Gangs have existed for a long time and have caused many problems in society. When people think of gangs, they might think of Los Angeles or Chicago, but gang violence in Oklahoma has been on par with what most major cities deal with. Gangs are a big problem in Oklahoma. Gang membership continues to increase in the state of Oklahoma. The main age group that joins these gangs is teenagers and pre-teens. Children without enough attention or who do not have a father figure in their life tend to join gangs. Kids want comfort and security, and some think they can find it in gangs. And these are the kids we really need to focus on if we want to help prevent gangs in our society. The Crips are a major gang affiliation formed in the year 1969 in Los Angeles, California. The two men responsible for its creation were Raymond Lee Washington and Stanley Tookie Williams. There are an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 gang members in the United States. The Bloods are also a major gang affiliation and were created in 1972 also in Los Angeles. The Pirus are the creators of this gang. The Crips and Bloods have an intense rivalry with each other that has been going on since they were both created ("Gangs"). Although the Crips and Bloods have a long history, they are only two of the gangs in existence. People think that most gang members are crips or bloods from Los Angeles, but today there are many neighborhood cults that cause a lot of damage (Million). "Gangs are no longer just an urban problem. Ten counties accounted for 59.2 percent of juveniles handled by the state between 1999 and 2006. These counties accounted for 74 percent of identified gang members" (Million). “Many gang members have similar background factors: low educational achievement… middle of paper… edited by Oklahoma House.”Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City, OK) (n.d.): Regional Business News . Network. January 21, 2014.Marks, Jay F. "City Wins $2.5M in Anti-Gang Fund: 'There's No Future in Being a Gang Member,' Says Federal Attorney General During Visit ." Daily Oklahoman, The (OK) (2007): Newspaper Source Plus. Network. January 21, 2014. Million, David R. "Neighborhoods Are Developing Their Own Gangs: Oklahoma's Anti-Gang Model Is Working in North, East Areas and south Tulsa." Tulsa World (OK) (2007): Source Plus Newspaper. Network. January 10, 2014. Nick, O'Malley. “Killing 'was a gang initiation'.” Canberra Times 23 August 2013: 10. Newspaper Source Plus. Network. 21 January 2014.Spencer, Gainey. "Federal officials praise Oklahoma's efforts to reduce gang violence." Newspaper Register Legislative Report (Oklahoma City, OK) n.d.: Regional Business News. Network. January 21st. 2014.