Jamaican Yardies.

[Anthony Luciano]

Yardie is a term stemming from the slang name given to occupants of government yards in Trenchtown, a neighborhood in West Kingston, Jamaica. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie. Each development was built around a central courtyard with communal cooking facilities. Due to the poverty endemic in the neighborhood, crime and gang violence became rife, leading the occupants of Trenchtown to be in part stigmatized by the term "Yardie".

[Anthony Luciano]

In the United Kingdom

During the 1950s, while the United Kingdom was enjoying a post-war economic boom, the British Government encouraged immigration to the country to fill existing job vacancies. Within the Caribbean community, new arrivals from Jamaica were sometimes referred to as "Yardies" due to their perceived lower financial status, though the term could also be applied with nostalgic affection. In the following years, gang violence or behaviour on the part of Jamaicans became known in wider British society as "Yardie culture" and the participants "Yardies".

Criminal activity

Yardie gangs are notorious for their involvement in gun crime and the illegal drug trade, notably marijuana and crack cocaine. Yardies often carry guns on their person and do not hesitate to shoot at the slightest provocation. In 1993, Yardies were blamed for the murder of PC Patrick Dunne, shot dead while patrolling in Clapham.

British police are hesitant to categorize Yardie gangs as organized crime, since there appears to be no real structure or central leadership. Gang affiliations can be described as loose at best. Neither have yardies made any attempts at setting up fronts for their illegal activities, nor any serious attempts to corrupt and infiltrate law enforcement organizations.

A number of operations to combat Yardie and black gun crime have been set up, notably Operation Trident in the London area. Yardie (or imitator) gangs also appear to be active in Bristol, Birmingham and Nottingham but to a far lesser extent.

In Bristol in the early 2000's, Yardie gangs fought a turf war with the native Aggi Crew, members of which had recently been released from prison on parole. The potential for violence was so great that armed patrols were called out on the city streets, but eventually the Aggi's were arrested and thrown back in jail for parole violation.