Puerto Rican Hoods
Map of Puerto Rico’s Most Notorious Hoods
Take a journey through the most infamous Puerto Rican hoods, or Puerto Rico ghetto and urban areas, specifically in the cities of San Juan, Carolina, and Bayamon, that offers a glimpse into the urban and street lifestyle of one of the popular Caribbean islands. Although some may assume that Puerto Rican gangs are in full effect, they are largely found in prisons, as exemplified by the Ñetas, who emerged in the 1980s from Puerto Rico’s prison systems.
In Puerto Rico, what people might perceive as gangs are actually crews, cliques, and certain associations of individuals hustling together on the streets. While these groups can sometimes appear to be gangs due to the beefs, conflicts, and competitions among each other, the primary objective on the streets of Puerto Rico is monetary gain. This differs from the situation in the States, where the conflicts among gangs and cliques often revolve around proving who is toughest or can gain the most points for their actions, without any monetary gain in thought.
There are numerous barrios, but the basis of the streets within the Puerto Rican hoods revolves around the public housing projects, or the residencials, scattered throughout the San Juan metropolitan area. Outside of the well known and reputable neighborhoods, like La Perla, Barrio Obrero, Tras Talleres, Cantera, areas along Calle Saint Just, and several more from Toa Baja and Bayamón to Carolina, Puerto Rico’s hoods and street life is solely isolated in the dozens of public housing projects.
As Puerto Rico emerges as a significant hub in Latin America’s and the Caribbean’s narcotics trade, the tiny island has experienced numerous crime surges. Particularly from the 1980s and early 1990s to the 2010s, with annual homicide rates ranging from 800 to more than 1,000 through intense rivalries with Puerto Rican gangs and crews.
Currently, Puerto Rico showcases several similarities of large metropolitan areas of the states, ranging from shopping districts such as the Caribbean’s biggest mall, Plaza Las Américas, to a lavish nightlife in areas like Condado and Old San Juan. It also includes upscale and middle-income communities, like Miramar or several sections of Monacillo Urbano, as well working-class neighborhoods, extending to lower income and Puerto Rico ghetto areas.