History on the roots of Los Angeles' War on Youth, leading to the construction of a vicious school to jail track and the largest system of police departments, courts, juvenile halls, youth and adult prisons in the world. The policies and procedures created in LA have spread throughout the state of California, across the nation, and now to many jurisdictions throughout the world. And new trends in policing, law enforcement expansion and militarization, surveillance and incarceration pose new threats. You could say, "Free L.A., save the world."

2. LOS ANGELES’ 167-YEAR-LONG
WAR
ON YOUTH

3. L.A. LOCKDOWN
#1 worldwide: Incarceration (Prison Spending and Prison Population); Pornography
Production/Export; Gangs Creation/Export; Meth Production/Export; Import/Export of 5
Illegal Drugs; Hand Guns; White Supremacy Gangs and Orgs
#1 nationwide: Gap between rich and poor, Homelessness, Youth in Foster Care -
the majority were “orphaned” by the prison system, “Riots”/Uprisings, Children and
people living in poverty, immigration and deportation

4. L.A. is home to:
• The world’s largest Sheriffs Department
and largest county jail system with as
many as 140,000 people a year cycling
through as many as 8 county jails.
• The world’s largest juvenile halls -
Eastlake, Barry J. Nidorf and Los
Padrinos - with as many as 20,000 youth
a year detained.
• The world’s largest Probation
Department - with over 20,000 youth and
40,000 adults on Probation.
• The world’s largest youth prison system
- L.A. has nearly as many Probation
“camps” - 19 - as community colleges
(20).
• The United States has 5% of the world’s
population but 25% of the world’s prison
population. The U.S. is #1 in prisons,
China with 1/3 of the world’s population
is #2.
• California leads the nation in the number
of people locked up: (over 200,000 a day
in state prisons, youth prisons, youth
camps and ranches, jails, juvenile halls
and those held in detention with ICE -
Immigration and Customs Enforcement -
holds. LA 27% of state; 40% of CDCR.

5. ROOTS

6. THE WAR AGAINST
“SAVAGES,
BANDITS
& YELLOW PERIL”
1800s

7. SUPPRESSION AND THE CONNECTION TO LAND OWNERSHIP
TAKING L.A.ND

8. 1848 California and the Southwest is
annexed into U.S. through illegal war
against Mexico.
LOS ANGELES:
Is the only region west of Texas to side with the
Confederacy.
Gains reputation as nation’s most violent city with one
murder per day by 1870. The homicide rate between
1847 and 1870 averaged 158 per 100,000, which
was 10 to 20 times the annual murder rates for
New York City during the same period. If we
had the same homicide rate today, we’d have
600,000 murders a year. French send troops to
protect their citizens.
By 1871, half of businesses are gambling halls, saloons or
houses of prostitution, most with political or law
enforcement ownership or involvement. Corruption is the
norm in L.A.’s police force until the Parker administration
creates military hierarchy in the 1960s. The Marshall’s
Office is funded by enslavement of indigenous population.
L.A.’s first jail is established (chain and a log.)

9. L.A.’S WAR ON GANGS
STARTS IN 1848:
L.A. has the highest lynching rate of any region in the country. the victims are largely Californios - now seen
since the war as Mexicans struggling to reclaim land and livestock taken through the war. First use of gang
profiling – “bandido/bandit” – to criminalize groups. Los Angeles had several active Vigilance Committees
during that era. Between 1850 and 1870, mobs carried out approximately 35 lynchings of Mexicans—more
than four times the number that occurred in San Francisco. Los Angeles was described as "undoubtedly the
toughest town of the entire nation.
1871 – Chinese Massacre is L.A.’s first of many “riots,” all of which are led by law enforcement or happen in
response to police brutality. A shootout between Tong factions leads to the death of a popular white
chicken rancher. A mob of 200-500 Whites and Latinos led by local government and law enforcement leads
to the lynching of 19 Chinese men and the burning down of Chinatown. Vigilante mobs and state sanctioned
murder typifies L.A.’s “justice” system throughout 1800s and early 1900s.
1881 - The L.A. Times is founded by Otis Harrison, and both he and the paper are a leading voice in L.A..’s
power structure which establishes L.A. as nearly all-white and union free by 1900.

10. Throughout the 1900s, the war on
youth continued.
L.A. has more “riots” than any other region of the country - all are
either led by law enforcement or military against the community or
represent a community response police violence.
confiscation of all savings, businesses the most famous of which
was the Sleepy Lagoon Trial and Sailor (a.k.a. Zoot Suit) Riots
where “fear of gangs” was used to criminalize and incarcerate
youth of color.

11. THE BACKLASH AGAINST
POWER
YOUTH

12. THE BUILDERS OF THE WARS ON DRUGS AND GANGS AND MASS INCARCERATION

13. THESE POLICIES CAME OUT OF L.A.:
Nixon’s Law and Order backlash after 60s movements creates a massive
jump in incarceration. NIXON DECLARES WAR ON DRUGS. The prison
population increases 600% in 20 years. California and L.A. lead the world
in incarceration and harsh sentencing, including creation of adult court
transfers, JLWOP, Prop 21 and Prop 9 - all are written and financed from
L.A.; Three Strikes is financed from L.A.
Howard Jarvis and Ronald Reagan lead anti-tax movement (Prop 13), the expanded
war on drugs and war on welfare, and mental health de-institutionalization without
community services, GLOBALIZATION AND OUTSOURCING OF MANUFACTURING.
All lead to massive increase in homelessness and further incarceration. L.A. creates
“planned Skid Row” to force homeless into downtown isolation.
Chief Parker (LAPD) introduces military-style policing and brings National Guard
tanks into Watts in ‘65. Gates (LAPD) takes militarization further by creating nation’s
first SWAT and CRASH (gang unit) and battering rams. LA Sheriffs (LASD) implement
nation’s first use of police helicopters. In ’92 Gates also created DARE.
U.S. fuels wars against rebellions in Central America. In the 80s, LAPD and Sheriffs
work with U.S. military to teach counter-guerilla tactics, interrogation and torture
against civilians. In the 90s and 00s, they return to teach gang suppression when
people are deported - (the greatest number from L.A.)
2007 - Jordan Downs is first community in the U.S. to get internet-based surveillance
system. L.A. and Riverside first to use GPS monitoring to track people with
gang convictions returning home from prison.

14. IN L.A. :
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE U.S. STRATEGY INCLUDED FLOODING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
WITH DRUGS LEADING TO A RELIANCE ON AN UNDERGROUND DRUG ECONOMY

15. IF THAT’S NOT ENOUGH, LA ALSO CREATED…
McDonald’s, Carl’s, Jack-in-the Box created fast
food industry (LA, OC and Riverside)
Scientology - LA
Hollywood &
Disneyland - LA/OC
Evangelical Movement - LA

16. BY THE 1980s, YOUTH WERE LABELED
SUPER
PREDATORSEven though John DiLulio, the researcher who created the
term later apologized for his flawed research.

17. 1. 1982: GEORGE L. KELLING AND JAMES Q. WILSON
PUBLISH THEORY OF “BROKEN WINDOWS POLICING” IN
THE ATLANTIC
2. 1992-1996: JOHN DILULIO, POLITICAL SCIENTIST,
AUTHOR OF BODY COUNT POPULARIZES TERM “SUPER-
PREDATOR.” APOLOGIZED IN 2001.
3. 2000: Proposition 21 passed by voters allowed
for direct file without a fitness hearing, bumped
many misdemeanors to felonies.
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QuickTime™ and a
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18. In the 1980s, Los Angeles County built the nation’s first comprehensive gang suppression
policies:
[1] Gang injunctions - first started
in Pomona, West Covina and LA, 82 -83
the ability to lock down a
neighborhood and arrest
people if they are
on the street with another
alleged gang member -
Including family - + other
restrictions.
[2] In 1985, L.A. established CLEAR
[Community Law Enforcement and
Recovery] first multi-agency task
force and joint code enforcement
effort targeting street gangs.
[3] In 1987, the L.A. County Sheriffs Department created the first gang database -
a computerized file that labeled people as “gang members” without their knowledge,
without any chance to appeal, and without clear way to get off.
(4) The statewide STEP (Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention) Act in ‘88, the nation’s
first law targeting street gangs, first gang definition, first language referring to gang
members as “terrorists,” first gang enhancements in court, and took database
statewide to create the CalGang Database.

19. CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL-TO-JAIL TRACK

20. PRESIDENT REAGAN APPOINTS
WILLIAM BENNET AS U.S. SECRETARY
OF EDUCATION.
ZERO
TOLERANCE
policies include requirements for
suspension, expulsion and arrests; the
takeover of school discipline by police
departments; and relationships in schools
replaced by metal detectors, locker
searches, drug-sniffing dogs,
and security gates.

21. 1. Police
Departments
take over school
security
2. More Probation
Officers than
Counselors
3. Schools look
and run like
prisons; some
have the same
architects
4. Searches, metal
detectors, gang
profiling
5. Leads to
massive push-
out and arrest

23. THE WARS ON DRUGS AND GANGS FUELED CALIFORNIA’S ADDICTION TO INCARCERATION

24. IN THE EARLY 80s, CALIFORNIA STARTED TO
RAPIDLY EXPAND THE BUILDING OF PRISONS
AND CUT THE BUDGET TO EVERYTHING ELSE.

46. DURING THAT SAME TIME,
CALIFORNIA BUILT ONE UC AND
TWO CAL STATE UNIVERSITIES.

47. Just
1%of L.A.’s Courts,
Police, Sheriffs’
District Attorney’s,
Probation’s and City
Attorney’s Budgets
would pay for: 500 full-
time gang intervention
workers; 50 youth
centers open from 3pm -
midnight, 365 days a
year; and 25,000 youth
jobs!

48. THE CURRENT (2015)
FIGHT
IN L.A./SOCAL

49. 2.3 BILLION JAIL
EXPANSION +
400 Million in Annual
Operations
The jail proposal as laid out by
Vanir Construction Management
Inc. includes a 1,600 bed
women’s jail in Lancaster + a
new jail to replace Men’s Central
Jail for 4,860 people - (3,260
people diagnosed with mental
illness, 500 people with
substance abuse issues, 500
people who need medical
treatment and 600 high
security cells.)
SURVEILLANCE SUSPICIOUS
ACTIVITIES’ REPORTING (OBSERVED
BEHAVIOR OF PRE-OPERATIONAL PLANNING, I-
WATCH, FUSION CENTER, LICENSE PLATE
READERS, BODY & CAR CAMERAS, TRAP WIRE,
STINGRAY CELL-PHONE), DRONES, PUBLIC
BENEFITS, CROWD CONTROL, SHOT SPOTTER
- ACOUSTIC GUNFIRE, FACIAL RECOGNITION
AND EYE-SCAN
MISSION
CREEP
“TRIAD MODEL” OF
SCHOOL POLICING,
OUTREACH TO PEOPLE
LIVING ON STREET AND
PEOPLE WITH MENTAL
CONDITIONS,
INTERVENTION AND
PREVENTION PROGRAMS,
YOUTH CENTERS AND
CADET PROGRAMS,
BRATTON: “REPLACE
SCHOOL TO PRISON
PIPELINE WITH SCHOOL
TO POLICE PIPPELINE”
PREDICTIVE POLICING
NEW STOP STANDARD OF
REASONABLE INDICATION, SATURATION
POLICING, COMSTAT
MILITARIZATION
IN SCHOOLS, STREETS,
LOCK-UPS (INCLUDES
DHS THRU FEMA “URBAN
AREA SECURITY
INITIATIVE” $8 BILLION TO
62 CITIES - LA AND LONG
BEACH NEARLY 1 B /1033
EQUIPMENT MUST BE
USED OR RETURNED
WITHIN 1 YEAR).
USE OF
FORCE
HIGHEST IN NATION:
625 PEOPLE
KILLED
SINCE 2000
POLITICAL POWER AND PR
CANDIDATES, LOBBYING, CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS, AND FALSE
PROMISE OF “COMMUNITY
POLICING”
Trends in PIC/LE:
SO CAL / LA
BROKEN
WINDOWS
POLICING
SAFER CITIES INITIATIVE
ON SKID ROW, STOP AND
FRISK, GANG DATABASES
AND INJUNCTIONS
BUDGET
DOMINANCE

50. TRACKED AND TRAPPED (2015)
HOW YOUTH ARE LABELED
GANGS

51. For most people, getting added to the CalGang Database begins with a police officer
stopping them on the street or in school, asking questions, and taking pictures
of them and identifying characteristics
(such as scars and tattoos.) During the stop, the
police fill out an F.I. card - known as a
“field information card.” Some
departments refer to
this as a field identification card.
An officer trained in CalGangs,
either the officer who
made the stop or
another officer
they hand the information
off to - determines whether or
not to add the
person and
the information
collected
onto CalGang.

52. [1] CalGang is a secret police surveillance tool.
People (and their parents)
are not notified, they have no process to
challenge/appeal the label and
departments have no standard process
for removing people. If you are removed,
that is also kept secret from you.
[2] Whenever the person comes into contact
with law enforcement in the state - and increasingly
In the nation - they will come up as a “known gang
member.”
[3] Criteria to be added to the CalGang
Database includes that the person meet
two of the following: a. admits “gang membership”
or association; b. is observed to be associating on with
“known” gang members; c. has tattoos “indicating
membership;” wears clothing, symbols, etc. to identify
with a specific gang; is in a photograph with “known gang
members” or with gang signs; name is on a “gang document,
hit list or gang related graffiti; is identified as a gang member
by a “reliable source;” is arrested in the company of known
gang members or associates; corresponds with known gang
members or associates and/or receives correspondence about
gang activities; writes about gang(s) on walls, books, paper, etc.

53. Through submission of a Public Records Act request, the Youth Justice Coalition
released the first-ever data on who is on the CalGang database:
At least 201,094 people are currently
on CalGangs. 94.8% are male.
Twenty percent are African American;
66% are Latino. The database
includes youth as young as ten.
The population of L.A. County makes
up 27% of California; but L.A. makes up
40% of the people on the CalGang
database.

57. Results of
L.A.’s
(Most Recent)
Multi-
Billion $
Gang War?

58. Results of L.A.’s Most Recent
Multi-Billion $ Gang War?
• After 30 years, L.A. has 6 times as many alleged
gangs and at least twice as many alleged gang
members.
• In 30 years, there are more than 100,000
shooting victims in South Central and Watts alone.
• In West L.A., 1 in 78,000 young men are
victims of homicide.
• In East L.A. it’s 1 in 6,100.
• In South L.A., it’s 1 in 2,200.
• L.A. County leads the nation and the
world in detention, incarceration and
deportation>
• One in 3 African American males is under the
custody of the state.
• African Americans are 11% of L.A.’s population,
but 36% of detention and prison population.
• Latinos in L.A. serve five times longer sentences
for the same crimes as whites.
• Latino youth are five times more likely, and
African American youth 18.3 times more likely
to receive life without parole than white youth.
We have exported
the street organizations,
the violence and the
suppression policies
nationwide and
internationally.