It is estimated that over 1.5 million people are members of the roughly 35,000 different gangs operating in the United States. Among those gangs are street gangs, both on the national and local level, outlaw motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, gangs affiliated with organized crime, and gangs made up solely based on ethnicity? The majority of these gangs came to fruition in the major urban areas where they still thrive today. Even relatively safe cities crime wise such as New York or Los Angeles (relative to the most dangerous U.S. cities) have no shortage of gangs vying for territory while carving their own niche in illicit trade.