foreground. However, I have seen the usage of a three-pattern being adopted from the singularity of a dichotomy in an attempt to give the impression of being diplomatic when in fact a singular, one-sided approach is being executed.


[As an aside comment while it is in mind: I once worked next to a woman with whom I had previously discussed patterns-of-three with. She had said that she made an attempt to discuss the "threes" realization with her husband but that he didn't understand and was professedly adamant about the recurrence of patterns-of-two. I then told another female co-worker that the husband of this woman had the same mind-set of those I had encountered while working for a time in a prison setting. The second woman I spoke with thought I was prophetic (about the woman's husband having a criminal mind-set) when it was discovered (a short time later) the husband of the other co-worker ended up in prison for molesting young boys in a Boy scout troop he was in charge of. Even I was amazed that my interpretation would be followed by an active portrayal of criminality.]


For a more comprehensive understanding of gangs with respect to human mentality, a list of gangs from all countries since the beginning of hominid development would need to be undertaken. This includes the names of worker gangs such as those that competed with one another during social projects such as the building of the pyramids in ancient Egypt, in which the names of gangs were etched out in stone, no doubt a precursor to the presently used method of identifying, promoting and departmentalizing the egos of groups or individuals working on specific production line products. The usage of batch numbers as a means of identifying potential errors and problems experienced by consumers, removes personal identities from individual workers, in the same manner as military indoctrination methods which uses varying physical, mental and emotional exercises to break down an individual's self identity in order to identify with a group that follows orders without question. It is an old training method developed in ancient times that permitted soldiers to be sent into certain death entanglements, though the leadership themselves were typically saved from the effects of their stupid war game orders.


It must be understood that most gang memberships have an organized mentality of egocentricism. It is a sustained infantile mentality that they have difficulty in growing out of. From their perspective, the world revolves around them. And when the world appears to be focused elsewhere, they may very well engage in one or more activities that provide themselves with a reputation. Quite often it is an illegal activity, since most singular good deeds are felt to be short lived means of acquiring the desired notability commensurate with their lofted sense of self-importance. They all imagine themselves to be a "force to be reckon with" if your inclination towards them is hostile.


Like kingdoms of old that saw themselves as the world center, since so very few inhabitants of a kingdom had experiences outside the small conclave in which they lived, map makers were paid to place the King's claimed domain in the center of the map, typically with exaggerated boundaries, and those boundaries beyond as forbidden territories, belonging to something described as undesirable, be it evil or hostile. Along these same limited worldview lines, it is not too infrequent that a localized sporting event (such as martial arts contests or boxing bouts) will claim that the overall winner is a "world" champion, because to the participants, the "world" is an expressed exercise of their limited vision and experiences within the relatively small area they exist in. For gang members this is directly proportional to the limited range of tactics (such as bullying and various forms of intimidation) that they use to try to enforce their perspective on others as the right and only one. Some of them will argue that they do indeed have lots of experiences, having lived in several different places, yet they fail to recognize that those they associate with in each place, is but another rendition of the same conditions they were experiencing in one or more other places. Like a prisoner going from one jail or prison to another: it is easy to point out individualized differences in the institutions, but they are wholly ignorant of the fact that they are still talking about the "world" which exists in the institutions.


Another example of a limited world view is the event of a gang member going from one city to another in an attempt by parents or relatives to try to get the individual away from "bad influences", only to find that no matter where the individual goes, they tend to get into trouble, and conservatively expressed as "like flies attracted to a dung heap". The only way to change the recurring mindset of the individual is to strip them totally naked from everyone and everything that promotes their criminally oriented mentality, whether or not they are associated with a gang. An oppositional frame of two-pattern thinking can be altered to a two-patterned dualistic frame of mind, if provided the corrective conditions. But sending someone to a relative who keeps in touch with a parent whose way of interacting with the individual perpetuates their mindset, does not accomplish this task.


Sending them to relatives who are a constant reminder of a previous place and conditions does not provide the necessary forced incentives to change when they will invariably watch the same television programs, listen to the same music, and look for familiar cultural signs as they did in the previous place, from the perspective of the same two-patterned oppositional mentality. They need prolonged and sustained distractions from all of it... a new way of life based on a philosophy that directs the whole of their energies towards completion of a life altering task that is meaningful and logically defensible. This of course is for the most stubborn-to-change individuals, whereas many more need less strict and long term self-changing instruction. Society at large does not typically provide such program agendas and those who would be effective at organizing and running such a program are not sought out with the appropriate level of funding to accomplish this end. Instead, more and more tax dollars are allocated for a ludicrously bulging criminal justice system.


Parents are, most often, left to their own devices in dealing with a criminally- involved problem child, which is a variation of a too much, not enough, or tough love stance. Some efforts work, others do not do so well for particular individuals under particular contexts. Some parents give up. They have not the energy, time, nor resources to effect any sustained level of direct intervention. Such a loss of a child is a loss not only to the child themselves, but to their family, and all of humanity as well. The extremely few and far between programs which work, use various options of letting a child's own obstinacy to change be that which changes them. Native Americans used to break wild stallions by putting them in a pit with water and mud so that the impulses were eventually tamed by the expenditure of impulsive energy seeking not to be constrained. Metaphorically speaking, you need to find the appropriate water and mud pit (Chinese finger puzzle) for your wild, intractable stallion. Don't let an unwanted pregnancy or birth of a child be an individual's motivation for "settling down", when they do not have the maturity, marketable job skills, nor education needed for bringing up a child that may have to be brought up by the wild stallion's parents, grand parents, a relative, or some stranger.




Your Questions, Comments or Additional information are welcomed:
Herb O. Buckland
herbobuckland@hotmail.com