Operationalizing Gang Membership

Abstract

Although an extensive amount of research in the last decade has focused on juvenile gangs and the consequences of gang involvement, there has been considerable debate in the literature concerning both the conceptualization and the operationalization of the term gang membership. This research examines the extent to which the operationalization of gang membership impacts prevalence rates of both gang membership and delinquent involvement and whether this varies by gender. The findings suggest that the type of operationalization utilized by the researcher does impact both the prevalence rates of gang membership and delinquent involvement. Further, this impact varies by gender. An unrestricted definition of gang membership compared to more restrictive definitions yields conflicting findings with regard to the impact of gender on gang membership. Whereas the unrestricted measure of gang membership yielded significant gender differences, the more restrictive measure of organized gang membership produced no significant gender differences. The findings indicate the need to further address the issue of operationalization in our empirical studies of gang membership and to be sensitive to the potential impact this may have on gender differences reported by researchers.     

Gang affiliation,aggression, and violent offending in a sample of youth offenders

Abstract

Gang affiliation, aggression, and violent offending were examined in case files of 390 youth offenders aged between 16 and 18 years. Results indicated that youth offenders who were gang members and those who were not gang members but exposed to friends in gangs had a significantly higher likelihood of violent offending compared with a reference group of youth offenders who had neither gang affiliation nor friends in gangs. Additionally, youth offenders who had friends in gangs but were themselves not gang members had a lower likelihood of violent offending than youth offenders who were gang members. Finally, results showed that a history of aggressive behavior was significantly associated with violent offending. Implications such as the need to address the influence of delinquent peers and need to address the management of anger and aggression in youths will be discussed. Also, findings point towards the need for prevention and early intervention work.     

Multiple perpetrator rape: Naming an offence and initial research findings

Abstract

Multiple perpetrator rape presents a significant problem nationally and internationally. However, previous research is limited and findings are often contradictory. The details of 101 rape allegations recorded in a six-month period in a large police force in England were analysed. Findings are presented about case classification, victim and perpetrator characteristics, approach and assault location, perpetrator group composition and victim targeting. The discussion of the findings is used as a basis to explore the pitfalls and benefits of the established naming and definition of this offence. Local and colloquial terms (e.g. “gang bang” and “streamlining”) as well as academic terminology (e.g. “group” and “gang” rape) are considered. The paper concludes by proposing an overarching term “multiple perpetrator” rape that allows a series of subtypes to be developed both locally and transnationally.     

析黑社会犯罪

近年来,我国一些地方具有巨大破坏性的黑社会组织犯罪呈现出蔓延和泛滥的趋势,给国家和社会造成了严重危害。因此,适时分析黑恶势力犯罪的特点、突出表现、成因及法律适用,以期构筑打防机制,是十分必要的。     

黑社会性质组织犯罪的成因与对策——一种社会控制论视角的解读

有组织犯罪是严重危害人类社会的一种犯罪形态。在中国社会的现阶段,黑社会性质组织犯罪是最典型的有组织犯罪。它是中国社会控制体系更替和弱化,并受历史因素和外来因素影响等多种因素共同催生和促长的结果,亦符合其自身作为一种犯罪现象所遵循的客观发展规律。我国应当加强对黑社会性质组织犯罪的软控制、预控制和硬控制,完善社会控制体系,以有效地防治黑社会性质组织犯罪。     

CRIMINAL GROUP EMBEDDEDNESS AND THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ARRESTING A GANG'S LEADER: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY

Although law enforcement agencies arrest criminal group leaders to dismantle organized crime, few studies have assessed whether such interventions produce adverse effects. Through a mixed‐method comparative case study of the Latin Kings and 22 Boys street gangs in Chicago, this article examines the consequences of arresting a gang's leader. Using violent crime data, I show that a spike in violent crime took place in the first month after the arrest of the 22 Boys gang leader. In contrast, the arrest of the Latin Kings gang leader produced no change in violent crime. Using several qualitative data sources, I show that the arrest of the 22 Boys gang leader temporarily led to the gang's withdrawal from its territory, which spurred violent aggression from rival gangs in adjacent territories. In contrast, the Latin Kings gang continued its operations because the gang's prison leaders quickly appointed new leadership. The results suggest that criminal group embeddedness (or the social relations between criminal groups) can contribute to adverse effects in interventions targeting gang or other criminal group leaders.     

Are there Gangs in Schools?

Abstract

In the past, juvenile gang researchers have focused primarily on the characteristics of gangs and the prevalence of gangs in communities and schools. One of the greatest limitations of this research, however, surrounds the lack of agreement on the definition of a gang and, consequently, the prevalence of gangs in the community and in schools. In this paper, we attempt to provide a new method to (1) define a gang, from a triangulation of the perspectives of law enforcement, school principals, and gang researchers and (2) estimate the prevalence of gangs in schools in a three-state region. We determine that the type of definition used dramatically impacts estimates of the prevalence of gangs in schools. The limitations and implications of this finding for school administrators and law enforcement are also discussed.

In the past, juvenile gang researchers have focused primarily on the characteristics of gangs and the prevalence of gangs in communities and schools. One of the greatest limitations of this research, however, surrounds the lack of agreement on the definition of a gang and, consequently, the prevalence of gangs in the community and in schools. In this paper, we attempt to provide a new method to (1) define a gang, from a triangulation of the perspectives of law enforcement, school principals, and gang researchers and (2) estimate the prevalence of gangs in schools in a three-state region. We determine that the type of definition used dramatically impacts estimates of the prevalence of gangs in schools. The limitations and implications of this finding for school administrators and law enforcement are also discussed.     

黑社会性质组织犯罪及司法认定的若干问题

成立黑社会性质组织 ,应当同时具备组织结构特征、经济实力特征、暴力行为特征、非法控制特征等四个特征。科学地界定黑社会性质组织的内涵 ,明确黑社会性质组织与其他相关犯罪组织 (如 ,黑社会组织、犯罪集团、恶势力、恐怖活动组织等 )之间的界限 ,按照犯罪构成的要求 ,在司法实践中 ,才能准确认定黑社会性质组织犯罪 ,对此罪与彼罪以及定罪与处罚等问题作出正确地裁量     

试析青少年黑社会性质组织犯罪

近年来,青少年黑社会性质犯罪日益严重,对中国社会发展和青少年自身发展带来诸多不利影响,而其产生是社会多种因素以及青少年心理的、生理的各种复杂因素综合作用而形成的。重视和加强对青少年黑社会性质犯罪问题的预防和研究,不仅是关系到青少年一代健康成长的大事,而且是关系到国家、民族发展的大事。     

团伙犯罪案件的新动向及防治

目前,团伙犯罪案件出现了一些新特点,只有有效打击和防范此类犯罪,才能保证社会治安稳定和人民群众的安居乐业。文章对上海市闵行区人民检察院近年来受理提请批准逮捕的团伙犯罪案件特点及其成因进行分析,并从加大打击力度、加强教育管理和开展综合治理等方面提出相应的对策。