The following local photographs represent

Norteño criminal street gangs in Watsonville:

WATSONVILLE

NORTEÑO TATTOOS

•North Side Watson (NS, NSW) •North Side Watson Chicos (NSC) •North Side Watson Hynas (NSWH) •City Hall Watson (CHW, WCH) •Loco Park Watson (LPW, LP) •Clifford Manor Locos (CML, 265)

•Varrio Green Valley (VGV, GVL) •Mesa Village (Mesa, Mesa Locos) •Watson Varrio Norté (WVN) •Landis Street (LST) •Lomas Varrio Norte/Hillside Lomas)

It should be noted that any and all gang

related tattoos must be earned prior to and

authorized

by the respective gang.

One can earn a tattoo by a variety of ways

that include but are not limited to “putting in

work” or committing a violent act against

another person especially

a rival gang member or associate.

GANG-RELATED TATTOOS

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

Depicted in the photographs above are the

letters “LS” representing “Landis Street” in

Watsonville, a Norteño criminal street gang.

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

Depicted in the photograph is a young man from

“City Hall Watson” The letters “ENE” represent the

Spanish letter “N” and is a very common tattoo for

Norteños and stands for “Norte.”

Depicted in the photograph are the letters “LP” for

“Loco Park Watson” - a Norteño gang in Watsonville.

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

Depicted in the photographs above are gang members from “Clifford Manor

Locos” or “CML” - a Watsonville criminal street gang. Notice the tattoo on

the back of the young mans head that reads: “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” –

a way of saying that he will never give up the gang lifestyle.

Depicted in the photographs below are North Side Watson “Chicos” -

a Norteño gang in Watsonville. Notice the tattoo in the second photo

of the “Strawberry” - many Watsonville Norteño

gang members use the strawberry as a symbol representing that they

are from Watsonville.

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

Depicted in the photograph above are the letters

“WVN” for “Watson Varrio Norte” - a Norteño

criminal street gang in Watsonville.

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

Depicted in the photographs above are young women

representing “NSWH / Northside Watson Hynas,” a

Norteña girl gang in Watsonville. The tattoo on the young

woman’s neck is of the Mayan symbol for the number 14.

These tattoos represent Varrio Green Valley (VGV)- a Norteño criminal street gang

in Watsonville. The letters “VGV” (in the middle photo) are in the form of the

UFW Huelga Bird which represents migrant workers but has also been adopted by

Norteños. VGV members wear the color green and uses the Green Bay Packers

football Logo “G” as seen in the middle photo.

WATSONVILLE NORTEÑO TATTOOS

TATTOO REMOVAL

Catholic Charities Tattoo Removal Program (formerly Dominican Hospital Tattoo Removal Program)

831-316-9121

610 Frederick Street, Santa Cruz

Required: 20 hours of community service, must complete an

interview

Minimum $20/session or sliding scale

Since October 1997, thousands of treatments have been given by the

Tattoo Removal Program. The majority of clients are between 14 and 50 years

old. More than 75% of those in the program had been tattooed for gang

identification--and wanted out.

For more information:

www.basta.santacruz.k12.ca.us

Email: basta@santacruz.k12.ca.us