Skipp Townsend on Crips & Bloods Lacking Structure Because They Were Created By Kids (Part 11)

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Community activist Skipp Townsend shared insights into the lack of structure within the Crips and Bloods, attributing it to their origins with young founders. Townsend, who started a program called 2nd Call to mediate between rival gangs, acknowledges that while efforts at reconciliation can be challenging, they are not impossible. He highlights the difference in organizational structure between Black and Chicano gangs, noting that Black gangs like the Crips and Bloods lacked a cohesive system because they began as groups of kids, inspired by innocuous childhood nicknames, emulating their idols without a formal hierarchy.

Reflecting on the history of these gangs, Townsend explained that unlike structured entities, these gangs formed out of a desire not to be victimized or to establish an identity distinct from older gangs. Townsend argues that misguided societal responses to these gangs have not addressed underlying issues, such as a lack of vocational training, which could provide alternatives to street life. His work aims to break the cycle of violence and redefine support systems within marginalized communities.