187 is the numeric code for the crime of murder used by law-enforcement officials, particularly in the state of California. This number is used for this purpose because Section 187 of the California Penal Code deals with that crime.
Media references
In the early 1990s, the number began to appear in the lyrics of gangsta rap songs, prompting some radio stations to stop playing the songs in which the number was used.
The following is a list of prominent examples of this usage:
According to the Internet Movie Database, the number 187 has been used in the titles of four movies, of which two were small art productions, one was a documentary, and one (the movie 187, released in 1997) starred Samuel L. Jackson. Murder was a major theme in the three fictional works; the documentary was about Proposition 187.
Recent movies like the 2004 documentary Juvies demonstrate that the term has become popular among incarcerated inner-city youth. They tend to say "I'm in for 187," rather than "I'm in for murder."
A violent video game called 187: Ride or Die is scheduled to be released in 2005.
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