Elements of Open Source Warfare are being adopted by a different breed of US gangs: hybrid gangs. These gangs are unlike the traditional gangs in older cities and are flourishing in areas that haven't traditionally had a gang problem.
Hybrid gangs are characterized by:
- Cooperation between numerous gangs, including rivals. Rapid emergence, name changes, and merges between gangs.
- Soft rule-sets. Cut and paste culture.
- Extreme profit motive -- to the exclusion of everything else.
- Increasing instances of multiple ethnic/racial groups in a single gang.
- Association with more than one gang.
- Less focused on turf (more on virtual "commercial" territory).
Data point:
Iowa, Des Moines Police Det. Mike Stueckrath estimated about 40 percent of their gangs are now hybrids. With the new gangs sprouting up, he said, it is hard to know who their leaders are or what their beliefs are. In Kansas, Wichita Police Det. Loren Johnson said some experts would be very surprised by some of the behavior patterns they see in their hybrid gangs. Rival gangs co-exist peacefully on the same block, which police say is better for their crime business. Theres no loyalty beyond money, Johnson added.