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Gang Secret Codes: Deciphered GS Klivans. 2012 Santa Ana, CA: Police and Fire Publishing 169 pages, $23.95, policeandfircpublishing.com
From the beginning of their existence, gangs have been using codes to hide their secrets. Over the years, many books and articles have been published outlining the existence of gang codes and their meanings. As the Security Threat Group Coordinator and a person who has taught many gang classes to both law enforcement professionals and the public, I find that GS Klivans has taken the expertise of those longer and more specific books and spelled it out neatly and concisely in his modest book, Gang Secret Codes: Deciphered.
Whether a hard-nosed investigator or only curious, the reader learns that gangs are an ever-evolving entity. Some reasons for this are law enforcement, rival gangs, changes in society, or because gangs migrate from place to place. Of course, certain gang ideologies remain constant, such as the number "5" for "People Nation" or the number "6" for "Folk Nation," but other components of communication are constantly changing.
In his book, Klivans makes...