Missionaries of the Sacred

Entrance into a gang requires passing certain initiation rites. One example of an initiation rite is “Jump-In,” in which the candidate must fight several gang members at one time. Such an initiation rites may include the gang members jumping on top of the candidate after the new recruit is punched and wrestled to the ground. The purpose of the “Jump-In” rite is to see how strong the candidate is and whether or not he/she is a fighter.

Another rite of entrance is “Lined-In.” In this method, there are “two lines of its members and the recruit has to go between the lines as the gang members beat him/her.”¹

There is also the “Sexed-In” ritual where the recruits are to throw dice. The number indicated on the thrown dice is the number of gang members with whom the new recruit is to have sex.

Other recruits are required to commit crimes in order to be a member of a gang. There are also non-violent rituals of en­trance: “Walked-In” and “Court­ed-In.” The former is where the individual is free to join without any initiation. The latter may be asked to join without any initiation rite because he/she has a criminal talent which will be an asset to the gang, or he may have drug connections, have a car, or have a reputation for being good at stealing.

1. Gang Awareness. San Antonio, San Antonio Police Department, p. 3.