What does the term “juggalo” mean to you? Perhaps nothing, and you’re about to Google it to figure out what we’re talking about. Don’t bother – we’ll get to that in a moment. But first, for those of you who do know what a juggalo is (or think you know what it is) stop and consider your knee-jerk response. Is a juggalo bad? Or good? Or are you neutral on the matter? It may seem like a silly question, but impressions are important. And in this case, they could have an enormous impact on certain CPS investigations.

Curious? …. By definition, a ‘juggalo’ is a fan of the Detroit-based music group Insane Clown Posse. Or ICP, as they are commonly known. Founded in Detroit in 1989, ICP brought the world a type of hardcore hip-hop dubbed ‘horrorcore’ that quickly earned them a wild fan base, and a great deal of controversy. They are known for their messy and elaborate live performances, and also for their over-the-top lyrical content. In a nutshell – you either love them or you hate them.

This may seem like a strange matter to be discussing on a CPS defense blog, but it’s actually a very relevant subject. Especially now, in the wake of the huge Juggalo march held in Washington just a few days ago. According to a great many media sources, the Juggalo march was organized to protest the formal “gang” label that the FBI had assigned to all ICP members and their fans.

In 2011, the FBI’s National Gang Threat Assessment branded the Juggalos as “a loosely organized hybrid gang.” According to the FBI, “many Juggalos subsets exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence.” The branding took place in four states – Arizona, California, Pennsylvania and Utah, and has had a negative impact on many a Juggalo’s life.

Juggalos claim that they’ve been targeted by law enforcement because of the Juggalo gang affiliation.

Many Juggalo’s interviewed by different news agencies told stories of being pulled over by police because they were dressed in their Juggalo regalia. Some shared tales of losing jobs because of their taste in music. Others claimed that their children had been removed by CPS because of their affiliation with ICP. But is that possible? Can your music tastes really affect how CPS views you?

Apparently, the answer is yes. In an article published by the Detroit Free Press, one child protective services worker named Aleah Palmer was interviewed about the subject. What makes Palmer different, however, is that while she’s a CPS employee, she’s also a Juggalo (or more accurately, a ‘Juggalette’ as the female fans are called.)

According to Palmer, it’s “absolutely true” that if a CPS caseworker discovers that a parent is a Juggalo, it can end up affecting a case, whether it has any relevance to the child’s case or not. She goes to say that Juggalos are often noisy and obnoxious, but that doesn’t mean they deserve the label of a “gang.”

In reality, this is just one more example of how an irrelevant detail that shouldn’t be a factor at all, can have a huge impact on a case, simply because of the way a CPS worker perceives something. So if you or a loved one believe that CPS has labelled you unjustly, or is prejudiced against you because of your life choices, contact The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245. Our skilled CPS defense attorneys are here to help you right now.