North Carolina Gang Investigators Association 2021 Gang Awareness Guide | Page 5

Colors

Numbers

&

Symbols

While some gangs have reduced their use of specific colors to avoid identification by law enforcement, many gangs still use one or more colors as a symbol to represent themselves. These colors may be worn on shirts; bandanas; multicolored or single-colored beads; and belts, hats, shoes, shoelaces, hair bands, and jewelry. These colors may also appear in other possessions such as school supplies and room decorations.

Symbols and numbers have special significance within the gang culture. Common symbols of some of the large gangs in the United States include stars (five- and six-pointed), crowns, pitchforks (pointing up or down), three dots in a triangle, and numbers. These characters do not have the same meaning across the country, and symbolism varies regionally. Contact your local school resource officer or other law enforcement representative to get specific information on the meanings of unidentifiable symbols or numbers you may see in your area.

What to look for???