Download Criminal Groups and Networks

Criminal Groups and Networks
Chapter 9
Group Work
1.
2.
3.
Describe the psychosocial context of criminal
groups. Which factors and circumstances
encourage “gangs” or groups to develop?
Has too much been made of gang/group
violence? Is it overstated, and blown out of
proportion by sensational crimes? OR
Is the gang problem out of control, with police
unable to protect people from crime?
Definitions of a Gang/Group
Are groups of youth who loiter on a street
corner or at a shopping center a gang?
 Are groups who get into occasional
fistfights gangs?
 Are groups who steal or vandalize a gang?
 If they use guns are they a gang? What if
they use sticks and bats?

Definitions of a Gang/Group

“gang” can be misleading way of describing
different kinds of gatherings of young people
(criminal stereotype and exaggerated media
images that both foster & play into already
existing stereotypes)
 White;
black; Asian; Native…………
 Most primarily male; some female
 They are from lower class communities, middle class
communities & upper class communities
Learning to commit crime
Importance of social psychological perspective:
 Leaned from others
 Accept standards, morals & norms (counter-culture)
 More likely when benevolent & authoritative units of
socialization (family) are dysfunctional or unavailable
 Salience of social identity
 In-group vs out-group attitudes
 Internalize group values
Social Facilitation
 Influence
of others with regular social
interactions

Risk or protective factors?
 Recruitment,
making ‘contacts’, sharing of
information, planning
 Criminal
ideologies
Criminal Identity

Identity or self-concept
 Influenced
by social group
 In-group
– explore alternative value systems
 Adulthood – change social group; legitimate groups &
work vs. deviant life style
 Label & self-fulfilling prophecy
 Acceptance & support
 Adolescence
Violent Crowd Behaviour
 Deindividuation
(traditional explanation)
 Depersonalization
(newer explanation)
Careers, Roles and Narratives
‘Career’ – life course criminal
 Role or status level?
 Self-defining; what a person does
becomes who they are


Activity 9.1
Group Processes
Co-offending situations
 Transient groups vs. established teams
 Mechanisms of control (conformity & leadership)
 Processes of social influence
 Conformity & leadership
 Role differentiation & division of labour
 Situational demands

Social Psychology & the CJS
 The
Crime
 How
do we organize investigations?
 Judgements and priorities
 The
Police and the Public
 In-group/out-group
 The
attitudes
Court
 Players
interact in accordance with assigned
roles (& values & expectations)
AND NOW

More stuff that is not in the book………
Underreporting

Would you report? Why or why not?
Most don’t because of:
FEAR
Characteristics of Gang/Group Violence

Larger, more cohesive & well-structured gangs
of older adolescents & adults (male dominated)
Most street crimes committed by youth is
shocking & disturbing (e.g., Reena Virk)
Most younger gang/groups not well organized &
often impulsive (more ‘pack’-like = more
dangerous & volatile)
Increasing availability of weapons

Much violence is between groups themselves

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Characteristics of Gang/Group Violence
Evolving nature of Canadian society –
many different ethnicities in same
neighbourhoods
 Young females more involved in gangrelated activity, assaults & robberies; using
more weapons (knives); more extreme &
violent?

Understanding Gang/Groups

Numerous theories include:
 Peer
pressure, diffusion of responsibility, support & a
feeling of solidarity, need to take risks; boredom;
attraction of monetary & psychological rewards
 Social learning (what they see on tv, among peers, in
their home)
 Result of alienation, lack of opportunity or response to
poverty; academic failure, abuse

How do we explain majority of gang/group
members involve middle class youth – as
victims & perpetrators?
Understanding Gang/Groups

There does not appear to be a single risk factor
or set of factors that are predictive of gang
membership and/or gang/group violence.
 Societal
aspects
 Community aspects
 Family aspects
 School aspects
 Peers
 Individual characteristics
Understanding Gang/Groups

B.C. provincial correctional centres files (41) analyzed as
part of general census of youth and adult facilities;
interviewed 25 inmates



Majority were 25 years or younger, male, and members of one of
the 11 gangs
First contact with gang at young age (via close relative or friend)
Joined gang gradually because of rewards; boredom; offered some
excitement
 ‘It
made me feel proud’, ‘I felt more powerful, I had
nothing else to do and I had more friends if I joined’, ‘It
felt good, I felt protected’ (source: Gordon – dissertation, 1994)
Communities and Subcultures

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Gangs offer members something they are missing
High rates of social interaction within the gang
Group interaction produces a system of mutual
obligations essential to group cohesion
Can be highly organized
Criminal groups: groups of friends that get together with
the motive of committing a crime
Street gangs: combined youth and adults who form
semi-organized groups for purpose of profit; identify
themselves through dress and using a street name
The Role of Street Gangs in Organized Crime

Organized crime groups may seek out street gangs to
carry out various criminal acts (e.g., drug running)




Provide a buffer between organized crime group & law
enforcement
May be recruited to join organized crime groups
Common characteristic of street gang members is live in
one geographic area (within a few blocks of each other)
Street gangs may commit violence against rival gangs &
be territorial
Prevention of Gang/Group Violence

Key factors in deterring crime is imagined
chance of arrest, conviction, & punishment

Legal Approaches (‘get tough approach’ won’t
solve problem – we need more)
Community Approaches

 Joint
effort
 Recognize growing problem of racial tensions in
gang/group conflicts
 Education,
education, education