Crips
The Crips are an alliance of street gangs that is based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips were initially a single alliance between two autonomous gangs; it is now a loosely connected network of individual "sets", often engaged in open warfare with one another. Traditionally, since around 1973, its members have worn blue clothing.
Tattooed Crip | |
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams |
| Founding location | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Territory | 41 U.S. states, Canada and Belize |
| Ethnicity | Predominantly African American |
| Membership (est.) | 30,000–35,000 |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, murder, assault, auto theft, burglary, extortion, fraud, robbery |
| Allies | |
| Rivals | |
| Notable members | |
The Crips are one of the largest and most violent associations of street gangs in the United States. With an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 members in 2008, the gangs' members have been involved in murders, robberies and drug dealing, among other crimes. They have a long and bitter rivalry with the Bloods.
Some self-identified Crips have been convicted of federal racketeering.