Seattle Prosecutors Replace 'Gang' with 'Clique' to Avoid Offense, Official Says

Prosecutors in Seattle are reportedly avoiding the term "gang" in favor of "clique" to prevent causing offense, according to Amy Barden, the first chief of the city's Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) Department.

Barden shared her experience on the Jason Rantz Show, describing a meeting where the term "clique" was used repeatedly when referring to criminal groups. She recounted asking for clarification, only to be told they were indeed talking about gangs. "We call them cliques," an accompanying captain reportedly explained.

This linguistic shift occurred during a SeaStat meeting, a briefing on crime statistics attended by prosecutors and city officials. The rationale, according to Barden, is to avoid stigmatizing language. However, Barden questioned the purpose of using "clique" when the groups in question often self-identify as gangs. "I think it’s well-intentioned. I’m a compassionate person. I don’t like stigmatizing language," Barden stated, "I also think we need to dwell in reality, and that it slows us down to not just name the problem, try to identify the solutions, and understand with human behavior, you always need incentives and deterrents. There has to be accountability."

Merrriam-Webster defines "clique" as "a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons," while "gang" is defined as "a group of persons working to unlawful or antisocial ends especially: a band of antisocial adolescents."

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has stated that it has not advised its prosecutors to use "cliques" instead of "gangs," clarifying that it operates separately from the city. This development follows a pattern where Seattle officials have been reluctant to use the term "gang." In the past, former Police Chief Shon Barnes repeatedly referred to gangs as "small groups" following a mass shooting in July that authorities linked to gang violence. He noted at the time that it was "certainly group activity" and that "small groups that appear to be at odds with each other" were involved.

Seattle's dedicated gang unit was disbanded in 2020 as the department reoriented its strategy towards addressing gun violence. Under former Mayor Bruce Harrell, officials were reportedly hesitant to use the terms "gang" and "gang member." His successor, Mayor Katie Wilson, has promoted a community-policing approach. Wilson herself faced scrutiny for her response to the July mass shooting.

Seattle has grappled with rising crime rates. According to crime statistics tracker NeighborhoodScout, residents have a one in 132 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime. The city's robbery rate is more than triple the national average, and it faces significant challenges with homelessness.