Outlaw motorcycle gangs are said to have been created by former members of the United States Air Force in the mid-20 th century after the Second World War who were affected and traumatized by war who returned to a country that they no longer recognized (Bosmia, Quinn, Peterson, Griessenauer & Tubbs, 2014) . Outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) are known to be heavily involved in organized crime or are criminal organizations in the United States as well as internationally (Lauchs & Staines, 2019) . However according to research conducted in academia shows that OMCG members are involved in organized crime to varying extents in that, the crimes committed vary between clubs and across jurisdictions (Bosmia, Quinn, Peterson, Griessenauer & Tubbs, 2014) .
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club
Founded in 1996, the Bandidos are regarded as one of the most significant motorcycle gangs in the United States, with more than 2,500 members. The Bandidos gang as a presence in 14 countries and 16 states in the United States (Andy & Lauch, 2017). The gang is based in Texas, and they specialize in the smuggling of drugs across the United States and the Mexican border.
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Hells Angels
The Hells Angels gang was established as a motorcycle club in California in 1948. They are best known for riding the Harley-Davidson bikes, with their leather and denim outfits (Lauchs & Staines, 2019) . Even though the FBI has named as the group as outlaws, the Hells Angles brand has been established as a brand and an actual business in the United States (Lauchs & Staines, 2019) . The group promotes itself through coffee mugs, t-shirts and women’s yoga pants.
Outlaws Motorcycle Club
The Outlaws gang was founded in 1936in Illinois, and they are believed to be the oldest outlaw motorcycle gang in the United States. Since their inception, the Outlaws have been convicted for drugs, racketeering, theft, and murder, among other crimes but the gang still maintains that they are not a criminal organization (Andy & Lauch, 2017). Today, the Outlaws maintain a strong presence with at least over 1,500 members across 176 chapters that are in control of the Mexico-American drug trafficking ring as well as have substantial influence over the drugs entering the Canadian border (Andy & Lauch, 2017). The Outlaws, many at times, are at war with the Hells Angels who have made several attempts at encroaching on their territory.
The Pagans
The Pagan motorcycle clubs were established in 1950 as a non-violent cub by Lou Dobkin in Maryland, U.S (Lauchs & Staines, 2019) . The club began expanding, and by 1970 under the leadership of John Marron, the club began engaging itself in organized crime. The FBI has classified the Pagans as an outlaw motorcycle gang despite having between 200 – 250 members, and primarily due to their connections with gangs such as the Italian Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood (Lauchs & Staines, 2019) . Members of the Pagan club are tied to murders, bombings, stockpiling machine guns, and arson.
Structure and Similarities of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
A formal hierarchy and sophisticated structure are maintained by the outlaw gangs, and in most cases, they are similar. Gang meetings are held regularly for discussing matters relating to the club, and when an existing officer is not able to carry out their responsibilities properly due to imprisonment or sickness, an election of a new officer is made (Bosmia, Quinn, Peterson, Griessenauer & Tubbs, 2014) . The Founder is often regarded as the person who started the chapter within the club or the entire group. The founder is always an active member of the club and takes up the role of the president of the group. If there are two co-founders, they will agree on whom to take on the role of the president and the vice president. The president is responsible for the club’s dealings with the outside world – such as acting as an envoy in interlamination meetings or dealings with the police and the press (Andy & Lauch, 2017). The vice president is tasked with the running of the organization, and s/he ensures that the clubs’ activities are running successfully and smoothly. Other roles include:
The Sargent at arms – The person in charge of enforcing the rules of the club
The Road captain – S/he plans all the clubs runs, routes, and stops.
The secretary is responsible for keeping the club’s records.
The treasurer who oversees the club’s finances
References
Andy, B., & Lauchs, M. (2017). Understanding the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs: International Perspectives . Durham, North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press. Retrieved from https://cap-press.com/pdf/9781611638288.pdf .
Bosmia, A., Quinn, J., Peterson, T., Griessenauer, C., & Tubbs, R. (2014). Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs: Aspects of the One-Percenter Culture for Emergency Department Personnel to Consider. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine , 15(4), 523-528. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2014.2.17919
Lauchs, M., & Staines, Z. (2019). An analysis of outlaw motorcycle gang crime: are bikers organized criminals? Global Crime , 20(2), 69-89. doi: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1583107
