Are the gangs, particularly the Gangster Disciples, still pervasive and powerful in Chicago?
The gangs are still pervasive. And, yes, the Gangster Disciples are still very much around. But the gangs structurally have changed. They used to be run from the top down. The leadership hierarchy was pretty clear. Now that’s no longer the case. The kids and young men (and women) run in much smaller groups. On the street, they’re often referred to as cliques — whose members are answerable to no one but a handful of peers. Also, it’s important to recognize that while the gangs certainly are responsible for a good deal of the violence, much of it is often the result of rather small, mundane disputes. An argument over a girl. An insult at a party. A wrong look. Cutting in front of someone at a club. These minor arguments quickly escalate — and it’s not long before a gun enters the picture.
