Tattooing has been used as a means to identify the members of particular groups. Members use tattoos for several reasons. Some members will have many tattoos, especially if they spent time in prison. These tattoos may include one or more symbols, has been passed, a unique thing, to determine its members.

Such as the teardrop tattoo under one eye or the spider web represents prison time. Many members will have their names in big bold patterns, so that members will be intimidated by opponents. For the layman wearing an unauthorized tattoo could be very dangerous, especially in prison. Prison inmates have been aware of non-members from the tattoo removal tattoo literally cut a human body.

Some members, particularly proud of the brand itself is not part of traditional social boundaries. Tattoos are often used to express his philosophy of nihilism. Gangster rap style is often promoted tattoo make a black and gray style, depicting guns, bullets, secret letters and numbers, the old English or Gothic script. This is the common name of the people with tattoos in the neck or a tattoo after the motto of chest.It Obviously, tattoos have adopted mainstream society, even if there is not much middle class admirers willing to face tattoos, tattoo or in their hand - a common practice among members.

However, although gang members try to use the tattoo separated themselves from mainstream society, its impact has been on the hip young middle class is undeniable. Young people may not know who the original meaning of these symbols are now wearing tattoos worn by gang members had the honor badge.

There are many gangs in California prisons, mainly two:

This is the Spanish Sureños for the southerners. They are a group of hundreds of Hispanic street gangs with origins in Southern California. In connection with the Mexican Mafia prison organization. The Sureños is the first use of color to the California gangs to distinguish themselves from other gangs.

In the California state prison system prisoners in a standard rail handkerchief color: blue. From the Southern California Hispanic inmates choose or claim to the identity of a blue scarf. Once a member of the Sureños graduates to leave the streets, into the part of the prison system, they were designated the Mexican Mafia organization Sureños determine their own color blue, sometimes gray, mainly with the Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball team as the home town), Du grams of the University of Dallas Cowboys apparel. Their gang number 13, using the Arabic or Roman numerals, or a combination of both: 13, 13, or X3, and other creative means of symbols. This marks the 13 English letters, the letter M, which means pull or electromagnetic radiation, M; Mexican Mafia.

Figures also include tattoos, such as Tres Puntos (Spanish for 3 points) or the number of X3 and 13 (see: 3:00 tattoos), which is expressed as three numbers in the Aztec number system. Another significance of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the number of the corresponding alphabet letters: Long (12) + 1 (1) = 13.America, based in Northern California. A member of these groups is norteño (male) or norteña (female), Spain, based on the use of these names are not capitalized when referring individual members. Mexican-Americans who are not gang members, but felt a strong cultural affiliation with others in Northern California, also can call their own norteños / norteñas or simply from the north.

Traditional rivals Norteños is Sureños (southerners). The dividing line between Norteños and Sureños always Bakersfield, California. In the 20th century, the late 60s, the Mexican-American inmates in California prison system began to be divided into two opposing factions, Norteños (north) and Sureños (south), according to its home position; north-south line near Bakersfield. Part motivated by a desire to split the Norteños is independent of La electromagnetic radiation, also known as the Mexican Mafia.

Like many other groups, Norteños has been involved in drug trafficking and contraband, and armed conflict with other groups and with the police. According to the police investigation, as a full member of Our Lady of Familia in at least one of the gang murder.

Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate groups, began to step up investigation in the late '90s. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted for fraud charges, including several alleged gang leader who is a senior, while limiting the Pelican Bay. Of which 13 defendants pleaded guilty, in other cases still in progress. Two defendants sentenced to death for ordering the murder of the drug trade.