Baton Rouge, La (NBC33) — A criminal justice expert says Baton Rouge gangs featured in YouTube videos could have legal action taken against them as a result of the videos.

Faces are clearly identified and what appear to be crimes are being committed.

Anna Dow teaches at the University of Phoenix; she's been a criminal defense attorney for more than thirty years, and now shares her knowledge in the classroom.

She says the video is not something uncommon for a group of organized criminals, and Dow believes the people in this video are doing nothing more than trying to improve their status in the community.

"Basically, they want people to know that they're men, that they have a place in this world, that they have a dream of success, and this is how they're accomplishing this - and that's how they will protect it," stated Dow.

Dow says when making the videos, the participants weren't thinking about or worried about being caught. She says they're simply trying to gain respect in their neighborhood gangs.