UNDERSTANDING GANGS

About UNDERSTANDING GANGS

Welcome to Understanding Gangs. This podcast examines street and prison gang structure and activity in the United States from the perspective of law enforcement, academics and former gang members. Let’s get started

Publisher

Circle Of Insight Productions

Category

government · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 May 2021

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

63 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   St. Louis: How Street Gangs and Urban Violence Evolved Across Generations

   St. Louis, Missouri, has experienced some of the highest homicide rates among major American cities. But understanding its history of violence requires looking beyond crime statistics. In this episode, we explore how industrial decline, neighborhood identity, social inequality, and changing gang structures shaped parts of the city's history. Drawing on criminology and psychology, we examine why street gangs emerge, how violence can persist across generations, and what communities can do to interrupt these cycles.

2. 

   11 Oct 2026

   The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: How Gang Rivalries Turn Into Mass Violence

   The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre was more than an infamous Chicago shooting. It reflected a violent struggle for control of criminal markets during Prohibition, when territorial disputes, retaliation, and competition between rival organizations could escalate into spectacular acts of violence. This episode examines the social dynamics of gang warfare, the role of reputation and intimidation, and why criminal organizations sometimes use extreme violence to establish dominance.

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Why Prison Creates Powerful Gangs: Protection, Identity, and the Politics of Survival

   Some of the most influential criminal organizations in the United States developed or expanded behind prison walls. But why would incarceration make gangs stronger rather than destroy them? This episode explores how protection, identity, reputation, scarcity, and institutional conditions can encourage gang organization. It also examines how prison alliances can extend beyond correctional facilities and influence street-level criminal networks.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

29

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

85

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.