Dr. Al Valdez, Ph.D., retired as an Investigator for the Orange County (CA) District Attorney’s Office after 25 years of law enforcement experience. He is has appeared on national television including Geraldo and CNN as an expert on gangs. He is a professional speaker and trainer, and lives in southern California.

According to the book description of Gangs: A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs, “This popular text is a comprehensive guide for law enforcement and criminal justice-related professionals, mental health professionals, teachers and parents. It includes gang life style, sociology and characteristics of: Latino, Asian, African-American, White Supremacists, Prison, Outlaw Motorcycle, Occult and Hybrid gangs. The author, Al Valdez, had been in law enforcement for over 17 years and has presented formal gang training to hundreds of police officers, investigators and probation officers, as well as gang awareness classes for parents and teachers.”

According to one reader of Gangs: A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs, “I am an ex-gang member and I have read this book, written by Al Valdez. Before I write about the contents of the book, I would like to say something about the author. Al Valdez along with his special target gang unit were harassing me for a long time in the neighborhood, but to my surprise the target unit wasn't about putting me in jail, but giving me a chance to escape. Thanks to the motivation of this man and his special unit, I have been able to leave the gangs and create a new start on life. The book was extremely well written and is true in all of its aspects. I recommend this book to all parents who are struggling to comprehend their child's decision to live on the wild side. I recommend this book to teachers who are not coming from the surrounding community in which they teach and who are attempting to understand the life styles and decisions of their pupils. Finally, I recommend this book to law enforcement agents and large companies in order for them to better work with the community and to better comprehend the people they are working for and with.”

According to one reader of Gangs: A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs, “This book gives all the information you need to know for a quick and thorough understanding of gangs. I have been fortunate to meet Al Valdez and he knows his stuff! Whether you are a cop, like me, or a parent, like me, this is a book you need. His unique insight and writing ability give you practical information and advice from the real world.”

According to one reader of Gangs: A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs, Outstanding!! I have read several text on gangs in my 18 years of law enforcement experience, this one is the best one yet. The book is not only informative but easy to follow and entertaining as well. Mr. Valdez covers the history and main identifiers of basically every major gang in this country. If you know nothing about gangs, this is an excellent book for a beginner. If you thank you know all there is to know about gangs, read this book and learn how much more there is to know.”

Gangs: A Guide to Understanding Street Gangs, Fourth Edition Alora J. Valdez  More Info Gangs Across America: Histories and Sociology Ph.D. Al Valdez  More Info

About Orange County District Attorney’s Office

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, “As the sole countywide law enforcement agency in Orange County, the Office of the District Attorney represents the People of California in some civil and in most criminal proceedings. Tthe Office has a budget of $80 million and a staff of 650 including executive managers, attorneys, investigative staff, paralegals and legal support staff,  and administrative staff. The Office’s 250 attorneys annually prosecute over 80,000 cases.  Office personnel are located in six Justice Centers (Central, Harbor, North, South, West and Juvenile) throughout the County.”

The District Attorney has a number of specialized units such as insurance fraud, worker’s compensation fraud and juvenile crime.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office “The Office of the District Attorney has a vertical unit to prosecute automobile insurance fraud.  There are many kinds of auto insurance fraud including fraudulent or false claims by drivers, schemes involving staged collisions or accidents in which medical and legal professionals are involved, and insider fraud by persons employed by auto insurers.

California’s employers must maintain Workers Compensation Insurance coverage for their employees.   The system exists to create a mechanism for employees to receive treatment and compensation for injuries which occur on the job.   The system is expensive for employers who have faced premium increases in recent years.  There is huge fraud in the system, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office maintains a vertical unit devoted to prosecution of crimes involving fraud in Workers Compensation Insurance.

The Office of the District Attorney is responsible for presenting evidence in Juvenile Court of the criminal activity of minors within Orange County. In a juvenile court hearing, the prosecuting attorney appears on behalf of the People of the State of California. The District Attorney’s Office is also responsible for referring and monitoring juveniles placed in Juvenile Drug Court and filing petitions on chronic truants. Unlike adjudication in adult criminal court proceedings, the goal of juvenile delinquency law is to rehabilitate the minor, not necessarily punish or incarcerate. The minor is represented by an attorney on his or her behalf.  The primary duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice in light of the special interests and needs of the juvenile as well as the safety and welfare of the community.”