Gang Problem Research Articles

Finnish and Swedish ‘gangsta rap’ as a window on the dismantlement of the Nordic welfare state

Sweden, often cited as an exemplary welfare state, has experienced a significant increase in gang-related gun violence in recent years. In parallel, Finland debates the growing problem of youth violence and street gangs. The media discourse surrounding these issues often focuses on ‘gangsta rap’ and certain artists within the genre. Despite rap music’s popularity and expression of underprivileged and racialised youth globally, it has earlier been subject to policing and criminalisation, now introduced in the Nordic countries. Using Finnish and Swedish media discourse and rap lyrics and videos as data, this article contributes to prior understanding by 1) linking narratives of ‘gangsta rap’ to the dismantling of the Nordic welfare state, 2) highlighting the racist targeting of ethnic minorities through the public discussions of rappers and 3) discussing similarities and differences between Sweden and Finland, adding nuance to understanding how rap and its criminalisation vary across countries.

Latin American Studies and the Cold War

Latin American Studies and the Cold War

“Stop Talking and Act”: The Battle between Tough on Crime Policing and Guardianship of Black Juvenile Gangs in Philadelphia, 1958-1969

The 1958 robbery and murder of international student, In-Ho Oh, by eleven black teenagers in West Philadelphia created public outcry on the issue of black gangs in desegregating neighborhoods. The interracial homicide unofficially sparked a full-fledged tough on crime program by police and city officials. From 1958 to 1969, police and city officials became more concerned about black gangs because they feared white flight and white middle-class disinvestment from inner-city businesses and institutions that fed Philadelphia’s tax base. However, black community activists believed the “gang problem” could be solved with education, recreation, social welfare, and job training. Nevertheless, Philadelphia’s police department and City Council handled black gang activity with tough on crime policing and mass incarceration while black community activists provided “guardianship” to black youth to keep them out of the prison system and promote a positive reputation of black citizens.

Eugene Rivers and the responsibility of intellectuals

Eugene Rivers and the responsibility of intellectuals

Endorsing the Street Code: the impact of neighborhood gang activity on incarcerated youth

ABSTRACT Extensive empirical research has demonstrated a strong association between the code of the street and gang violence among inmates within correctional settings. Largely absent from this literature is the prominence of Street Code beliefs among incarcerated youth populations. Using data from a sample of 306 adolescent males, analyses were conducted to assess the likelihood of Street Code endorsement among incarcerated youth from communities with gang problems prior to incarceration. Ordinal logistic regression analyses indicate that both gang-affiliated youth and youth that report high rates of gang conflict in their community are significantly more likely to endorse the Street Code as compared to their counterparts. Implications for both theory and policy are addressed.

Regional differences in gang member identification methods among law enforcement jurisdictions in the United States

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to compare gang member identification methods across regions in the United States as reported by law enforcement.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected through surveys with various law enforcement jurisdictions in both urban and rural communities across the United States. Methods of gang member identification were compared across the United States. Region through the use of Ordinal Logistic Regression and Multiple Imputation.FindingsThe results reveal that there are systematic variations in methods of gang member identification across regions in the United States. Specifically, the West is significantly more likely to identify gang members through associations or arrests with known gang members, symbols and self-nomination compared to other regions. The South, Northeast and Midwest regions are significantly more likely to identify gang members through a reliable informant compared to the West.Originality/valueResearch has not compared gang member identification methods across region in the United States or examined how variations in gang member identification methods potentially impact the accuracy of reported gang problems and prevalence.

Matter of S-E-G-: The Final Nail in the Coffin for Gang-Related Asylum Claims

In July 2008, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirmed an Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of asylum to three young Salvadoran siblings fleeing gang violence and threats. This decision affects the likelihood that other youth and their family members fleeing gang violence will gain protection in the United States. The reach of the BIA decision in Matter of S-E-G- stretches far beyond the facts of the actual case or gang cases in general and may shape the future of asylum based on membership in a particular social group. The BIA published Matter of S-E-G- as one of only 36 precedent decisions in 2008, making the decision binding on all IJs as well as the BIA itself. The decision is important, as it appears to elevate the notion of “social visibility” from a factor in the determination of a particular social group to a requirement. This article examines how Matter of S-E-G- has affected the legal landscape with regard to asylum claims based on particular social group.Part I of this paper provides a brief background on the Central American gang problem. Part II briefly examines the state of the U.S. law on social group prior to S-E-G-. Part III summarizes the decision itself, analyzes the problematic elements of the decision, and provides an update as to the current status of the case. Part IV examines U.S. case law following S-E-G- in the Circuit Courts of Appeal. Part V presents an analysis of the potential impact of S-E-G- on other social group cases. Part VI explores recent Canadian jurisprudence on gang-related persecution claims, while the conclusion suggests how advocates and judges can move past S-E-G- to carefully consider gang-related cases.

Aboriginal Family Services Agencies in High Poverty Urban Neighborhoods: Challenges Experienced by Local Staff

The purpose of the study was to describe the challenges of working in the community from the perspective of staff hired locally by culturally-based Aboriginal organizations in high-poverty urban neighborhoods. Locally staffed and culturally based Aboriginal family service agencies operating communities with high levels of poverty have emerged in large cities. Efforts of these agencies are consistent with community economic development practice aiming to improve local quality of life and skill development and promote economic capacity. There has been little research to date exploring the challenges faced by staff working in these organizations. Participants were residents of the local geographic community and staff of one of three Aboriginal family services agencies in a large Canadian city. They were asked “What are the challenges of working in your own community?” and their responses were analyzed using concept mapping methodology. Twelve concepts emerged from the analysis including: lack of privacy, being personally affected outside of work, keeping healthy boundaries, and knowing how to help. In addition participants described the high local need and meeting the range of needs given limited funding and influence of government on operations. As well, participants identified dealing with broader structural issues, such as substance abuse and gang problems. The results indicate that staff in Aboriginal family services agencies in high poverty communities experience living in the same community as service recipients, management of personal relationships with them, diversity of need within their service area, as well as potential for traumatic experiences as particularly challenging. Staff preparation, training and support for these issues are important for funders and administrators to attend to.

Achieving Wellbeing and Prosocial Transformation Through Social Mobilisation: An Evaluation of a Gang Empowerment Strategy

Adult gangs hold a criminalised and deviantised position in Aoteaora/New Zealand. Further, a host of strategies have been enacted to remove or obliterate the ‘gang problem’. These strategies’ lack of efficacy can be attributed to the imposition deficit-based criminogenic constructions on populations that are misunderstood and continually othered. The current study documents an evaluation of a gang-driven social mobilisation initiative. Identified outcomes are linked to the rejection of deficit and criminogenic epistemology in favour of a holistic appreciation of the socio-historical self. Criminogenic strategies have been found to entrench gang membership. In contrast, a holistic appreciation provides a foundation for social mobilisation where the membership is best placed to respond to their own needs.

Investigative challenges relating to gang-related homicide: senior investigating officers’ perspectives

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with senior investigating officer (SIO) perspectives of their understanding of gang-related homicide and associated investigative challenges.Design/methodology/approachA phenomenological design was utilised in this study. In sum, 15 SIOs from the Metropolitan Police Service were interviewed using a semi-structured interview and analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsIt was found that the original typology of “gang homicide” might be too narrow and focus should be paid to “gang-related homicide”, characterised via motive behind the offence. This type of homicide exhibited specific characteristics (e.g. violent nature, large potential scene and pool of suspects) and investigative challenges which made it different from other types of homicide (e.g. complexity, need for more resources, managing unwilling witnesses, managing media interest, specific evidence challenges, need for thorough risk assessments). The need for expertise in the deployment of officers was highlighted and related to the desire for more continuing professional development (CPD).Practical implicationsGang-related homicide is especially challenging, but due to its volume, SIOs in London developed a sort of “muscle memory” – something that other police services do not have, even though the “gang problem” is spreading outside of metropolitan areas. Support for changes (e.g. in the utility of community impact assessment) and non-standard procedures (e.g. consideration of covert operations early on) should be discussed in further training and manual development. More attention needs to be paid to the synthesis of experience, expertise and science, SIOs being especially interested in debriefs and CPD opportunities. Multi-agency training is key for homicide investigators, relating to the complex nature of gang-related homicide and relevant safeguarding issues. Resourcing is a clear issue relating to the increase in gang-related homicide, as well as its investigation.Originality/valueThis is the first research into investigative challenges of gang-related homicide in England and Wales, and the findings can be utilised by all police services who may be dealing with gangs in their area. The findings can also support calls for change and development within services.

Youth Gangs: Nationwide Impacts of Research on Public Policy

This article examines the public policy benefits of gang research. In particular, the author highlights the benefits of longitudinal research on gang members in several cities and multi-city tracking of gang problems nationwide. Remarkably, the accumulated research led directly to expanded federally sponsored gang research, program development and program evaluations—a clear-cut case in which research influenced public policy.

Bill C-71 Is a Red Herring: Submission to the Canadian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

Bill C-71 is founded on faulty assumptions. Assumptions that ignore the real problem of violent gang crime to focus exclusively – and unnecessarily – on law-abiding firearms owners – hunters, sport shooters, and firearms retailers – individuals who do not pose a threat to public safety. The problem is violent crime, not firearms ownership. There are many egregious problems with Bill C-71. In essence, this bill is a red herring, intended to distract the Canadian public from the government’s failure to deal with gang violence. By selecting the year 2013 as the base of comparison, the government abuses statistics to argue shootings are increasing. Canada has a gang problem, not a gun problem. Criminal violence is driven by a small number of repeat offenders, not by the many Canadians who legally own firearms. While Canada’s legal guns are more likely to be found outside of metropolitan areas, the vast bulk of gang related homicides involving firearms were committed in metropolitan areas in 2016. There is no convincing empirical support for the assumption in Bill C-71 that tightening up restrictions on law-abiding firearms owners (PAL holders) will somehow restrict the flow of guns to violent criminals, and therefore, contribute to reducing gang violence. The claim that criminals get their guns from “domestic sources” is false and misleading. This claim cannot justify additional restrictions on firearms ownership and use by PAL holders. Bill C-71 is unnecessary and does not contribute to public safety. Canadian gun laws are already enormously complex and constitute a maze for unwary firearms owners. Since 1998, gun crime is predominantly administrative violations not violent crimes.

Construction of the problem of Latin gangs in Spain and response of the law enforcement system

Recently, since their official recognition as criminal organizations by Spanish law enforcement authorities, stricter prosecution of Latin street gangs has been observed. The toughening of legal regulations, new models of police conduct and the increasingly active role of prosecutors have contributed to greater punitive pressure on the gangs. This article has two main objectives: first, to describe changes in Spanish criminal policies for the treatment of Latin American street gangs; second, to analyse to what extent these changes are in consonance with empirical findings on criminal involvement and the organizational nature of these groups. The results show that despite the recent increase in criminal activity these groups cannot be viewed as the only parties to blame for local street crime. The opinion of the law enforcement authorities that Latin American street gangs are a form of organized crime is far from reality. These groups do not have the required combination of characteristics inherent to criminal organizations, and their purposes are not always exclusively criminal.

YOUNG GUNS: Children in organised armed violence

The problem of gangs is not new to South Africa. This is one of the reasons that Cape Town has been included in an innovative international study that has identified the phenomenon of ‘children in organised armed violence’. Given the youthfulness of South Africa’s population, as well as levels of poverty and unemployment, the risk factors for children’s involvement in armed gangs as recorded by the international study should serve as an early warning to us.

Matter of S-E-G-: The Final Nail in the Coffin for Gang-Related Asylum Claims

In July 2008, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) affirmed an Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of asylum to three young Salvadoran siblings fleeing gang violence and threats. This decision affects the likelihood that other youth and their family members fleeing gang violence will gain protection in the United States. The reach of the BIA decision in Matter of S-E-G- stretches far beyond the facts of the actual case or gang cases in general and may shape the future of asylum based on membership in a particular social group. The BIA published Matter of S-E-G- as one of only 36 precedent decisions in 2008, making the decision binding on all IJs as well as the BIA itself. The decision is important, as it appears to elevate the notion of “social visibility” from a factor in the determination of a particular social group to a requirement. This article examines how Matter of S-E-G- has affected the legal landscape with regard to asylum claims based on particular social group.Part I of this paper provides a brief background on the Central American gang problem. Part II briefly examines the state of the U.S. law on social group prior to S-E-G-. Part III summarizes the decision itself, analyzes the problematic elements of the decision, and provides an update as to the current status of the case. Part IV examines U.S. case law following S-E-G- in the Circuit Courts of Appeal. Part V presents an analysis of the potential impact of S-E-G- on other social group cases. Part VI explores recent Canadian jurisprudence on gang-related persecution claims, while the conclusion suggests how advocates and judges can move past S-E-G- to carefully consider gang-related cases.

Examination of Youth Gangs and Interventions in Three Contexts: American, European, and Turkish Experiences

The purpose of this article is to examine gang problem and intervention strategies in American, European, and Turkish contexts. Although there is a lack of common definition of gang and gang membership in the extant literature leading to overestimation and underestimation of the problem, research on gangs in both American and European contexts is promising. In all three contexts, there are different risk factors for gang membership and hence, interventions focused on different aspects and contexts such as suppression, community mobilization, school based interventions and so on. Gang problem and related intervention and prevention strategies are relatively new and not comprehensive partly in European and mostly in Turkish contexts. However, intervention and prevention strategies are mostly evidence-based and theory oriented in American context. This study can further our understanding for developing intervention and prevention strategies to deal with gang problem.

The myth of success: the emergence and maintenance of a specialized gang unit in Stockholm, Sweden

Street gangs and organized crime groups pose a unique challenge to police departments across the globe. Given their penchant for public displays of affiliation through well-recognized signs and symbols, their presence is often associated with media attention and public scrutiny, which threatens the legitimacy of the police and creates added pressure to generate a specific and public response to the threat these groups pose. The current study documents how the Stockholm County, Sweden, police developed and maintained an anti-gang operation in response to an emerging gang problem. While police officials labeled the anti-gang initiative a success in the news media, analyses of prosecution statistics and internal police documents demonstrate a less than ideal effect of this operation. Potential reasons for the discrepancy in public pronouncements of programmatic success relative to evaluation of official data are discussed.

Island in the street: analyzing the function of gang violence from a culture and conflict perspective

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the components of a gang culture in conflict with society, and second, to explore how gangs, the community, and law enforcers externalize the gang problem from the vantage point of worldview and worldmaking.Design/methodology/approach– The researcher gathered news articles from the Nexus-Lexis research database system within a one-year period (from February 2012 to February 2013). The data was randomly selected and representative of newspapers published throughout the USA. The news articles were coded based upon the aspects of culture (lens of perception, motives for human behaviors, criteria for evaluation, basis of identification, means for communication, justification for social stratification, and mode for production and consumption). A thematic analysis was also conducted to determine: the aspects of gang culture in conflicts with society; and how the gangs, the community, and the law enforcements externalize the gang conflict.Findings– Results suggest that gang violence is largely due to issues of identity, values, and gang cohesiveness rather than the result of the pathologically based environmental conditions. Criteria for evaluation and issue of identity constituted 66 percent of the violent conflict with society. In the context of worldviews and worldmaking, gang members and law enforcement personnel are more likely to adopt a rigid, win-lose framework while members of the community are more likely to prescribe to a flexible and holistic perspective toward the gang problem. In sum, gang violence is not necessarily a deviant or antisocial act; rather, it is a result of the conflicting narratives between the gang cultures and the culture-at-large.Research limitations/implications– In dissecting gang behavior from a cultural perspective, it is easy to categorize gangs as a collective subculture. However, gang members may not view themselves as a subculture nor consider themselves as belonging to a subculture community.Practical implications– By examining the function of culture – in this case, the gang culture – as it conflicts with society at large, one may better able to develop an action plan that emphasize identities, cultures, and values rather than crime and punishment. Also, it may help shed light on how the various stakeholders (i.e. the gangs, law enforcements, and the community) perceive the conflict, which may assist researcher to develop a comprehensive and holistic approach toward intervention. Finally, implementing a culturally based gang violence intervention may reduce cost.Originality/value– This research is unique in that it analyzes the function of gang violence in relation to the society-at-large. Also, the research addresses the issue as to how the various stakeholders interpret the “gang problem.” Finally, this research is innovative in that it employs news articles as units of analysis rather than the traditional qualitative interviews or quantitative surveys.

Juvenile Gang Participation and the Juvenile Justice System: Is There a Solution?

Juvenile involvement in gangs has long been a problem in the United States. However, in the past few decades, juveniles’ participation in gangs has continued to increase despite the fact that violent crime, as a whole, has decreased. The juvenile justice system has been unable to effectively deal with this problem. This essay traces the arc of the juvenile justice system, from its beginnings in the parens patriae doctrine through recent Supreme Court Eighth Amendment decisions, in order to situate the juvenile gang problem in both a historical and modern context. It then addresses empirical evidence of juvenile gang activity in America and examines three different methods for combating the problem. Ultimately, it concludes that the most effective approach to fight juvenile gang affiliation is by aggressive intervention and reformed court supervision that incorporates many of the same therapeutic interventionist methods.

Crime, physical activity and outdoor recreation among Latino adolescents in Chicago

PurposeThe purpose was to examine how fear of crime, crime victimization, and perceived level of community incivilities are related to physical activity participation and outdoor recreation among Latino adolescents. MethodThe study utilized a mixed methods approach that included 25 qualitative interviews and 390 school-based surveys collected from youth across three schools in Little Village, Chicago, Illinois. ResultsResults showed that Latino adolescents who expressed greater fear of crime also engaged in less physical activity and outdoor recreation. There was no association between crime victimization and physical activity and outdoor recreation. Those who perceived greater levels of community incivilities also engaged in less outdoor recreation, but perception of incivilities had no significant association with physical activity levels. Interview data revealed most of the children believed crime was a serious problem in their neighborhood and it impacted their ability to be physically active and play outside. ConclusionsFear of crime was related to lower physical activity and outdoor recreation. It is imperative that communities provide safe environments for children to be active. Increasing police and adult presence in parks and school grounds is recommended. Moreover, efforts must be made to reduce the gang problems in Latino communities.