The Mexican Mafia (MM), also known as "La Eme" or EME, is a chicano prison gang started in 1957 at Duel Vocational Institute (DVI), a youthful offender facility located in Tracy, California. The Mexican Mafia was originally formed to protect its chicano gang members from other prison gangs. It is made up from mostly Mexican-American convicts form the barrios of East Los Angeles. Using extreme violence, the Mexican Mafia has gained a considerable amount of power and control of the illegal activities in the California Prison system. (Wikipedia, Mexican Mafia 2006)HistoryWhile incarcerated at DVI in 1957, Luis "Huero" Flores is credited with starting the Mexican Mafia. Flores came from an E ...view middle of the document...
As members were released from state custody, they extended their influence outside the prison system to control drug distribution; principally by "taxing" drug dealers in parts of Southern California. (Answers Corporation, Mexican Mafia 2006)Prison officials feel that the Mexican Mafia is responsible for the majority of the narcotics within the prisons. The Mexican Mafia are centered around drug trafficking, extortion, pressure rackets, and internal discipline. The Mexican Mafia uses killing as a means of discipline or gaining respect. Mexican Mafia killings are extremely gruesome and calculated to establish fear and intimidation.MembershipTo become a member, the Mexican Mafia requires a vote of three members or a murder of an existing member and you must be Mexican-American. The group does not require a vote for a member to kill a nonmember. There are four rules in which a member must follow: the member cannot be a coward, cannot be a homosexual, cannot be an informant and may not disrespect or politic against another member. Violation of the first three rules, death is the automatic consequence. Only a member of the Mexican Mafia can murder another member. Once you are a part of the Mexican Mafia, a member can never get out. (Wikipedia, Mexican Mafia 2006)When a member is incarcerated, the Mexican Mafia expects the members to take part in whatever activities they deem important to take control over other inmates or acquire money, such as; drug trafficking, forgery, assault, murder and any other violent act the group feels is necessary to accomplish their goals. The Mexican Mafia uses killing as a means of discipline or gaining respect. Mexican Mafia killings are extremely gruesome and calculated to establish fear and intimidation. There are an estimated 30,000 members of the Mexican Mafia today. Some are incarcerated, but most are located outside of prison in Southern California. (Answers Corporation, Mexican Mafia 2006)The Mexican Mafia are Sureños. They have tattoos that show the individual's membership to the Mexican Mafia. The tattoos or symbols consist of: the initials "EME"; the Mexican flag symbols such as the eagle with a snake in conjunction with the initials "EME"; a single hand print, usually black in color; the EME symbol of eternal war; initials 'MM' or 'M'.(Florida Department of Corrections, Major Prison Gangs 15, 2006)The Mexican mafia has many rivals as well as allies. The Mexican Mafia's biggest rival gang is the "La Nuestra Familia", or Norteños. The Mexican Mafia is said to have a "kill on sight relationship", which has forced the prisons to completely separate the two gangs. Other rival of the Mexican Mafia are the Northern Structure, Arizona's New Mexican Mafia, Black Guerrilla Family and any black street gangs. Some of the Mexican Mafia's known allies are Aryan Brotherhood, Arizona's Old Mexican Mafia, Mexikanemi, New Mexico Syndicate and any urban Latino street gangs.Law EnforcementThe Mexican Mafia i...
