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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for gang violence
168 results foundAuthor: Rojek, Jeff Title: South Carolina Gang Survey, 2005 Summary: In an effort to better understand the perceived nature and scope of the gang problem, a state-wide survey of law enforcement agencies related to gangs was designed and administered. The purpose of the survey was to understand how the law enforcement community in South Carolina perceives gangs and what resources it is devoting to combat gang-related crime. Details: Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice and the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, 2006. 43p. Source: Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118296 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related CrimeGangs (South Carolina) |
Author: Sugarmann, Josh Title: Youth Gang Violence and Guns: Data Collection in California Summary: This study offers an overview of California databases containing gun and/or gang information - from the California Department of Justice, to California's Violent Death Reporting System, to local law enforcement agencies - to ascertain the type of information being collected regarding youth gang violence and firearms, how it is being collected and any inconsistencies that may exist, and to what degree it is accessible to aid in answering the many questions surrounding the issue of young gang violence and firearms. Details: Washington, DC: Violence Policy Center, 2009. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: http://www.vpc.org/studies/CAgang.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.vpc.org/studies/CAgang.pdf Shelf Number: 117119 Keywords: Firearms and CrimeGang ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceGunsYouth Gangs (California) |
Author: Heemskerk, Tony Title: A Report on the Illegal Movement of Firearms in British Columbia Summary: This report was commissioned because of concerns with the proliferation of illegal firearms and dramatic increase in firearms related violence, particularly with respect to organized criminal gangs who are more frequently settling disputes with guns. The report provides information on the current situation regarding the regulatory framework for firearms control; the illegal movements of firearms; the use of illegal firearms to support criminal activity; the agencies involved in regulation and enforcement and their current activities; and makes recommendations regarding changes to impact the illegal movement of firearms. Details: Victoria, BC: British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, 2008. 89p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: Shelf Number: 114639 Keywords: Firearms and CrimeGang ViolenceGangsGun ControlGun ViolenceIllegal Firearms (Canada) |
Author: National League of Cities. Institute for Youth, Education and Families Title: Preventing Gang Violence and Building Communities Where Young People Thrive: A Toolkit for Municipal Leaders Summary: As a resource for mayors, councilmembers, senior municipal staff, law enforcement officials and community stakeholders and service providers, this toolkit shows how communities participating in the California Cities Gang Prevention Network - as well as cities throughout the U.S. - infuse their anti-gang work with the six core principles outlined in this report. Sections of the report explore a set of strategic partnerships that are critical to combating gang violence: cooperation among police, probation and parole, prosecutors, courts, state and federal law enforcement agencies and others in the criminal justice field; cross-system collaboration with county agencies; partnerships with schools; involvement of the faith community in mentoring and intervening with troubled youth; and engagement of neighborhood leaders and residents in supporting enforcement activities. In addition, it examines two target approaches that are becoming increasingly prevalent in cities across the country: the hiring of street outreach workers to divert gang-involved youth toward positive alternatives, prevent retaliation and promote nonviolent conflict resolution; and a growing focus on reentry strategies to ensure that young people and adults returning from detention facilities receive the services, supports and job opportunities needed. Details: Washington, DC: National League of Cities, 2010. 113p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118418 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsPartnershipsReentry |
Author: Delaney, Christopher L. Title: The Effects of Focused Deterrence on Gang Homicide: An Evaluation of Rochester's Ceasefire Program Summary: In the late 1990's, a problem oriented policing initiative in Boston, "Operation: Ceasefire", achieved significant reductions in youth homicide by focusing on gang behavior. The program was driven by a concept known as focused deterrence. The success of the Boston program encouraged other jurisdictions across the country to implement their own versions of the Ceasefire project. In recent years, violence in Rochester, NY came to be seen as consistent with the gang driven problem described in Boston and a version of Operation Ceasefire was implemented in October, 2003. This study examines the Ceasefire program as implemented in Rochester, NY from October 2003 to December 2004. Using an interrupted time-series research design, the study finds limited but statistically significant reductions in homicides of black males ages 15-30 during the Ceasefire intervention period. Despite this finding, increases in 2005 homicides of black males ages 15-30 have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the program. A postscript examines the 2005 increase and considers explanations for the increase associated with potential theoretical and operational shortcomings in the Ceasefire program. Details: Rochester, NY: College of Liberal Arts/Public Policy Program, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2005. 157p. Source: Master's Thesis; Internet Resource Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118682 Keywords: Ceasefire ProgramFocused DeterrenceGang ViolenceGangsHomicideProblem-Oriented Policing |
Author: Geoff Berry Associates Title: Evaluation of the WMTTS Mediation Project in Birmingham Summary: The West Midlands Mediation and Transformation Service (WMMTS) was established in late 2004 and emerged from dialogue between police and community regarding the escalation of gun related violence. The scheme is now an integral part of an overall strategy designed to address gang violence across Birmingham. The aims of the scheme seek to both facilitate a cessation of gang related shootings and provide a pathway for those who wish to exit the gun and gang culture to do so. Operating with a team of six mediators, all trained and accredited, the scheme has three broad strands, namely; Proactive intervention: to facilitate negotiation between factions Post-event intervention: To mediate and prevent retaliation and escalation Facilitate delivery of support: to encourage those who wish to exit the gun and gang culture to do so. There is strong evidence that demand for the services of the scheme is growing and while strategic linkages have been made with a community based group, Increase the Peace UK (IPUK), it is important that demand is managed such that the team is not over-burdened. Details: Stafford, UK: Geoff Berry Associates, 2006. 27p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119540 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Birmingham, UK)Juvenile OffendersViolent Crime |
Author: Townsend, Dorn Title: No Other Life: Gangs, Guns, and Governance in Trinidad and Tobago Summary: Gun violence and gun-related homicides in Trinidad and Tobago have continued to increase over the last decade. The twin-island nation now has more gun-related deaths than Jamaica and a murder rate of 42 per 100,000. This report examines the interconnection between the gun violence and the present political situation in Trinidad and Tobago. The publication asserts that the crime-fighting measures of the police force are hampered by financial support to urban gangs via public welfare programs. Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, 2009. 55p. Source: Internet Resource; Working Paper of the Small Arms Survey; accessed August 8, 2010 at http://smallarmssurvey.org/files/sas/publications/w_papers_pdf/WP/WP8-Gangs-Guns-Governance-Trinidad-Tobago-2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Trinidad and Tobago URL: http://smallarmssurvey.org/files/sas/publications/w_papers_pdf/WP/WP8-Gangs-Guns-Governance-Trinidad-Tobago-2009.pdf Shelf Number: 117633 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsGun ViolenceHomicidesViolent Crime |
Author: Tita, George Title: Homicide in California 1081-2008: Measuring the Impact of Los Angeles and Gangs On Overall Homicide Patterns Summary: "This report examines characteristics of homicide victims and changes in certain trends of victimization for the state of California over the twenty-eight-year period of 1981-2008 with special attention to changes over the last seven years, that is, for the period 2002 through 2008. The basic outline of this report follows closely that of our previous one on the same topic, which covered the period 1981-2001. Much of the text in the current report is adapted from the earlier one, but some topics have been dropped as no new conclusions can be drawn from the longer data series. Our primary data source is the publicly available Homicide File maintained by the California Department of Justice (Cal-DOJ), Division of Criminal Justice Information Services. The previous report examined several questions pertaining to the nature of homicide over the period 1981-2001. This report is more focused. Here we are interested primarily in the rise and fall of gang-related homicides. In particular, how such homicides have changed in the last five years and how these changes may have differed from what we might have been led to expect in 2004 when we wrote that report. In addition, we have devoted more attention to changes outside of Los Angeles County. Part II of the report examines statewide changes at the county and jurisdictional level in an effort to better understand the shifting geographic patterns of gang homicide throughout the state. In Part III of the report we present findings from a survey sent to all policing agencies in California regarding the accuracy with which gang homicides are reported to Cal-DOJ. Finally, based upon our analysis, we offer suggestions on how resources might best be allocated in an effort to reduce homicide throughout California." Details: Sacramento, CA: California Governor's Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy, 2010. 33p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 16, 2010 at: http://calgrip.ca.gov/documents/Homicide_CA_1981_2008_Tita.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://calgrip.ca.gov/documents/Homicide_CA_1981_2008_Tita.pdf Shelf Number: 119612 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (California)Homicides (California) |
Author: Title: Latino Youth Gang Violence in Multnomah County: Understanding the Problem, Shaping the Future Summary: Gang-related violence involving Latino youth in Multnomah County is a cause for concern among all county residents. While youth violence has remained steady or declined over the last few years, gang-related violence involving Latino youth has increased. Over the last two years, numerous gang-related shootings have occurred at wedding receptions, in the downtown areas of Portland and other Multnomah county-area cities. Gang violence has claimed numerous lives, and caused much fear and sorrow in the county’s Latino community. As the Latino bilingual, bicultural, immigrant population continues to grow, so must the County’s efforts to reduce the attraction of violence and gang culture to Latino youth. In the Spring of 2002, Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz created the Latino Gang Violence Prevention Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force was comprised of concerned community members, law enforcement personnel, social services providers, educators, and elected officials committed to developing and im-plementing a Latino youth gang violence prevention and elimination plan. The Commissioner gave the Task Force a three-fold charge: Evaluate the nature and scope of the Latino gang problem in Multnomah County; examine current re-sponses and challenges to developing cultural and language-specific services for high-risk Latino youth and their families; and design strategies to reduce or eliminate youth gangs and other forms of violence among Latino youth. After several months of meetings, research and outreach, the Task Force has made several findings covering a variety of subject areas relevant to the topic. This report presents the recommendations of the task force. Details: Portland, OR: The Task Force, 2004. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2010 At: http://www.lpscc.org/docs/LatinoYouthDec2003.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United States URL: http://www.lpscc.org/docs/LatinoYouthDec2003.pdf Shelf Number: 119578 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Radtke, Timothy Title: Operation Ceasefire in Clark County, Nevada: Evaluating a Cross-Jurisdictional Approach to Reducing Gun Violence Summary: This technical report contains information presented to stakeholders associated with Las Vegas’s Safe Village Initiative, which began in January 2007, in response to firearm violence in Clark County, Nevada. SVI was designed after Operation Ceasefire models developed in Boston, Chicago, and Newark (NJ). Las Vegas’s SVI represents an effort to combine the resources of criminal justice agencies, social service organizations, local clergy, and citizens to disrupt the cycle of violence that characterizes both fatal and non-fatal shootings. An evaluation of SVI’s impact on reducing violence in targeted communities, supported by Federal funding (2007-30243-NV-BJ), suggests that it is an effective community-oriented policing strategy. Highlights of the SVI evaluation include: 1) There was 37% reduction in targeted calls-for-service in the study area after the implementation of the SVI; 2) The overall decline in calls-for-service was attributed to a 32% decline in calls-for-service involving persons with a gun, a 42% reduction in calls-for-service involving an assault/battery with a gun, and a 46% reduction in calls-for-service involving an illegal shooting; 3) A slight decline was observed in the average monthly number of gunshot and stabbing patients admitted to UMC-Trauma Unit from the study area after the implementation of the SVI; and 4) Important qualitative differences were measured in the SVI that may explain why outcomes of this program differed from similar programs implemented in other communities throughout the country. Details: Las Vegas, NV: Center for the Analysis of Crime Statistics, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, 2008. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.unlv.edu/centers/crimestats/pdf/OCF.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.unlv.edu/centers/crimestats/pdf/OCF.pdf Shelf Number: 119668 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGun Violence (Nevada)GunsViolent Crime |
Author: Weisel, Deborah Lamm Title: Comprehensive Gang Assessment: A Report to the Durham Police Department and Durham County Sheriff's Office Summary: This report presents a comprehensive assessment of gang-related problems in the City of Durham and Durham County. The assessment consisted of a systematic and comprehensive data collection process, analysis and interpretation of findings, and examination of the relationship or fit between documented gang-related problems and existing programmatic responses employed by the community, schools, service providers, and the criminal justice system. Details: Unpublished report to the Durham Police Department and Durham County Sheriff's Office, 2007. 218p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.durhampolice.com/news/pdf/071220_1.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.durhampolice.com/news/pdf/071220_1.pdf Shelf Number: 118099 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs |
Author: Florida. Attorney General Title: Florida Gang Reduction Strategy 2008-2012 Summary: Criminal gangs steal and destroy property, sell drugs to our children and commit acts of violence and brutality that threaten the safety and security of our citizens. The number of gangs and gang members has been growing steadily in Florida for years. For far too long efforts to address gang problems in Florida have been left to local law enforcement and community leaders with minimal federal and state support and no statewide strategy. In the summer of 2007, at the request of the Attorney General, the heads of affected state agencies and law enforcement associations gathered to address this issue and formulate a statewide strategy to combat gangs. In December 2007, at the suggestion of this executive group, the Office of the Attorney General convened a summit of interested community leaders from around the state to help develop a statewide strategy. This document is the product of the efforts of the executive group and the participants in this summit. The mission of the Florida Gang Reduction Strategy is to increase the safety of the citizens of Florida by empowering Florida’s youth to reject criminal gangs as a viable option and by substantially reducing gang-related crime and violence in Florida. The goals to accomplish this mission are: 1. Stop the growth of criminal gangs in Florida; 2. Reduce the number of gangs and gang members; and 3. Render gangs ineffectual. To meet these goals and accomplish the mission the strategy is built on three pillars: 1. Prevention/Intervention; 2. Law Enforcement and 3. Rehabilitation and Re-entry. The key to the success of the strategy is coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local governments, law enforcement, elected officials, community leaders and the business community. In order to empower Florida’s youth to reject criminal gangs as a viable option a coordinated and cooperative effort of all parties must be focused on the same basic objectives. Details: Tallahassee: Office of the Attorney General, 2010. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2010 at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGRG-7FVPNR/$file/GangReductionReportWEB.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGRG-7FVPNR/$file/GangReductionReportWEB.pdf Shelf Number: 119771 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Dane County (Wisconsin). Enhanced Youth Gang Prevention Task Force Title: Dane County Enhanced Youth Gang Prevention Task Force: Final Report Summary: This report represents the collective work of a highly committed group of community volunteers who care deeply about Dane County, our community. It reflects the concerns of the Enhanced Gang Task Force for the plight of a large segment of our youth population who face difficult challenges and significant risks to their future and to the well being of our community. Gangs, crime and poverty are the underlying causes for these challenges—and these issues represent only the tip of the iceberg among factors affecting our youth. Poor academic achievement and limited job opportunities coupled with high incarceration rates for minority youth are causing significant and long-term damage to their lives and to the quality of life in our community. We are all too familiar with the state of gang violence in our larger urban centers. But make no mistake, gangs and crime impact all segments of our community as was evident in the gang-related shootings in the City of Oregon in 2005. In this case, a group of young men and women set aside their racial, ethnic and class differences and united as a gang to commit a serious crime. Gangs have steadily moved into mid-size cities such as Madison and gang activity is reported in Sun Prairie, Stoughton, Middleton and in many other communities. The root causes are similar in all cases—a lack of opportunities for youth, access to weapons, peer pressure and a demonstrated willingness to resort to violence at the slightest provocation. Clearly, not all youth crime is caused by gangs. But gangs are prevalent in our community and in our schools and they are increasingly responsible for the crime and violence that impacts the perception of safety in our neighborhoods. Law enforcement officials indicate that there are over 30 active gangs in Dane County, including several girl gangs. A recent survey of young adults and youth involved in the Dane County juvenile and adult court systems indicates that 32% of respondents report being current or former gang members. The question is not whether our community has a gang problem, the question is what can we do about it and do we have the willingness to confront the problem and dedicate the appropriate resources to address it? As a community we have an obligation to nurture and to provide for our children. All of us have a stake in the outcome of the recommendations made by this Task Force. If we fail to move on them, the entire community will suffer. The recommendations presented to you reflect the belief that no single strategy will work. If we rely solely or too heavily on law enforcement to solve this problem, we are sure to fail. The Task Force strongly proposes a comprehensive, community based strategy that addresses the needs of families as well as those of our youth. They are grouped into the following categories: Basic Needs, Prevention, Education, Employment Development, Faith Communities, Public Safety and Re-Entry from Incarceration. Details: Madison, WI: Dane County Department of Human Services, 2007. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2010 at: http://www.danecountyhumanservices.org/pdf/gang_task_force_report.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.danecountyhumanservices.org/pdf/gang_task_force_report.pdf Shelf Number: 119784 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Madison, WI)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Leslie, Glaister Title: Confronting the Don: The Political Economy of Gang Violence in Jamaica Summary: Jamaica’s murder rate—62 per 100,000 in 2009— is one of the highest in the world. The small island grapples with violent crime within a context of gangs, guns, and allegations of political and police corruption. This report presents an overview of the history, prevalence, and distribution of gangs, focusing in particular on their involvement in international drug and arms trafficking and the possible influence of deportees from the United States. It finds that there is a dense social web connecting highly organized, transnational gangs to loosely organized gangs whose activities are often indistinguishable from broader community violence. Persistent facilitation of gang activity by politicians continues to hinder targeted violence reduction efforts, despite the government’s public condemnation of crime and violence, and official support of violence reduction. The report’s findings include: There are around 268 active gangs operating throughout the island, five times the number estimated in 1998; Gangs are accused of being responsible for as much as 80 per cent of all major crimes in Jamaica; Over the past decade, murders committed in Jamaica have almost doubled, and gun-related murders have driven the increase; Most firearms seized in Jamaica are traced back to three counties in the US state of Florida, all of which have large Jamaican populations. Most small arms used in crimes are believed to have entered the country illegally, but much of the ammunition appears to have entered the country legally before being transferred to illicit markets. The discovery in early 2010 of large amounts of illegal ammunition and firearms — all originating from the police force’s central armoury—has conclusively linked security forces to the distribution of ammunition and weapons to criminals. Reductions in Jamaica’s violence will be short-lived unless the linkages between politicians, organized crime, and gangs are severely eroded. Community policing may offer an important alternative to security forces’ more repressive approaches to crime control. Details: Geneva: Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, 2010. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Small Arms Survey Occasional Paper no. 26: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/B-Occasional-papers/SAS-OP26-Jamaica-gangs.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Jamaica URL: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/B-Occasional-papers/SAS-OP26-Jamaica-gangs.pdf Shelf Number: 120297 Keywords: Drug TraffickingGang ViolenceGangs (Jamaica)Illegal TradeTrafficking in WeaponsViolent Crime |
Author: Dunworth, Terence Title: Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program: Final Y1 Report Summary: This report documents the first 15-month period of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program evaluation. GRYD is a gang prevention and intervention program that was implemented in 2008-2009 in 16 Los Angeles neighborhoods. This document reviews the GRYD program's origins, initial implementation, and the evolving development of GRYD practices and procedures in 12 of the neighborhoods. The report presents the original program evaluation design and methodology, evaluation challenges and delays, evaluation activities, and proposed next steps. Initial findings include encouraging results from a pilot retest of youth who received GRYD services. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2010. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412251-LA-Gang-Reduction.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412251-LA-Gang-Reduction.pdf Shelf Number: 120313 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Los Angeles) |
Author: Koenders, Sara Title: Between Trust and Fear: Mothers Creating Spaces of Security Amid Violence in Vila Cruzeior, Rio de Janeiro Summary: In interaction between the gang, the police and the residents of Vila Cruzeiro a cycle of violence, fear, and insecurity is produced and maintained. This interaction is based on images the actors hold of one another and that are at the same time the product of this interaction. The police and the gang are creating, acting upon and reinforcing structures of domination, signification, and legitimation which have allowed for the militarization of policing and increasing presence of traffickers enforcing a ‘law of the favela.’ The cycle of violence is so persistent mainly because the police not only fails to guarantee security, but is often directly involved in the perpetuation of crime. At the same time, the ‘war on crime’ is used to legitimize repressive and indiscriminate policing that poses a serious threat to the lives of the residents. This leadsr esidents to rely more and more on the traffickers. Thus, although the relations between gang members and residents are multiple and highly ambiguous, residents tend to be more sympathetic towards the traffickers with whom they live on a day-to-day basis. The traffickers use the negative image of the state to gain support from the residents, while state involvement in criminality sustains the presence of the drug gang. Hence, in interaction between police, gang and residents an environment of violence, fear, and insecurity is created and constantly reproduced. Faced by these challenging and precarious circumstances, women trying to protect and provide for their children create spaces of security. To create these ‘safe’ spaces mothers cultivate, arrange and create social relations with other actors in the community. I claim that in a context of high-risk and violence, social capital plays an important but limited and ambiguous role in this process of coping. Informal and formal social relations carry and produce social capital and are therefore valuable to the creation of spaces of security. From information exchange, reciprocity, norms, rules and trust constituted through these relations a sense of security can be drawn. Strengthening and employing the relations with their children, relatives and a careful choice of friends therefore contributes to the construction of a sense of safety in the face of violence. At the same time people negotiate their relations with social organizations in order to create spaces of security. Education is considered crucial to ensure a better future for children. It keeps them off the street and ideally provides a way out of the context of violence. Churches also take an important place in the coping strategies of mothers; many women see the church as a safe alternative environment in which to raise their children, a place where they learn ‘the good’. Religion can be seen as a gendered form of oppositional culture; one that keeps youngsters out of gang life, or provides a way out of the traffic. The community center is also seen as a secure space to leave their children, and a place where they are offered alternative activities. In addition, it is platform to meet with other women and discuss problems they encounter. Moreover, the members of the neighborhood association are among the few people in the community challenging violence. Details: Utrecht, The Netherlands: Utrecht University, 2008. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 30, 2010 at: http://www.laruta.nu/files/uploads/23/document_document/between%20trust%20and%20fear.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Brazil URL: http://www.laruta.nu/files/uploads/23/document_document/between%20trust%20and%20fear.pdf Shelf Number: 118782 Keywords: Drug TraffickingGang ViolenceGangs (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)SecurityViolent Crime |
Author: Firmin, Carlene Title: Female Voice in Violence Project: A Study Into the Impact of Serious Youth and Gang Violence on Women and Girls Summary: The Female Voice in Violence Project report draws on face-to-face research with 352 friends, relatives, victims or perpetrators of gangs and gang violence. Ranging in age from 13-52, the experiences of these women and girls highlight lessons for policy makers and those working to prevent serious youth violence. The research highlighted concerns about the lack of appropriate services available to those females caught up in gangs, the use of sexual violence by gang members, and the impact of serious violence on their sexual and mental health. It highlights ways of supporting women and girls to exit the lifestyle and culture of serious violence - whether as sisters, mothers or girlfriends of gang members, or gang members themselves. The role of local, regional and national policy in supporting this agenda is also examined. Details: London: Race on the Agenda (ROTA), 2010. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2010 at: http://www.rota.org.uk/downloads/FVV%20PARTNERSHIP%20REPORT%20FINAL_no%20case%20studies.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.rota.org.uk/downloads/FVV%20PARTNERSHIP%20REPORT%20FINAL_no%20case%20studies.pdf Shelf Number: 120403 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Sexual Violence |
Author: Rodgers, Dennis Title: Dying For It: Gangs, Violence and Social Change in Urban Nicaragua Summary: Youth gangs potentially constitute an ideal lens through which to explore the dynamics and ramifications of the new political economy of violence in Latin America, and this paper consequently presents and ethnographic case study of an urban Nicaraguan youth gang. It employs data derived from participant observation research conducted in 1996-97 and 2002 in a low-income neighbourhood in Managua. The first part of the paper provides a brief overview of crime and violence in contemporary urban Nicaragua, exploring some of its socio-economic consequences and situating gang violence within it. The second part offers an account of the neighbourhood's youth gang as it existed in 1996-97, followed by a description of the gang in 2002, focusing on violent gang practices. The third section considers the nature of these two manifestations of the gang and the general evolution of the gang between 1997 and 2002 from an institutional point of view. Details: London: Crisis States Program, Development Research Centre, London School of Economics, 2003. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 35: Crisis States Programme, Working Papers Series No. 1: Accessed January 31, 2010 at: Year: 2003 Country: Nicaragua URL: Shelf Number: 120636 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Nicaragua)Socioeconomic StatusYouth Violence |
Author: Keaton, Sandy Title: North County Gang Enforcement Collaborative Final Evaluation Report Summary: In 2007, six jurisdictions in the northern region of San Diego County (Carlsbad, Escondido, Fallbrook, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista) came together to collaborate on a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant to address the issue of gangs and violence in their areas through increased communication and collaboration. In addition to the law enforcement agencies in these six jurisdictions, other partners included the California Highway Patrol, Probation, Health and Human Services Children' Services Bureau, the District Attorney's Office, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As part of this effort, process and impact evaluations were conducted by SANDAG. This final report documents project implementation, staff's perspective, any challenges and/or successes experienced, any changes in violent crime in the targeted areas, and progress to improve collaboration and communication. Overall, the findings indicate a greater level of collaboration in the target areas and a 12-month decrease in violent and aggravated assaults. Details: San Diego, CA: SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments), 2009. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 2, 2011 at: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1478_10693.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_1478_10693.pdf Shelf Number: 120676 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (San Diego) |
Author: Vancouver Police Department. Planning, Research & Audit Title: Taking Back Vancouver's Streets: The Truth About Gangs Summary: This report presents the lessons learned over the past 20 years by the Vancouver Police Department on gang involvement in the city of Vancouver and successful intiatives in fighting gang activity. Details: Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Police Department, 2010. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2011 at: http://law-library.rutgers.edu/cj/gray/entry.php Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://law-library.rutgers.edu/cj/gray/entry.php Shelf Number: 120705 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Vancouver) |
Author: Grekul, Jana Title: The Community Solution to Gang Violence: "Looking Out, Looking In": CSGV Evaluation Report Summary: In 2003, the Greater Edmonton area experienced an increase in gang activity, gang related crime and gang related violence. The community demanded that something be done about the problem, and particularly that the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) address the problem. Although the EPS had organized a Gang Unit to take a more strategic response to the issue, they realized that enforcement alone would not have a significant long-term impact on reducing gang activity. At the same time, Native Counselling Services of Alberta felt that a community response to the issue was needed to prevent youth involvement in gangs and approached the EPS with the suggestion that they work together to create a ‘community-based approach to gang activity and violence.’ Representatives from these two organizations held a series of conversations and meetings in which they shared their perspectives and concerns, and discussed the benefits and possibilities for engaging others in developing a community approach to gangs. As a result of this meaningful dialogue, the Community Solution to Gang Violence (CSGV) was created. Six years later, CSGV has grown to include more than 40 organizations working together on a strategic, community-wide approach to address the issue of gangs and gang violence. CSGV strives to: • Enhance a sense of community responsibility and commitment to address gang violence; • Promote positive youth development and develop conditions to prevent young people from becoming involved in gangs, and; • Create a community-wide plan and network of support to find solutions to gang violence. One of the first initiatives of its kind in the country, it has at various points in its history grown, evolved, struggled, attracted national and international attention, educated, grown some more, and evolved some more. It has created a community focal point to bring community members together to understand the local gang issue and examine why youth get involved in gangs and more importantly, why youth don’t get involved in gangs. It has developed a positive youth development framework for gang prevention and has shared this information with community members, service providers, policy makers and funders within the Greater Edmonton Area and across the country. It has developed models, programs and practices to support youth gang prevention and intervention efforts. It has developed a web site (www.csgv.ca) to keep people informed about the work of CSGV, and resources, services and tools that can be used to prevent young people from being drawn into gangs. It has connected to and built on community services and initiatives that support youth at risk and are working to prevent youth involvement in gangs. Several research papers exist on the initiative, illustrating its impact on the community, but also on broader government and academic audiences. In February of 2008, Community Solution to Gang Violence produced an evaluation report that primarily focused on the work CSGV did to build important relationships and linkages between key stakeholders in the community; whose work enabled them to effect change in environments that impact at-risk youth and their families. The data examined in this first evaluation report reflected how CSGV built the social infrastructure to engage and mobilize the community around the gang issue, established a direction for the work, and created an evaluation framework for measuring the work and impact of CSGV. The evaluation went on to examine the progress CSGV had made toward achieving its goals. In the first evaluation report, it was clear that CSGV played an important role in raising community awareness around the issue of youth involvement in gangs. The present evaluation report picks up where the previous evaluation report ended and describes the work undertaken by CSGV between June 2007 and March 31, 2009 and perhaps more significantly how CSGV had responded and adapted to changing realities and conditions in the community. Because CSGV is a dynamic and evolving entity, the nature and progress of the work does not neatly fit within fiscal year ends. Instead the evaluation is marked by the evolving and developmental nature of the CSGV initiative. Details: Edmonton, Alberta: Native Counselling Services of Alberta, 2009. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2011 at: http://www.csgv.ca/counselor/assets/CSGV%20Evaluation%20June%202009%20Final%20Copy.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csgv.ca/counselor/assets/CSGV%20Evaluation%20June%202009%20Final%20Copy.pdf Shelf Number: 118712 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Edmonton, Canada) |
Author: New Jersey. Department of Law and Public Safety. Division of State Police, Intelligence Section Title: Gangs in New Jersey: Municipal Law Enforcement Response to the 2010 NJSP Gang Survey Summary: The 2010 Street Gang Survey marks the fourth gang survey conducted by the New Jersey State Police in the past nine years. The street gang survey has evolved throughout the years, with changes incorporated in both the development and implementation of the survey. Despite adjustments, the main purpose of the NJSP Street Gang Survey has remained the same: to provide law enforcement, policy makers and the general public with a better understanding of the state’s gang environment. The development of the 2010 survey involved extensive planning and the incorporation of innovative tactics in an effort to enhance our understanding of the present environment in which gangs are operating in the state. To assist in this process, we reached out to other agencies for additional questions and topic areas to expand our exploration of the gang presence in New Jersey. In addition, this survey marks a new step in our efforts to provide the general public with information on the gang environment in their communities. In 2004 and 2007, these survey reports were released to the public and individual survey results were available through the Open Public Records Act. Details: Trenton: New Jersey State Police, 2011. 161p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2011 at: http://www.state.nj.us/oag/njsp/////////info/pdf/gangs_in_nj_2010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.state.nj.us/oag/njsp/////////info/pdf/gangs_in_nj_2010.pdf Shelf Number: 120870 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (New Jersey) |
Author: Pruitt, Bettye H. Title: Case Study: Boston Strategy: A Study of Unlikely Alliances Summary: In the 1990s, Boston achieved dramatic success in reducing its level of gang-related gun violence — in particular, youth homicides. That success has brought widespread recognition and attention to what has now become known as The Boston Strategy to Prevent Youth Violence. Other cities have begun to experiment with some of its key programs, in particular Operation Night Light and Operation Cease Fire. Yet, as all the participants in Boston’s anti-violence campaign agree, the effectiveness of those specific initiatives was entirely dependent upon the larger context of cooperation, trust, and respect within which they were developed and which continues to support them today. Only within that context could there be the collaboration among unlikely partners—police, probation officers, African-American clergy, gang outreach workers, and many more — that made a coordinated approach possible. Only within that context could the unusual law-enforcement tactics developed by the partners have widespread support within the community, not only from the inner city ministers who were some of the harshest critics of the police, but even from the families of the young people at whom the police initiatives were aimed. Only within that context has Boston been able to think strategically about how to seize the opportunity afforded by the lower rate of youth homicides to make positive and fundamental changes in the lives of the city’s young people. The creation of that positive context is an integral part of the success achieved in Boston. It began with the efforts of individuals who were dealing with gangs and violence on a daily basis—people who, in frustration and despair over the sustained wave of killings, determined to find a way to do their jobs differently and better, and who decided to try working together. Gradually, out of those initial collaborations emerged a clearer understanding of the dynamics driving gang violence, and of the necessary conditions for a broader partnership capable of mounting an effective campaign against it. The emergence of that understanding is the central thread in the story of how The Boston Strategy came into being. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, Water, Disaster Management, and Urban Development Group - Latin America and Caribbean Region, 2005. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2011 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Boston.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLACREGTOPURBDEV/Resources/841042-1219076931513/5301922-1250717140763/Boston.pdf Shelf Number: 121283 Keywords: Crime Prevention PartnershipsGang ViolenceGangs (Boston)Gun Violence |
Author: Arciaga, Michelle Title: Responding to Gangs in the School Setting Summary: Gangs are present in many schools in the United States. The National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XV: Teens and Parents, released in August 2010 by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, reported that: Forty-five percent of high school students say that there are gangs or students who consider themselves to be part of a gang in their schools. Thirty-five percent of middle-school students say that there are gangs or students who consider themselves to be part of a gang in their schools. The differences between public and private schools are stark. While 46 percent of students in public schools reported the presence of gangs and gang members at school, only 2 percent of private school students did. According to the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (2007), 23 percent of students reported the presence of gangs on their school campus or in the surrounding area in 2007. This represents an increase in the percentage of students reporting gangs on/around campus in 2003 (21 percent). Schools in urban areas appear to be the most affected by the presence of gangs: 36 percent of urban students reported gangs, versus 21 percent of suburban and 16 percent of rural students in 2005. In a survey of students conducted in almost 1,300 schools nationwide (Gottfredson and Gottfredson, 2001), 7.6 percent of male respondents and 3.8 percent of female respondents at the secondary level reported that they belonged to a gang. Based on the increased number of students reporting a gang presence at school between 2001 and 2010, this number has likely increased, although no subsequent nationwide studies have been conducted. Gang members do not leave their conflicts, attitudes, and behaviors outside the school doors. Some of the most dangerous gang activities in any community may take place in and around local schools. Gang members encounter each other at school during class changes, in the lunchroom, in common areas, and during assemblies and school events. Students may loiter on or around the school campus before and after school, and conflicts may occur between rival gangs. In some instances, gang members come to school to engage in criminal behavior (drug dealing) or to confront rivals. Because of the potential for violent gang interactions at school, school staff members and administrators need to formulate a plan to deal with gang activity. This article provides an overview of action steps that schools can take to prevent, intervene in, and suppress violent gang activity, as well as crisis response plans that can be developed to address potential acts of school violence including, but not limited to, gang activity. Details: Tallahassee, FL: National Gang Center, 2010. 15p. Source: Internet Resoruce: National Gang Center Bulletin, No. 5: Accessed May 3, 2011 at: http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Bulletin-5.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Bulletin-5.pdf Shelf Number: 121589 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsSchool SafetySchool ViolenceSchools and Crime |
Author: Howell, James C. Title: U.S. Gang Problem Trends and Seriousness, 1996–2009 Summary: This report presents new information on the long-term trend in street gang activity and violent crime in the United States. The major focus of the trend analyses reported here is on the ebb and flow of gang activity in U.S. cities and counties of varying sizes. For the first time, trajectory analysis, which can group cities according to common patterns, is used to examine cities’ and other localities’ histories of gang problems as a way of gaining insights into gang activity across multiple years. In the second section of this report, attention is turned to large cities’ violent gang histories. Details: Tallahassee, FL: National Gang Center, 2011. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: National Gang Center Bulletin, No. 6: Accessed July 2, 2011 at: http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Bulletin-6.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Content/Documents/Bulletin-6.pdf Shelf Number: 121960 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.S.)Violent Crime |
Author: Schaefer, Agnes Gereben Title: Security in Mexico: Implications for U.S. Policy Options Summary: The security structure in Mexico is characterized by shifting responsibilities, duplication of services, and general instability, along with a lack of coordination among federal, state, and local security forces. The backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in Mexico and change in administration in the United States demands a closer examination of potential priorities and policy options to guide future U.S.-Mexico relations. U.S. aid to Mexico has typically focused on a narrow set of outputs — improved technology, training, and equipment to prevent drug trafficking. Despite these efforts, Mexico's security situation continues to deteriorate. To help inform debate, this study examined a set of policy options for the United States (strategic partnership, status quo, and retrenchment), along with promising potential policy priorities (help Mexico streamline delivery of security services, bridge the gap between federal and local security, support Mexico's efforts to address domestic security concerns, and build trust in security institutions). Problems related to drug and human trafficking, corruption, weapon smuggling, and gang violence have spilled into the United States, reaching far beyond the border. For this and other reasons, the United States has a significant stake in the success or failure of Mexico's security reform measures. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2009. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2011 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG876.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG876.pdf Shelf Number: 122145 Keywords: Border SecurityDrug CartelsDrug Trafficking (Mexico)DrugsGang ViolenceGangs |
Author: Advancement Project Title: Los Angeles County Gangs & Violence Reduction Strategy: Monrovia-Duarte Demonstration Site: Community Needs Assessment: Final Report Summary: In January 2009, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (BOS) adopted a motion to address gang violence in four demonstration sites. The four areas identified as demonstration sites were the Florence-Firestone area, a portion of the Harbor-Gateway area, areas both within and surrounding the cities of Monrovia and Duarte, and Pacoima. To this end, the CEO formed a multi-jurisdictional Los Angeles County Regional Gang Violence Reduction Committee to provide oversight of the strategy development process. The CEO’s Office also formed Working Groups for each of the four sites to develop local level strategic plans to address gang problems in the area. To help inform the Working Groups, the CEO commissioned community needs assessments for each of the four sites. The Advancement Project (AP) in collaboration with researchers from California State University—Los Angeles (CSULA) were asked to complete these studies. Each community needs assessment includes the following: • A community profile including area history and demographic data • A gang assessment and crime data analysis that identifies critical issues related to local gangs and hot spots of problem activities • Focus groups and interviews with community representatives including parents, youth, community leaders, community based organizations, and school personnel • Resident surveys related to the strengths of the area and problems faced by the area • Focus groups and interviews with representatives from agencies and County commissions. A description of each methodological approach used in this study is provided in the full report. In total, surveys were collected from 99 residents in Monrovia and 169 residents in Duarte, and interviews or focus groups were conducted with 70 youth, parents, community leaders, and school personnel and with 67 representatives from agencies/entities serving the Monrovia-Duarte area and County commissions/councils/committees. The purpose of this final report is to summarize the results from all these efforts. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2009. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2011 at: http://advanceprojectca.org/doc/gangvioredu_Monrovia_Duarte_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://advanceprojectca.org/doc/gangvioredu_Monrovia_Duarte_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Shelf Number: 122925 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Los Angeles) |
Author: Advancement Project Title: Pacoima Demonstration Site Community Needs Assessment: Final Report Summary: In January 2009, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (BOS) adopted a motion to address gang violence in four sites. The four areas identified as sites were the Florence-Firestone area, a portion of the Harbor- Gateway area, areas both within and surrounding the cities of Monrovia and Duarte, and Pacoima (see Appendix C for maps of the sites). This motion, in particular, required the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office (CEO) to establish a County Gang Violence Reduction Committee to oversee the development of a comprehensive gang strategy. To this end, the CEO formed a multijurisdictional Los Angeles County Regional Gang Violence Reduction Committee to provide oversight of the strategy development process. The CEO’s Office also formed Working Groups for each of the sites. The purpose of Working Groups was to develop local-level strategic plans to address gang problems in the area. Area Working Groups, by definition, are comprised of county agency representatives, school representatives, community based organizations, community leaders, residents, and youth; however, Working Groups in each area continue to struggle with maintaining consistent community resident representation (parent and youth). Because the Working Groups are large, between 40 to 60 members depending on the area, the process of disseminating information and gathering input has also been challenging. Despite these challenges, the Working Groups began meeting in April 2009. Working Groups are expected to convene six times between March 2009 and July 2009 in order to identify and prioritize the prevention and intervention strategies that are most needed and appropriate to address gang problems within the respective areas. Meanwhile, a second set of Working Groups called “Suppression Working Groups” are meeting to develop recommendations for suppression efforts in each area. All Working Group recommendations will be presented to the Los Angeles Regional Gang Violence Reduction Committee in August 2009, who, in turn, will draft final recommendations to submit to the BOS in September. The BOS will review these recommendations and determine how to move forward with the strategy. To help inform the Working Groups, the CEO commissioned community needs assessments for each of the four sites. The Advancement Project in collaboration with researchers from California State University — Los Angeles were asked to complete these reports based on their experience producing eight of twelve community needs assessments for the City of Los Angeles’ Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) Office. The purpose of the community needs assessment is to document various types of primary and secondary data to help inform the Working Groups as they develop recommendations for improving the allocation of resources and identifying new opportunities for enhanced collaboration. Each community needs assessment included the following: • A community profile including area history and demographic data • A gang assessment and crime data analysis that identifies critical issues related to local gangs and hot spots of problem activities • Focus groups and interviews with community representatives including parents, youth, community leaders, community based organizations, and school personnel • Resident surveys related to the strengths of the area and problems faced by the area • Focus groups and interviews with representatives from agencies and County commissions. The purpose of this report is to summarize the results from all these efforts. Chapter 2 provides a historical description and a socio-demographic profile of the Pacoima site based on data from Healthy City; Chapter 3 summarizes the critical issues related to local gangs in the area; Chapter 4 summarizes the results from resident surveys and focus groups with residents, agencies, and County commissions; Chapter 5 summarizes the results from agency surveys and focus group discussions related to interagency collaboration; and Chapter 6 contains recommendations for moving forward on a Comprehensive Gang Strategy in the Pacoima area. Details: Los Angeles, CA: Advancement Project, 2009. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2011 at: http://ap-ca.org/doc/gangvioredu_Pacoima_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://ap-ca.org/doc/gangvioredu_Pacoima_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Shelf Number: 122960 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Los Angeles) |
Author: Advancement Project Title: Harbor-Gateway Demonstration Site Community Needs Assessment: Final Report Summary: In January 2009, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (BOS) adopted a motion to address gang violence in four demonstration sites. The four areas identified as demonstration sites were the Florence-Firestone area, a portion of the Harbor-Gateway area, areas both within and surrounding the cities of Monrovia and Duarte, and Pacoima. To this end, the CEO formed a multi-jurisdictional Los Angeles County Regional Gang Violence Reduction Committee to provide oversight of the strategy development process. The CEO’s Office also formed Working Groups for each of the four sites to develop local level strategic plans to address gang problems in the area. To help inform the Working Groups, the CEO commissioned community needs assessments for each of the four sites. The Advancement Project (AP) in collaboration with researchers from California State University—Los Angeles (CSULA) were asked to complete these studies. Each community needs assessment includes the following: • A community profile including area history and demographic data • A gang assessment and crime data analysis that identifies critical issues related to local gangs and hot spots of problem activities • Focus groups and interviews with community representatives including parents, youth, community leaders, community based organizations, and school personnel • Resident surveys related to the strengths of the area and problems faced by the area • Focus groups and interviews with representatives from agencies and County commissions. The purpose of this report is to summarize the results from all these efforts. Chapter 2 provides a historical description and a socio-demographic profile of the Harbor-Gateway site based on data from Healthy City;3 Chapter 3 summarizes the critical issues related to local gangs in the area; Chapter 4 summarizes community perceptions and needs based on the results from resident surveys and focus groups with residents, agencies, and County commissions; Chapter 5 summarizes the results from agency surveys and focus group discussions related to interagency collaboration; and Chapter 6 contains recommendations for moving forward on a comprehensive Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy in the Harbor-Gateway area. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2009. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2011 at: http://www.advanceproj.com/doc/gangvioredu_Harbor_Gateway_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.advanceproj.com/doc/gangvioredu_Harbor_Gateway_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Shelf Number: 122961 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Los Angeles) |
Author: Advancement Project Title: Florence-Firestone Demonstration Site Community Needs Assessment: Final Report Summary: In January 2009, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (BOS) adopted a motion to address gang violence in four demonstration sites. The four areas identified as demonstration sites were the Florence-Firestone area, a portion of the Harbor-Gateway area, areas both within and surrounding the cities of Monrovia and Duarte, and Pacoima. To this end, the CEO formed a multi-jurisdictional Los Angeles County Regional Gang Violence Reduction Committee to provide oversight of the strategy development process. The CEO’s Office also formed Working Groups for each of the four sites to develop local level strategic plans to address gang problems in the area. To help inform the Working Groups, the CEO commissioned community needs assessments for each of the four sites. The Advancement Project (AP) in collaboration with researchers from California State University—Los Angeles (CSULA) were asked to complete these studies. Each community needs assessment includes the following: • A community profile including area history and demographic data • A gang assessment and crime data analysis that identifies critical issues related to local gangs and hot spots of problem activities • Focus groups and interviews with community representatives including parents, youth, community leaders, community based organizations, and school personnel • Resident surveys related to the strengths of the area and problems faced by the area • Focus groups and interviews with representatives from agencies and County commissions. The purpose of this report is to summarize the results from all these efforts. Chapter 2 provides a historical description and a socio-demographic profile of the Florence-Firestone site based on data from Healthy City; Chapter 3 summarizes the critical issues related to local gangs in the area; Chapter 4 summarizes community perceptions and needs based on the results from resident surveys and focus groups with residents, agencies, and County commissions; Chapter 5 summarizes the results from agency surveys and focus group discussions related to interagency collaboration; and Chapter 6 contains recommendations for moving forward on a comprehensive Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy in the Florence-Firestone area. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2009. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2011 at: http://www.advanceproj.com/doc/gangvioredu_Florence_Firestone_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.advanceproj.com/doc/gangvioredu_Florence_Firestone_Final_Report_with_Appendices.pdf Shelf Number: 122962 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Los Angeles) |
Author: Polczynski, Christa G. Title: The Driving Force: A Comparative Analysis of Gang-Motivated, Firearm-Related Homicides Summary: The knowledge of gang homicides is constantly increasing, but one aspect of gangs rarely studied is drive-by shootings (Dedel 2007; Hutson, Anglin, and Pratts 1994; Hutson, Anglin, and Eckstein 1996; Polczynski 2007; Sanders 1994; Sugarmann and Newth 2007). In this paper are comparative analyses of gang-motivated, firearm-related homicides perpetrated through a drive-by shooting to those which are not perpetrated through a drive-by shooting, by spatial and regression analyses. The data used for the analyses are a combination of incident variables, such as victim, offender, and incident characteristics, as well as social and economic characteristics of the communities in which the homicides occurred for a 31 year time period in Chicago. The findings indicate that there are differences in the characteristics and spatial location of gang-motivated, firearm-related homicides whether perpetrated through a drive-by shooting or by some other means. Based on the findings there may be policy implementations that are available in order to reduce the likelihood of a gang-motivated drive-by shooting. Details: Orlando, FL: Department of Sociology, University of Central Florida, 2009. 211p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed October 6, 2011 at: http://etd.fcla.edu/CF/CFE0002524/Polczynski_Christa_G_200905_PhD.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://etd.fcla.edu/CF/CFE0002524/Polczynski_Christa_G_200905_PhD.pdf Shelf Number: 122992 Keywords: Drive-By Shootings (U.S.)Gang ViolenceGangsGun ViolenceHomicides |
Author: National Gang Intelligence Center Title: 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment: Emerging Trends Summary: According to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment released by the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC), approximately 1.4 million gang members belonging to more than 33,000 gangs were criminally active in the U.S. as of April, 2011. The assessment was developed through analysis of available federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and corrections agency information; 2010 NDIC National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) data; and verified open source information. "Gangs continue to expand, evolve, and become more violent. The FBI, along with its federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, strives to disrupt and prevent their criminal activities and seek justice for innocent victims of their crimes," said Assistant Director Kevin Perkins, FBI Criminal Investigative Division. Other key findings are as follows: - Gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions and up to 90 percent in several others, according to NGIC analysis. - Gangs are increasingly engaging in non-traditional gang-related crime such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, and prostitution. - Gangs are also engaging in white-collar crime such as counterfeiting, identity theft, and mortgage fraud. - Gangs are becoming increasingly adaptable and sophisticated, employing new and advanced technology to facilitate criminal activity discreetly, enhance their criminal operations, and connect with other gang members, criminal organizations, and potential recruits nationwide and even worldwide. Details: Washington, DC: National Gang Intelligence Center, 2011. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011%20National%20Gang%20Threat%20Assessment%20%20Emerging%20Trends.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment/2011%20National%20Gang%20Threat%20Assessment%20%20Emerging%20Trends.pdf Shelf Number: 123088 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.S.)Human TraffickingOrganized CrimeProstitutionSmuggling |
Author: Haddock, Eleanor Title: Perceptions and Risk Factors of Gang Association in a UK Sample Summary: The thesis reviewed research around gang membership in adolescents, particularly difficulties defining gangs and the impact this has on quantifying the gang problem and gang crime. Moreover, risk factors associated with gang membership and violence was discussed. The thesis also attempted to explore individual and family risk factors in a UK sample in order to ascertain the consistency of such findings. The research aimed to compare different levels of gang membership based on criteria to define gangs, types of gang crime and motives for joining a gang. There was generally consistency between the groups in these areas. Moreover, the groups were compared on a number of psychological characteristics including violent cognitions, self-esteem and attachment to peers and parents. There were significant differences between the group acquainted with gangs and those with no affiliation on the Machismo subscale, and Father Alienation, Mother Trust and Communication, and the Personal and Parental Self-esteem subscales. All but the Machismo and Father Alienation subscales demonstrated lower scores for the acquainted group. However, the Machismo subscale scores and the Father Alienation scores were higher in the acquainted group compared to the not affiliated group. The psychometric properties of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) were found to have adequate to excellent properties but also a number of limitations. Finally, the case study provided an example of successful interventions when working with gang-involved individuals. The utility of the findings are discussed in relation to future research and future intervention and prevention strategies. Details: Birmingham, UK: School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, 2011. 173p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 25, 2011 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/1499/5/Haddock11ForenPsyD.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/1499/5/Haddock11ForenPsyD.pdf Shelf Number: 123123 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Youth Gangs |
Author: The World Bank. Central America Unit, Poverty Reduction Title: Crime and Violence in Central America: Volume II Summary: Central America‘s hopes for a rebirth following the resolution of the region‘s civil wars have been marred by the torrent of violence which has engulfed El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala and begun to threaten Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. In addition to the pain and suffering experienced by victims, crime and violence exacts high costs, diverting investment, reducing economic growth, and undermining confidence in the region‘s fragile democracies. Among the key drivers of crime and violence in the region are drug trafficking, youth violence and gangs, the widespread availability of guns, and weak criminal justice institutions. Proven evidence-based prevention measures coupled with criminal justice reform can reduce crime and violence. Key messages and recommendations from the report include the following: 1) Crime and violence should be understood as a development issue. The high rates of crime and violence in the region have direct effects on human welfare in the short-run and long-run effects on economic growth and social development. Estimates of the effect on violence on growth imply that reducing crime could substantially boost growth in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. 2) The strongest single explanation for the high rates of violence in the region—and their apparent rise in recent years—is drug trafficking, principally the transport of cocaine from producer nations in the south to the consumer market in the United States. The drug trade contributes to the widespread availability of firearms, generates violence within and between drug cartels, and spurs further lawlessness by undermining criminal justice institutions. Controlling for other factors, areas with intense levels of drug trafficking in Central America have homicide rates 65 percent higher than other areas in the same country. Murder rates are also higher in areas with greater shares of female-headed households and larger populations of young men. Overall crime victimization rates are at their most extreme in the region‘s capitals and other large cities. 3) The countries of the region have under-invested in prevention approaches which have proven effective in reducing crime and violence elsewhere. A public expenditure analysis on crime and violence prevention undertaken for this study in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama shows that spending has been modest for crime prevention measures. Crime prevention through environmental design and urban renewal programs can generate rapid decreases in property crime and inter-personal violence. Integrated citizen security approaches, combining modern methods of policing with prevention interventions by both government and non-governmental organizations, have seen initial success in El Salvador and should be tried elsewhere. The public health approach, which focuses on addressing risk factors for violent conduct, is especially promising for addressing violence against women and youth violence. 4) The criminal justice systems of several countries in the region have been deeply corrupted by drug trafficking, enabling traffickers to take advantage of existing institutional weaknesses, and the mano dura (―iron fist‖) approach has proven largely ineffective and possibly counterproductive. In some countries, the police have largely lost the trust of citizens; nearly half of Salvadorans and Hondurans and 2 out of 3 Guatemalans believe their local police are involved in crime. Clearly, improving criminal justice systems is essential. This includes reforming the judiciary, attorneys generals offices, and police forces. An especially urgent priority is ensuring strong accountability of the criminal justice system to citizens. This should be done through an inter-institutional approach, focusing on transparent selection, promotion, and sanctioning mechanisms. The optimization of court administration and case management with internal processes reengineering—such as the development of management information systems and performance indicators—provide important mechanisms to better diagnosis problems, track system outputs, monitor reform programs, and rationalize resources. 5) There are multiple possible entry points to integrate violence and crime prevention into policy. In one instance, the most promising approach may be in the context of a slum upgrading or municipal development project. In another, it may be in the context of reform of the health service. In a third, it may be in the context of reform of the criminal justice system. There is no one ―ideal‖ approach. The common denominator is that successful interventions are evidence-based, starting with a clear diagnostic of types of violence and risk factors and ending with a careful evaluation of the intervention‘s impact to inform future actions. 6) Drug trafficking poses a major challenge to Central American governments. The experiences of Mexico and Colombia, economic theory, and the historical record in the United States all suggest that an escalation of interdiction efforts—at any scale the Central American governments could mount, even with assistance from abroad—would most likely increase levels of violence without diminishing the capacities of drug traffickers. Consequently, marginal funds are more likely to reduce violence if devoted to crime prevention efforts and criminal justice reforms. 7) Gun ownership is an outgrowth of the drug trade and the history of civil conflict in some countries. Within these environments, which promote the demand for weapons, reducing gun ownership is a difficult undertaking. Regional and international evidence shows that the implementation and enforcement of firearms legislation, such as a ban on carrying firearms, combined with supply-side measures, such as controlling secondary firearms markets, are the most promising to reduce availability of firearms and reduce armed violence. National firearms policies are unlikely to reduce the availability of weapons unless they are undertaken as part of a regional approach with international efforts to stem the flow of contraband weapons from abroad, particularly Mexico and the United States. 8) The victims and perpetrators of violent crime are largely young men. In Central America as in the rest of the world, men age 15-34 account for the overwhelming majority of homicide victims, and they also comprise the membership of youth gangs. While gangs are doubtless a major contributor to crime in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, the very limited evidence indicates they are responsible for only a minority share of violence; multiple sources suggest perhaps 15 percent of homicides are gang-related. To address issues of youth violence, policy makers in the short run should borrow from the evidence-based toolkit of programs from other regions, such as early childhood development and mentoring programs, interventions to increase retention of high-risk youth in secondary schools, and opening schools after-hours and on weekends to offer youth activities to occupy their free time. While many programs to reduce youth violence have been introduced in the region, few if any have been subject to rigorous impact evaluation. Impact evaluations should systematically document what works in youth violence prevention in Central America. 9) Major data gaps hinder policy making. Several countries of the region have made substantial progress in recent years in improving their mechanisms for recording crime, particularly homicides. Such efforts should be continued and paired with expanded use of crime information systems, which experience in other areas has shown can be a valuable tool to direct criminal justice efforts. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2010. 187p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 56781-LAC: Accessed October 26, 2011 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLAC/Resources/Eng_Volume_II_Crime_and_Violence_Central_America.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Central America URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLAC/Resources/Eng_Volume_II_Crime_and_Violence_Central_America.pdf Shelf Number: 123152 Keywords: Criminal CartelsDrug PolicyDrug TraffickingGang ViolenceGun ControlHomicidesViolent Crime (Central America) |
Author: Marshall, Ben Title: Rationalisation of Current Research on Guns, Gangs and other Weapons: Phase 1 Summary: The Home Office report that the number of crimes involving a firearm increased year on year from 1997/98 to 2003/041. Much of this increase is widely seen to be the result of armed gangs competing for a lucrative drug market. However, there is also evidence of the emergence of a weapon carrying culture among young people with nearly one in four 15 to 16 year old boys admitting to having carried a knife or other weapon in the past year. Significant resources have been invested which have funded a number of research projects and police operations targeting gangs, guns and other weapon-related crime. The Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science has been commissioned to review the findings emerging from these projects in order to rationalise what work is currently being done and to contribute to the development of a strategy to guide future research and interventions. In particular, it aims to: • highlight consistencies and tensions in findings between selected projects; • clarify social and demographic trends from the existing research, identifying consistent risk and protective factors; and • identify gaps in existing knowledge and suggest areas for future research. This project represents one part of a larger programme of work being undertaken by the Home Office Police Standards Unit to provide guidance to law enforcement agencies in tackling guns, gangs and weapons. The report begins by outlining the methods employed in conducting the review and briefly describes the nature and scope of the projects included. Section three then discusses the emerging findings from the projects, in order of complexity. This starts with a discussion of what these projects tell us about ‘gang’ phenomena followed by the findings surrounding the use of firearms and then moves on to a discussion of the relationship between these issues. Finally, the emerging consistencies and unresolved issues are summarised, gaps in knowledge identified and potential avenues for further research highlighted. Details: London: Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, University College London, 2005. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2011 at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/scs/downloads/research-reports/gangs-and-guns-report Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/scs/downloads/research-reports/gangs-and-guns-report Shelf Number: 123271 Keywords: Firearms and CrimeGang ViolenceGun Violence (U.K.)Knives and Crime |
Author: Munton, Tony Title: Understanding Vulnerability and Resilience in Individuals to the Influence of Al Qa’ida Violent Extremism Summary: In the absence of a mature empirical evidence base it explores what transferrable knowledge can be taken from the more developed literature on other types of violent activity e.g. other terrorist activity, gangs, cults, etc. This report presents the findings of a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of open source empirical studies that seek to answer two key questions: • What factors, social, psychological and physical, make a person more vulnerable to participation in Al Qa’ida (AQ)-influenced violent extremism? • What factors enable vulnerable individuals to resist the influence of AQ-influenced violent extremism? This report also presents the findings from a second targeted REA on other relevant types of violent activity, including: • other (non-AQ-influenced) types of terrorist activity; • animal rights activism; • cults; • gangs; • right-wing extremism; and • youth crime. The report discusses learning from these other areas and how far lessons learned can be applied to the study of AQ-influenced violent extremism. Both REAs involved systematic searches of relevant electronic databases and hand searches of academic journals and websites. Additional relevant literature was identified by topic experts, peer reviewers, specific websites, and through backward and forward citation chasing. Studies were included if they were based on empirical research, were relevant to the REAs’ questions and were assessed to be of high scientific quality. The empirical evidence base on what factors make an individual more vulnerable to AQ-influenced violent extremism is weak. Even less is known about why certain individuals resort to violence, when other individuals from the same community, with similar experiences, do not become involved in violent activity. The following conclusions are based on the limited empirical evidence base identified by the two REAs. Details: London: Home Office, 2011. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper 98: Accessed November 9, 2011 at: Year: 2011 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 123275 Keywords: Extremist GroupsGang ViolenceRadical GroupsTerrorismViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Great Britain. HM Government. Violent and Youth Crime Prevention Unit Title: Ending Gang and Youth Violence: A Cross-Government Report including further evidence and good practice case studies Summary: Gangs and youth violence have been a blight on our communities for years. The disorder in August was not caused solely by gangs but the violence we saw on our streets revealed all too vividly the problems that sometimes lie below the surface and out of sight. Over the years successive government interventions, initiatives and funds have failed to stop the problem. A concerted, long-term effort is now needed. Since August, a group of senior ministers – led by the Home Secretary, working closely with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – has undertaken a thorough review of the problem of gang and youth violence. They have visited a range of projects working to stop youth violence; heard from international experts about what works in the United States and elsewhere; consulted with senior police officers and local authority officials; and talked to young people themselves. Several key messages have emerged. Firstly, the vast majority of young people are not involved in violence or gangs and want nothing to do with it. Secondly, the small number of young people who are involved have a disproportionately large impact on the communities around them in some parts of the UK. It is clear that gang membership increases the risk of serious violence. And thirdly, this small minority of violent young people is not randomly distributed and does not appear out of the blue. Some areas suffer significantly greater levels of violence than others; some individual and family risk factors repeat themselves time and time again. The police and other agencies need the support and powers to protect communities affected by gangs and to bring the violence under control. But gang and youth violence is not a problem that can be solved by enforcement alone. We need to change the life stories of young people who end up dead or wounded on our streets or are getting locked into a cycle of re-offending. Only by encouraging every agency to join up and share information, resources and accountability can these problems be solved. The Government has already set in motion a number of far-reaching reforms to address the entrenched educational and social failures that can drive problems like gang and youth violence. Our welfare reforms will give young people better opportunities to access work and overcome barriers to employment. Our education reforms will drive up pupil performance and increase participation in further study and employment. The new Localism Bill will give local areas the power to take action and pool their resources through Community Budgets. Our plans to turn around the lives of the most troubled families will also be crucial. A new Troubled Families Team in the Department for Communities and Local Government, headed by Louise Casey, will drive forward the Prime Minister’s commitment to turn around the lives of 120,000 troubled families with reduced criminality and violence key outcomes for this work. Not every area will have a problem of gangs or youth violence, so our focus will be on the areas that do. We will offer them support to radically improve the way their mainstream services manage the young people most at risk from gangs or violence. At every stage of a young person’s life story, the mainstream agencies with which they have most contact – health visitors, GPs, teachers, A&E departments, local youth workers and Jobcentre Plus staff – need to be involved in preventing future violence. That means simple risk assessment tools, clear arrangements for sharing information about risk between agencies, agreed referral arrangements to make sure young people get the targeted support they need, and case management arrangements which bring agencies together to share accountability for outcomes and track progress. This Report sets out our detailed plans for making this happen. Providing support to local areas to tackle their gang or youth violence problem. We will: • establish an Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team working with a virtual network of over 100 expert advisers to provide practical advice and support to local areas with a gang or serious youth violence problem; • provide £10 million in Home Office funding in 2012-13 to support up to 30 local areas to improve the way mainstream services identify, assess and work with the young people most at risk of serious violence, with at least half this funding going to the non-statutory sector; and • invest at least £1.2 million of additional resource over the next three years to improve services for young people under 18 suffering sexual violence in our major urban areas – with a new focus on the girls and young women caught up in gang-related rape and abuse. Preventing young people becoming involved in violence in the first place, with a new emphasis on early intervention and prevention. We will: • deliver our existing commitments on early intervention, which research shows is the most cost-effective way of reducing violence in later life. We will double the capacity of Family Nurse Partnerships and recruit 4,200 more health visitors by 2015 and will invest over £18 million in specialist services to identify and support domestic violence victims and their children (who themselves are at particular risk of turning to violence in adulthood); • assess existing materials on youth violence prevention being used in schools and ensure schools know how to access the most effective; • improve the education offered to excluded pupils to reduce their risk of involvement in gang violence and other crimes; and • support parents worried about their children’s behaviour by working with a range of family service providers to develop new advice on gangs. Pathways out of violence and the gang culture for young people wanting to make a break with the past. We will: • continue to promote intensive family intervention work with the most troubled families, including gang members, with a specific commitment to roll out Multi-Systemic Therapy for young people with behavioural problems and their families to 25 sites by 2014; • set up a second wave of Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion schemes for young offenders at the point of arrest, which identify and target mental health and substance misuse problems. These will be targeted at areas where there is a known and significant gang or youth crime problem; • work, through the Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team, with hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments and children’s social care to promote better local application of guidance around young people who may be affected by gang activity presenting at A&E; • explore the potential for placing youth workers in A&E departments to pick up and refer young people at risk of serious violence; • support areas, through the Ending Gang and Youth Violence Team, to roll out schemes to re-house former gang members wanting to exit the gang lifestyle; • explore ways to improve education provision for young people in the secure estate and for those released from custody; and • implement new offending behaviour programmes for violent adult offenders in prison and under community supervision, including new modules on gang violence. Punishment and enforcement to suppress the violence of those refusing to exit violent lifestyles. We will: • extend police and local authority powers to take out gang injunctions to cover teenagers aged 14 to 17; • implement mandatory custodial sentences for people using a knife to threaten or endanger others – including for offenders aged 16 and 17; • introduce mandatory life sentences for adult offenders convicted of a second very serious violent or sexual crime; • extend the work that the UK Border Agency undertakes with the police using immigration powers to deport dangerous gang members who are not UK citizens, drawing on the success of Operation Bite in London; and • consult on whether the police need additional curfew powers and on the need for a new offence of possession of illegal firearms with intent to supply, and on whether the penalty is at the right level for illegal firearm importation. Partnership working to join up the way local areas respond to gang and other youth violence. We will: • issue clear and simple guidelines on data sharing that clarify once and for all the position on what information can be shared between agencies about high risk individuals on a risk aware, not risk averse, basis; • promote the roll-out of Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH), which co-locate police and other public protection agencies, to cut bureaucracy and make it easier to share information and agree actions; • deliver on our commitment that all hospital A&E departments share anonymised data on knife and gang assaults with the police and other agencies and pilot the feasibility of including A&E data on local crime maps; • encourage the use of local multi-agency reviews after every gang-related homicide to ensure every area learns the lessons of the most tragic cases. This Report marks the beginning of a new commitment to work across government to tackle the scourge of gang culture and youth violence. An Inter-Ministerial Group, chaired by the Home Secretary, will meet on a quarterly basis to review progress, including by the Ending Gang and Youth Violence team. We will also establish a forum of key external organisations to meet regularly with Ministers and hold the Government to account on delivery. And we will ensure the views of young people themselves are heard too. Details: London: UK Stationery Office, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Command Paper 8211: Accessed November 19, 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/ending-gang-violence/gang-violence-detailreport?view=Binary Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/ending-gang-violence/gang-violence-detailreport?view=Binary Shelf Number: 123400 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile OffendersYouth Violence (U.K.) |
Author: Scotland. Violence Reduction Unit Title: The Violence Must Stop: Glasgow's Community Initiative to Reduce Violence: Second Year Report Summary: The initiative is a focused deterrence strategy modelled on the Boston Ceasefire project and the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence. The CIRV model establishes a partnership among police, social services, education, housing and community safety services along with the local community and delivers a clear message to established street gangs: the violence must stop. Following the success of such strategies internationally, Scotland’s national Violence Reduction Unit, together with the Scottish Government, has been testing the concept in Glasgow’s east end since October 2008, extending the project to the north of the city during 2009. CIRV, the VRU’s groundbreaking gangs’ initiative has helped reduce gang violence in Glasgow by almost 50%. To date, 400 gang members have signed up to CIRV, which operates in Glasgow’s east end and north side. Latest figures show violent offending by those who have signed up to CIRV has reduced by 46%, rising to 73% amongst those who undertook CIRV’s most intensive programmes. Details: Glasgow: Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, 2011(?). 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 26, 2011 at: http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/content/cirv-helps-reduce-glasgow-gang-violence Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/content/cirv-helps-reduce-glasgow-gang-violence Shelf Number: 123455 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Scotland)Violent Crime |
Author: Cahill, Meagan Title: Findings From the Evaluation of OJJDP’s Gang Reduction Program Summary: In the 1970s, less than half the states reported gang problems. By the turn of the 21st century, however, every state and the District of Columbia were facing this challenge. Helping communities combat gang activity is a leading priority for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and our Gang Reduction Program has been a key initiative to that end. A comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated approach to preventing and reducing gang activity, the program emphasizes addressing the needs of youth and affecting change in families, organizations, and communities. This bulletin draws on findings from an independent evaluation, conducted by the Urban Institute, of the Gang Reduction Program's impact in Los Angeles, CA; Milwaukee, WI; North Miami Beach, FL; and Richmond, VA, to examine how effectively these sites implemented the program. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: OJJDP Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed April 27, 2012 at: http://www.preventgangsnova.org/GangReductionStudy.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.preventgangsnova.org/GangReductionStudy.pdf Shelf Number: 125073 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.S.) |
Author: Amar, Sebastian Title: Seeking Asylum from Gang-Based Violence in Central America: A Resource Manual Summary: This resource manual is designed to provide information on gang-related asylum claims and specific information on the standards that apply under international law. Details: Washington, DC: CAIR - Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition, 2007. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2012 at: http://www.unhcr.org/uk/585a96a34.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Central America URL: http://www.unhcr.org/uk/585a96a34.pdf Shelf Number: 125117 Keywords: Asylum SeekersGang ViolenceGangs (Central America) |
Author: Braga, Anthony A. Title: The Effects of Summary: A number of American police departments have been experimenting with new problem-oriented policing frameworks to prevent gang and group-involved violence generally known as the “pulling levers” focused deterrence strategies. Focused deterrence strategies honor core deterrence ideas, such as increasing risks faced by offenders, while finding new and creative ways of deploying traditional and non-traditional law enforcement tools to do so, such as directly communicating incentives and disincentives to targeted offenders. Pioneered in Boston to halt serious gang violence, the focused deterrence framework has been applied in many American cities through federally sponsored violence prevention programs. In its simplest form, the approach consists of selecting a particular crime problem, such as gang homicide; convening an interagency working group of law enforcement, social-service, and community-based practitioners; conducting research to identify key offenders, groups, and behavior patterns; framing a response to offenders and groups of offenders that uses a varied menu of sanctions (“pulling levers”) to stop them from continuing their violent behavior; focusing social services and community resources on targeted offenders and groups to match law enforcement prevention efforts; and directly and repeatedly communicating with offenders to make them understand why they are receiving this special attention. These new strategic approaches have been applied to a range of crime problems, such as overt drug markets and individual repeat offenders, and have shown promising results in the reduction of crime. Details: Oslo, Norway: The Campbell Collaboration, 2012. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review 2012:6: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/1918/ Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 125231 Keywords: CollaborationCrime PreventionFocused Deterrence StrategiesGang ViolenceProblem-Oriented Policing (U.S.)Pulling LeversViolent Crime |
Author: Peace Studies Group Title: Youth, Collective Urban Violence and Security: Key Findings Summary: The aim of this paper is to discuss three main critical challenges which research and policymaking in the field of collective youth violence in urban contexts face today. This paper argues that we need to shift the focus of research in this area from “problematic” youth to the study of the ways in which violence permeates daily lives and becomes normalised through specific local social and political conditions. The paper then suggests that, in light of recent theory and empirical research, the relationship between violence and poverty should be re-evaluated. Additionally, and in order to properly address the causes of youth collective violence, this paper argues for a change of focus in the analysis of youth violent mobilisation. The suggested focus rests on the appeal of the symbolic revenues that mark the search for a valued social status and possibilities in contexts of adversity and violence. In fact, symbolic factors associated with the involvement in drugs trafficking and other violent activities and with youths’ contact with firearms are key factors, namely the search for status, power and respect, and attracting recognition from their male and female peers. The adrenaline and danger which youth experience through these activities are highly connected with gender constructions. Finally, this paper supports the progressively accepted evidence in favour of an urgent shift in how to address and prevent youth violence, claiming that repressive policies have hitherto failed to contain violence and to contribute to improving the formulation of preventive policies. This paper is based on data collection and analysis as well as reports from several studies conducted since 2006 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), San Salvador (El Salvador), Praia (Cape Verde) and Bissau (Guinea-Bissau). Details: Brussels: Peace Studies Group, Initiative for Peace Building, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2012 at: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201107IfPEWYouthUrbanViolenceFindings.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201107IfPEWYouthUrbanViolenceFindings.pdf Shelf Number: 125236 Keywords: Gang ViolenceUrban ViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program, International Human Rights Clinic Title: No Place to Hide: Gang, State, and Clandestine Violence in El Salvador Summary: Fifteen years after the civil war in El Salvador came to an end, violence and insecurity continue to shape the daily lives of many Salvadorans. This report examines the phenomenon of youth gangs and documents human rights violations associated with gang violence and Salvadoran governmental responses to it. Our examination is situated in the context of an assessment of the current state of the rule of law in El Salvador. The war in El Salvador during the 1980s was one of the bloodiest and most brutal in a region gripped with civil conflicts throughout that decade. The Salvadoran conflict gained worldwide notoriety for the prevalence of human rights abuses and death squads, that operated with the apparent acquiescence of state authorities, to terrorize civilian populations. Unfortunately, as discussed in Section I of this report, efforts since the war to build functioning democratic institutions in El Salvador have largely failed to overcome the legacies of institutional incapacity and politicization. Current levels of violence are extraordinarily high. El Salvador’s homicide rate is nearly double the average for Latin America, a region with high levels of violence by global standards. Continued political polarization, weak judicial and law enforcement institutions, and the persistence of extra-judicial violence seriously undermine citizen security and the rule of law in El Salvador. Violent street gangs have grown rapidly in this fractured and dysfunctional socio-political context. The deportation of tens of thousands of Salvadorans from the United States since the late 1990s (a consequence of forced emigration of Salvadoran families during the civil war years and subsequent changes to U.S. immigration laws) helped spur the growth and development of these gangs, a process we describe in Section II. In recent years, and as a result of particularized political conditions and law enforcement responses in El Salvador, the dynamics of the gang phenomenon have evolved. The two major rival gangs – the Mara Salvatrucha and the Mara 18, both of which have U.S. roots and a U.S. presence – engage in brutal battles for control of neighborhoods and communities throughout the country. Gangs’ methods of recruitment, and the sanctions they impose on members who demonstrate disloyalty or who attempt to withdraw from active gang life, are increasingly violent. Active and former gang members report that it is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for young people to escape the pressure of gang recruitment or to leave a gang. Gangs frequently use extortion to gather funds and solidify territorial control. There is evidence that organized criminal networks are operating with growing sophistication and impunity in El Salvador. The relationship between these organized criminal networks and the upper tiers of gang hierarchies is uncertain, as is the role of state actors in these activities, but the effect on Salvadoran citizens – a deepening sense of impunity and insecurity – is clear. The primary governmental response to the gang phenomenon, which relies heavily on repressive law enforcement-military tactics, mass arrests, and profiling of youth and alleged gang members, has been ineffective and even counter-productive. Governmental responses to the gang phenomenon are explored in great depth in Section III of this report. Homicide rates have soared since 2003, when former President Francisco Flores launched the Mano Dura (“Iron Fist”) crackdown. Meanwhile, the government’s focus on anti-gang efforts has distorted the complex nature of violence in El Salvador. The vast majority of homicides in El Salvador remain in impunity. Human rights organizations and civil society observers believe that some of the upsurge in killings in recent years is attributable to death squads who target alleged gang members or other criminals and who operate with impunity. Also in the past several years, the political roots of violence in El Salvador have become increasingly visible. Clashes between protesters and police on July 5, 2006 are one example of the relationship between political polarization and violence in El Salvador, and spikes in unexplained, brutal homicides in periods prior to national elections are another. In the midst of this social and political conflict, individual Salvadorans living in poor and marginalized communities have no place to hide: they are targeted by violent actors on all sides. Young people and other residents of areas with a gang presence, active gang members, and inactive gang members are targeted for threats, abuses, and even killings by gangs, police, and clandestine actors like death squads. We present narrative excerpts from interviews with victims and witnesses of gang, police, and clandestine violence in El Salvador in Section IV. The report is based on fact-finding visits to El Salvador in March- April and August-September 2006, and months of follow-up research prior to and after these trips. It draws extensively on interviews with current and former gang members and other victims and witnesses of violence in El Salvador, as well as with staff of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governmental officials. To protect the safety of confidential sources, we refer to them only by pseudonyms and initials. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law School, Human Rights Program, 2007. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2012 at: http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/hrp/documents/FinalElSalvadorReport(3-6-07).pdf Year: 2007 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/hrp/documents/FinalElSalvadorReport(3-6-07).pdf Shelf Number: 110108 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsHomicidesOrganized CrimeViolence (El Salvador)Violent Crime |
Author: Includem Title: Gangs Pilot Interim Impact Report - January 2010 to March 2011 Summary: In 2008 Strathclyde Police approached Includem to discuss a mechanism to refer young people who they identified as being on the periphery of, or involved with, gang violence directly to Includem’s Intensive Support Service. The Police recognised they have primarily an enforcement role, and that this process was not having enough of an impact on reducing gang violence or the number of victims it created. They acknowledged that the enforcement role they provided would be more effective alongside an intervention to work with the young people to challenge their behaviours and attitudes that led to them perpetuating crime. It was from this starting point that funding was secured to deliver a partnership response to young people who were causing a disproportionate amount of crime within specific geographical locations in Glasgow. The young people referred presented multiple and complex support needs, most commonly a combination of behavioural issues including offending, problematic personal and social relationships, disengagement with education, family issues and substance misuse. Their offending behaviour was focused around gang activity and violence within the east or the north of Glasgow. Includem provided planned, structured support focusing on these identified support needs and tailored to the individual young person. Each contact usually covered 2 or 3 of these issues and the linkages amongst them. Includem’s support package also adapted to respond to any changing support needs, for example to respond to the incarceration of a parent and the loss experienced by the young person. Working within the essential framework of a trusting relationship, staff draw on a structured evidence informed series of practitioner modules – A Better Life - to tailor individual programmes of work to constructively address problems in attitude, behaviour, skills and relationships. Includem’s sustained monitoring and evaluation over 10 years confirms a pattern of consistent outcomes for young people who have the typical characteristics of young people in secure care or prison. This report provides an overview of activity for the first 15 months (January 2010 to March 2011). Project Aim -- To reduce offending of young people involved in gang behaviours, and the number of victims created, through delivery of intensive support and supervision at times of risk and supporting young people to (re)engage with services and opportunities which will build skills and resilience for positive choices and lifestyles. Details: Glasgow: Includem, 2012. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2012 at: http://www.includem.org/file/1239 Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.includem.org/file/1239 Shelf Number: 125800 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Scotland)Juvenile Offenders, Rehabilitation |
Author: Prairie Research Associates Title: Evaluation of the Youth at Risk Development Program: Final Evaluation Report. Volume 1 Summary: In response to growing concerns about gang violence, the Youth At Risk Development (YARD) program offered prevention services to high-risk youth and youth involved in gang-related activities in Calgary, Alberta. Between 2002 and the time of the application for National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) funding, Calgary had experienced an increase in gang-related criminal activity with most notably, 14 gang-related homicides, 31 drive-by shootings, 3 stabbings and 3 cases of forcible confinement. The Calgary Police Service was also monitoring 300 gang members who were distributed among 8-10 criminal groups. Gang membership in Calgary was dominated by males in their early 20s with auxiliary female involvement. Intelligence gathered on gangs indicates gang members often carry weapons, and are involved in the trafficking of real, altered and replica hand guns. They were also almost exclusively involved in drug trafficking, and were believed to be instrumental players in the drug distribution network in Calgary. Street gangs in Calgary were generally not ethnically or geographically based, but represented a wide range of nationalities/races. All gang-related activity had the potential to impact public safety. The 2005 Calgary Police Service Citizen’s Survey of almost 2,000 Calgary residents reported that illegal gang activity was ranked the number one “most important policing problem” with over 43% of respondents reporting this as the most pressing issue for police. Gangs were also identified as the 3rd biggest safety concern for parents and children in schools. In 2005, the Calgary Police Service conducted a series of focus groups in local elementary, junior and senior high schools. The most frequently identified “safety issue in school” was gang activity, followed by drugs and bullying. Details: Winnipeg: Prairie Research Associates, 2011. 92p. Source: Summary Report Available at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/yrd-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 125802 Keywords: At-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Canada) |
Author: Public Safety Canada. National Crime Prevention Centre Title: Prevention of Youth Gang Violence: Overview of Strategies and Approaches Summary: There are many reasons why interventions on social issues should be evidence-based. In the case of crime, violence and youth gangs in particular, these interventions deal with at-risk groups of the population, and so should try to maximize the potential to achieve positive outcomes. Furthermore, given limited resources, all partners and stakeholders involved should ensure that programs implemented will be the most effective and cost-efficient possible. And finally, interventions should be based on evidence so as not to replicate what does not work. Available evidence suggests that well-designed and rigorously implemented prevention strategies can produce significant changes in youth gang and youth violence problems. Rigorous evaluations of youth gang programs are rare; nevertheless, available studies point to some programs, approaches and strategies that have shown promise in effectively reducing youth gang crime (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2007, 2011; OJJDP, 2010). This document briefly describes some of the most evidence-based approaches to prevent youth gangs and serious youth violence which the National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) is interested in developing through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF). It is designed to assist organizations interested in submitting a proposal to have access to some of the best available knowledge in Canada. The document is organized in three parts. Part I describes three key approaches, while Part II summarizes some of the key lessons learned through the first five years of the YGPF (2006-2011). Finally, Part III provides a list of Canadian and international resources in youth gang prevention. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2012. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/ygpf/ygpf-osa-eng.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/ygpf/ygpf-osa-eng.aspx Shelf Number: 125970 Keywords: Gang ViolenceJuvenile OffendersYouth Gangs (Canada)Youth Violence |
Author: Umana, Isabel Aguilar Title: Violent Women and Violence Against Women: Gender Relations in the Maras and Other Street Gangs of Central America's Northern Triangle Region Summary: The so-called maras and other youth gangs of Central America’s Northern Triangle are mainly comprised of men; nevertheless, women are present in multiple ways in the lives of gang members, either as mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends or fellow gang members. This publication is based on the findings of an exploratory study of the role of women and gender-based relations in the inner circles of these gangs. The study examines the motivations of some girls and teenagers to join street gangs, their experiences as women in these groups which are dominated by men, as well as the reasons why some of them decide to leave the group. The study is based on a series of interviews with active or former female gang members from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras; interviews with male gang members and former gang members; interviews with some professional social workers who work on social reinsertion programmes for gang members. This publication concludes with a series of policy and funding recommendations to international policy makers to address the issues raised in the study to ensure that that vulnerable young girls and teenage women who are victims of gender violence receive appropriate and timely interventions. Details: Brussels: Initiative for Peacebuilding, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201204IfPEWViolentWomenAndViolenceAgainstWomen.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://www.ifp-ew.eu/pdf/201204IfPEWViolentWomenAndViolenceAgainstWomen.pdf Shelf Number: 125973 Keywords: Gang ViolenceMarasStreet Gangs, Female MembersYouth Gangs (Central America) |
Author: Baltazar, James Title: Pathways to Gang Violence: Analysis and Recommendations Summary: Gang activity is an endemic problem in many national metropolitan areas, including the city of Minneapolis. Understanding underlying causes and identifying key intervention points for gang involvement are necessary to improve prevention strategies. The task of the Pathways to Gang Involvement research project was to review a dataset provided to us by a Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support (MDHFS) public health official and develop a restructuring and analysis plan for the dataset in collaboration with MDHFS. This paper is an exploratory study of the dataset with which we were presented. It includes the following components: literature review, demographic analysis, spatial analysis, statistical analysis, and qualitative analysis. We sought to determine any correlations between roles in crimes early in life, geographic area, age, and gang activity, as well as identifying key intervention points for reducing gang violence in Minneapolis youth. Our research yielded several findings. Demographic analysis illustrated the composition of gang-related youth in the city, spatial analysis revealed the density of neighborhood patterns of crime, empirical analysis uncovered patterns of association between key indicators, and our qualitative assessment provided local perspective. Through these analyses we sought to establish avenues for public officials to understand the broader context for gang related offenses in the city of Minneapolis. Details: Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2012. 88p. Source: MMP Professional Paper, Masters Degree: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/123483/1/Baltazar_Pathways%20to%20Gang%20Violence%20Analysis%20and%20Recommendations.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/123483/1/Baltazar_Pathways%20to%20Gang%20Violence%20Analysis%20and%20Recommendations.pdf Shelf Number: 126338 Keywords: Demographic TrendsGang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: DeMichele, Matthew Title: APPA's C.A.R.E. Model: A Framework for Collaboration, Analysis, Reentry, and Evaluation: A Response to Street Gang Violence Summary: Recognizing the continued prevalence of crime in local communities, the U.S. Department of Justice implemented the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative (PSN). Previous results from Boston’s Operation Ceasefire, Richmond’s Project Exile, and New York’s Compstat confirmed that crime control is not something that the justice system can accomplish alone. Instead, strong interagency collaborations are needed to incorporate law enforcement, prosecution and the courts, probation and parole, universities, community leaders, and faith-based organizations (McGarrell et al., 2009). These earlier initiatives found that as much as 50 percent of homicides in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles were gang related (Blumstein, 1995; Braga, Pierce, McDevitt, Bond, & Cronin, 2008; Pritchard & Evans, 2001), with over 90 percent of these homicides involving a firearm (NGIC, 2009). Interestingly, up to 80 percent of homicide offenders and 56 percent of victims were shown to be probationers and parolees (Bowman, 2005). To assist community corrections agencies in this collaborative endeavor, the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) created the PSN-inspired C.A.R.E. (collaboration, analysis, reentry, evaluation) model (DeMichele & Matz, 2010; Matz, Lowe, & DeMichele, 2011). APPA provides several policy and practice recommendations to assist probation and parole agencies as they pursue collaborative interventions using the C.A.R.E. framework; whole or in part. Details: Lexington, KY: American Probation and Parole Association/Council of State Governments; Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 2011. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2012 at: http://www.appa-net.org/psn/docs/PSN_CARE_Model.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.appa-net.org/psn/docs/PSN_CARE_Model.pdf Shelf Number: 126557 Keywords: CollaborationGang ViolenceGangs (U.S.)Reentry |
Author: Webster, Daniel W. Title: Evaluation of Baltimore's Safe Streets Program: Effects on Attitudes, Participants’ Experiences, and Gun Violence Summary: Cure Violence, formerly CeaseFire, was developed in 1995 to reduce youth violence associated with firearms. The program takes a multifaceted approach to intervention that involves several different components. One of the major components of this program is street outreach workers, many former gang members, who go out into urban areas and develop relationships with at-risk youth. Outreach staff also act as “violence interruputers” who work around the clock to intervene at the site of conflicts and mediate potential violent encounters between individuals or gangs. Dr. Gary Slutkin developed the Cure Violence program by applying public health lessons to gun violence in some of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods. An earlier rigorous evaluation of Cure Violence in Chicago, using a multiple interrupted time series design, found significant reductions in gun violence and retaliatory homicides associated with four of seven intervention neighborhoods studied. Furthermore, when budget cuts reduced program implementation in certain Chicago neighborhoods, shootings increased in these areas. These preliminary results encouraged the Baltimore City Health Department to replicate Chicago’s Cure Violence program in four of Baltimore’s most violent neighborhoods under the name Safe Streets with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. This report presents the evaluation findings of Safe Streets, led by Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, and Jennifer Whitehill, PhD, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This rigorous multiple interrupted time series evaluation measures Safe Streets' effect on gun violence, attitudes about the acceptability of gun use and impact on the lives of participants after the implementation of the program. Although the evaluation was not funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Chicago’s Cure Violence model is being replicated in 15 more sites across the country with a $4.5 million RWJF grant. The findings from this evaluation will be used to identify the most effective elements of the Cure Violence model in reducing gun violence and will add to the body of evidence supporting replication efforts. To measure the effect of the Safe Streets program in intervention neighborhoods, the evaluation: reviewed implementation data of the program; did multiple interrupted time series analysis of the effects of the program on homicide and nonfatal shootings; conducted a community survey of attitudes toward gun violence; and interviewed participants to determine their perceptions of the program’s effect on their lives. Details: Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2012. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2012 at: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/web-assets/2012/01/evaluation-of-baltimore-s-safe-streets-program Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/web-assets/2012/01/evaluation-of-baltimore-s-safe-streets-program Shelf Number: 126664 Keywords: At-Risk YouthGang ViolenceGun Violence (Baltimore, U.S.)HomicidesSafe Streets ProgramYouth Violence |
Author: Bennington, Jude Title: Scoping Study on Violence Against Women. Report for the BIG Lottery Fund Summary: This Report presents findings from a scoping study on violence against women commissioned to help inform the BIG Lottery Fund of potential areas of intervention. The research was commissioned by the BIG Lottery Fund in March 2012 and was conducted by a team of researchers from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University. The scoping study was conducted in spring 2012 and involved two key research tasks: a literature review of existing evidence; and interviews with key stakeholders engaged in the provision of services aimed at combating violence against women. The study sought to identify evidence on the following broad issues: domestic violence linked to sporting events violence among girls and young women involved in gang-related activities domestic violence in pregnancy. This report should be seen as a synopsis which aims to identify and examine some of the key issues rather than provide an in-depth and comprehensive review of all that has been researched and written about violence against women. Details: Sheffield, UK: Center for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/er_violence_against_women.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/er_violence_against_women.pdf Shelf Number: 126677 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceGang ViolencePregnant WomenSporting EventsViolence Against Women and Girls (U.K.) |
Author: The Centre for Social Justice Title: Time to Wake Up: Tackling Gangs One Year After the Riots Summary: In 2009 the Centre for Social Justice published Dying to Belong, a landmark review of street gangs in the UK. We argued that gang culture is symptomatic of even deeper social problems: chaotic families; absent fathers; young people cut adrift and lacking purpose; and a revolving door criminal justice system which does nothing to change lives. In Dying to Belong we argued that without concerted action to mend our broken society more violent and appalling disorder will rear its ugly head. There is nothing more dangerous than a group of people who feel they have nothing to gain and nothing to lose. This truth was loudly confirmed when last summer’s riots erupted. Gangs played a significant role in the riots and it is dangerous to pretend otherwise – in London at least one in five of those convicted was known to be part of a gang. One year on, we have talked to members of our UK-wide Alliance of small, frontline organisations and charities asking them how they feel gang culture has changed in the light of the government response. Worryingly, many have drawn us a picture of little or no progress, despite the publication of a positive political strategy. Some have even suggested that the problem is becoming worse with increased violence amongst younger gang members and growing numbers of girls joining gangs. There is also deep concern that the Government is not serious about making a long-term commitment to tackling gang culture and its roots. Many in Whitehall regard the riots as a random one-off and mistake the quashing of the disorder as control of the streets. They could not be more wrong.The alarming fact is that many streets across the country are besieged by anarchy and violence. There is no control in such neighbourhoods. Gangs policy cannot be allowed to drift. To do so would be to give up on children and young people who have already been badly let down. It would leave communities ever more vulnerable to even larger, more active gangs in the future. The Government must rediscover the momentum and commitment it once had to tackle gangs. Without a reversal of the social breakdown and disorder that characterises too much of life in our most deprived communities, we will continue to see wasted generation after wasted generation. And countless other young people will lose their lives to this tragic and pointless violence. In the aftermath of last year’s riots, the Prime Minister declared ‘an all-out war on gangs and culture’ in response to claims that such groups played a significant role in the disorder. Over the past 12 months their part has been continually called into question. Elements of the media have leapt upon the finding that, outside of London, fewer than one in ten arrestees were gang members, citing this as proof that gangs were not pivotal. Statistics revealing that one in five of those arrested in London was a known gang member have been downplayed. Details: London: The Centre for Social Justice, 2012. 15p. Source: Policy Paper: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2012 at http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/images/Gangs%20Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/images/Gangs%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 126862 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorCrime Prevention ProgramsDisorderly ConductGang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Intervention ProgramsNuisance Behaviors and DisordersRiots |
Author: Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Fusion Center, Intelligence & Counterterrorism Division Title: The Texas Gang Threat Assessment 2011 Summary: This assessment analyzes the relationship of gangs to cartels, gangs transnational criminal connections, type and frequency of crimes perpetrated by gangs, the level of violence perpetrated by gangs in their criminal activity, the geographic reach of gangs including the nature of a gang alliances, the size of gangs, effectiveness in organizing members under its leadership across the state, presence in schools, and recent convictions of gang members. The key analytic judgments of this assessment are: • Gangs represent a significant public safety threat to the State of Texas and are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in our communities. Of incarcerated members of Tier 1 and Tier 2 gangs, more than half are serving a sentence for a violent crime, including robbery (25 percent), homicide (15 percent), and assault/terroristic threat (13 percent). • The Tier 1 gangs in Texas are Texas Mexican Mafia (estimated at 6,000 members), Tango Blast (8,000 members), Texas Syndicate (3,800 members), and Barrio Azteca (3,000 members). These organizations pose the greatest gang threat to Texas due to their relationships with Mexican cartels, large membership numbers, high levels of transnational criminal activity, and organizational effectiveness. • Mexican cartels continue to use gangs in Texas as they smuggle drugs, people, weapons, and cash across the border. Members of Tier 1 gangs have been recruited by the cartels to carry out acts of violence both in Texas and in Mexico. • Cartel connections are not limited to Tier 1 gangs. For example, members of the Partido Revolucionario Mexicano, a Tier 3 gang, were contracted by the Gulf Cartel in an October 2011 incident that resulted in a law enforcement officer in Hidalgo County being shot and wounded. • Gang activity in Texas is growing, with the current number of gang members possibly exceeding 100,000; national gang membership estimates have increased 40 percent over the past two years. More than 2,500 gangs operate throughout the state, ranging from small gangs with few members and limited geographic reach to large gangs composed of thousands of members operating in all regions of Texas. • Some gangs focus their recruitment on juveniles, seeking them out on the internet and in schools and neighborhoods. Gangs are responsible for a significant portion of juvenile crime in Texas. Gang members accounted for more than half of all juvenile commitments to the Texas Youth Commission in 2010, while one in seven formal referrals to juvenile probation in Texas involves a juvenile confirmed or suspected to have a gang affiliation. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Department of Public Safety, 2011. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2012 at: http://alfinstitute.org/alfi_documents/Texas_Gang_TA_2011_Final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://alfinstitute.org/alfi_documents/Texas_Gang_TA_2011_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 126891 Keywords: Barrio AztecaCriminal CartelsGang ViolenceGangs (Texas)Mexican MafiaTexas Syndicate |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Statutory Guidance: Injunctions to Prevent Gang-Related Violence Summary: This statutory guidance on injunctions to prevent gang-related violence draws on the experience and knowledge of the police service, local authorities and a wide range of local partners involved in dealing with violent gangs. It has been developed and approved by partners across the Criminal Justice System, as well as local practitioners. It has been produced after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls, and has been laid before Parliament by the Home Secretary. The Policing and Crime Act 2009 (‘the 2009 Act’) contains provision for injunctions to prevent gang-related violence to be sought against an individual; the Crime and Security Act 2010 contains provision for breach of an injunction to be enforced against 14–17 year olds. This document provides guidance on the use of injunctions for those aged 18 and over only. It is envisaged that injunctions to address gang-related violence for 14-17 year olds will be piloted in 2011 and that this guidance will be updated accordingly. Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108509599/9780108509599.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9780108509599/9780108509599.pdf Shelf Number: 126933 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)InjunctionsPolicing, Gang Units |
Author: Berlowitz, Sue Title: I thought I was the only one. The only one in the world. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation In Gangs and Groups Summary: Imagine that within three medium sized secondary schools every pupil was being subjected to sexual violence on a routine basis over months, and sometimes years, by multiple perpetrators; or that within 20 medium sized secondary schools every child was displaying behaviours which indicated they were at significant risk of being sexually exploited, and only a small number of staff acted on these warning signs. The equivalent of this is true. Based on evidence submitted to the CSEGG Inquiry, at least 16,500 children were identified as being at risk of child sexual exploitation during one year and 2,409 children were confirmed as victims of sexual exploitation in gangs and groups during the 14-month period from August 2010 to October 2011. Evidence to the Inquiry indicates that in any given year the actual number of children being abused is far greater than the 2,409 that have been confirmed. Interviews with children and young people, evidence collected during site visits and gathered at hearing sessions all indicated that many children who were sexually exploited either remained unseen by professionals or, even when known, were not recorded in the call for evidence submissions received by the OCC. 16,500 children from across England were identified as being at high risk of child sexual exploitation during the period April 2010-March 2011. This figure is based on children who displayed three or more signs of behaviour indicating they were at risk of child sexual exploitation. These are the main findings of the Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and Groups (CSEGG) by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC). Details: London: Children's Commissioner, 2012. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_636 Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_636 Shelf Number: 127028 Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse (U.K.)Child Sexual ExploitationGang ViolenceGangsGroup Violence |
Author: Rogan, Michael G. Title: Is the Narco-violence in Mexico an Insurgency? Summary: Since Mexican President Felipe Calderón declared war on the drug cartels in December 2006, more than 35,000 Mexicans have died due to narco-violence. This monograph examines whether the various Mexican drug trafficking organizations are insurgents or organized criminal elements. Mexican narco-violence and its affiliated gang violence have spread across Mexico’s southern border into Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Additionally, the narco-violence is already responsible for the deaths of American citizens on both sides of the United States – Mexico border, and the potential for increased spillover violence is a major concern. This monograph argues that the Mexican drug cartels are transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) that pose a national security threat to the regional state actors; however, they are not an insurgency for four reasons. First, none of the cartels have the political aim or capability to overthrow the Mexican government. Second, the various TCOs are competing criminal organizations with approximately 90 percent of the violence being cartel on cartel. For example, the violence in the city of Juárez is largely the result of the fighting between the local Juárez cartel and the Sinaloa cartel for control of one of the primary smuggling routes into the United States. Third, the cartels’ use of violence and coercion has turned popular support against them thus denying them legitimacy. Fourth, although the cartels do control zones of impunity within their areas of influence, the Mexican government has captured, killed, and extradited kingpins from every major TCO. The monograph also examines the violence that has taken place in Colombia as a case study comparison for the current narco-violence in Mexico. The Colombian government battled and defeated both the Medellín and Cali drug cartels in the 1990s. It also has made significant progress against two leftist insurgent groups, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). The Colombian government also reached agreement with the right-wing United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia (AUC) who officially disbanded in April 2006. The primary implication of this monograph is that it is the responsibility of the leadership of the Mexican government, its law enforcement institutions, its judicial system, and the military to defeat the TCOs. The case study of Colombia provides strong evidence of the importance of competent political, judicial, law enforcement, and military leadership. It is also clear that the United States provided valuable assistance, but it was the Colombians’ efforts that reduced violence, secured the population, and marginalized the insurgents. The conclusion of this monograph is that the TCOs have a weak case for being an insurgency due to their lack of legitimacy because violence has been excessively cruel and lacking in purpose in the eyes of the Mexican people. Details: Fort Leavenworth, KS: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, School of Advanced Military Studies, 2011. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=721559 Year: 2011 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=721559 Shelf Number: 127032 Keywords: Drug CartelsDrug Trafficking (Mexico)Gang ViolenceOrganized CrimeViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Egesdal, Mike Title: Statistical Modeling of Gang Violence in Los Angeles Summary: Gang violence has plagued the Los Angeles policing district of Hollenbeck for over half a century. With sophisticated models, police may better understand and predict the region's frequent gang crimes. The purpose of this paper is to model Hollenbeck's gang rivalries. A self-exciting point process called a Hawkes process is used to model rivalries over time. While this is shown to fit the data well, an agent based model is presented which is able to accurately simulate gang crimes not only temporally but also spatially. Finally, we compare random graphs generated by the agent model to existing models developed to incorporate geography into random graphs. Details: Los Angeles, CA: University of California, 2012. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://www.math.ucla.edu/~bertozzi/RTG/SIURO_revised.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.math.ucla.edu/~bertozzi/RTG/SIURO_revised.pdf Shelf Number: 127034 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (California, U.S.)Gun Violence |
Author: Dudley, Steven Title: Transnational Crime in Mexico and Central America: Its Evolution and Role in International Migration Summary: The growth of organized crime in Mexico and Central America has dramatically increased the risks that migrants face as they attempt to cross the region. Encountering rising threats posed by Mexican drug traffickers, Central American gangs, and corrupt government officials, migrants increasingly are forced to seek the assistance of intermediaries known as polleros, or “coyotes.” Those unable to afford a coyote are more likely to be abused or kidnapped, and held for ransom along the way. Details: Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute, 2012. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 4, 2012 at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/RMSG-TransnationalCrime.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/RMSG-TransnationalCrime.pdf Shelf Number: 127114 Keywords: CoyotesDrug TraffickingGang ViolenceImmigrationMigrationOrganized Crime (Mexico/Central America) |
Author: Seelke, Clare Ribando Title: Gangs in Central America Summary: Congress has maintained an interest in the effects of gang violence in Central America, and on the expanding activities of transnational gangs with ties to that region operating in the United States. Since FY2008, Congress has appropriated significant amounts of funding for anti-gang efforts in Central America, as well as domestic anti-gang programs. Two recent developments may affect congressional interest in Central American gangs: a truce between rival gangs has dramatically lowered violence in El Salvador and the U.S. Treasury Department has designated the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as a significant transnational criminal organization (TCO). MS-13 and its main rival, the “18th Street” gang (also known as M-18) continue to threaten citizen security and challenge government authority in Central America. Gang-related violence has been particularly acute in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, which have among the highest homicide rates in the world. In recent years, some governments have moved away, at least on a rhetorical level, from repressive anti-gang strategies, with the government of El Salvador now facilitating a historic—and risky—truce involving the country’s largest gangs. The truce has resulted in a dramatic reduction in homicides since March 2012, but carries risks for the Salvadoran government such as what might happen if the gangs were to walk away from the truce and emerge stronger as a result of months of less-stringent prison conditions. U.S. agencies have been engaged on both the law enforcement and preventive sides of dealing with Central American gangs; an inter-agency committee developed a U.S. Strategy to Combat Criminal Gangs from Central America and Mexico that was first announced in July 2007. The strategy focuses on diplomacy, repatriation, law enforcement, capacity enhancement, and prevention. An April 2010 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that U.S. agencies consider strengthening the anti-gang strategy by developing better oversight and measurement tools to guide its implementation. U.S. law enforcement efforts may be bolstered by the Treasury Department’s October 2012 decision to designate and sanction MS-13 as a major TCO pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581. In recent years, Congress has increased funding to support anti-gang efforts in Central America. Between FY2008 and FY2012, Congress appropriated roughly $35 million in global International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds for anti-gang efforts in Central America. Congress provided additional support in FY2008 and FY2009 for anti-gang efforts in the region through the Mérida Initiative, a counterdrug and anticrime program for Mexico and Central America, and, more recently, through the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Congressional oversight may focus on the efficacy of anti-gang efforts in Central America; the interaction between U.S. domestic and international anti-gang policies, and the impact of the Treasury Department’s TCO designation on law enforcement efforts against MS-13. This report describes the gang problem in Central America, discusses country and regional approaches to deal with the gangs, and analyzes U.S. policy with respect to gangs in Central America. Also see: CRS Report R41731, Central America Regional Security Initiative: Background and Policy Issues for Congress, by Peter J. Meyer and Clare Ribando Seelke. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2012. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: CRS RL34112: Accessed January 30, 2013 at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34112.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34112.pdf Shelf Number: 127358 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Central America)HomicidesMS-13 |
Author: Fox, Andrew M. Title: Final Evaluation of the Phoenix TRUCE Project: A Replication of Chicago Ceasefire Summary: The Phoenix TRUCE Project is modeled after the Chicago CeaseFire program, and as such has adopted a public health approach in responding to violence in the community. TRUCE emphasizes the use of outreach staff embedded in the community who identify community members who are at imminent risk of being either a victim or perpetrator of violence, particularly gun violence. The project is a data-driven, and its core components include, community mobilization and youth outreach. Each of its components addresses a different facet of the violence problem with the goal of preventing shootings. Both in the short term and the long term, CeaseFire’s purpose is to reduce the number of violent shootings in a community. The Phoenix TRUCE project was led by Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. in partnership with Arizonans for Gun Safety, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, the Phoenix Police Department, and Arizona State University’s Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. The CeaseFire model was implemented in Hermoso Park, a 1.5 square mile neighborhood located in South Phoenix. This report evaluates the implementation and impact of the TRUCE project from June 2010 to December 2011. Major findings are outlined below. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION Outreach staff engaged in a substantial number (n=58) of conflict mediations. The disputants were typically gang-involved (70.7%), historically violent (63.8%), and young (91.4%), which are three criteria the model uses to define individuals as high-risk for gun violence involvement. All of the clients who were recruited for Phoenix TRUCE (n=118) met at least four of the seven client selection criteria, indicating that the project abided by selection criteria established by national experts. Using eleven different forms of media and more than 11,000 individual items, TRUCE saturated the community with educational materials. Additionally, more than 25% of respondents who knew a shooting victim were knowledgeable about TRUCE. Advisory Board meetings were not held consistently, and the Board did not play a major role in establishing a strategic direction for the project. TRUCE did not establish a coordinated and collaborative relationship with the faithbased community. A Risk Reduction Plan was not completed for about two-thirds of program youth. Police regularly attended stakeholder meetings and provided liaisons to the project; however, a routinized process for information sharing was not developed. PROGRAM IMPACT Time-series analysis indicated that program implementation corresponded to a decrease of more than 16 assaults on average per month, controlling for the comparison areas and the trends in the data. Time-series analysis indicated that program implementation corresponded to an increase of 3.2 shootings on average per month, controlling for the comparison areas and the trends in the data. The time-series analysis indicated that the more conflicts mediated and the more people involved in mediated conflicts, the greater the decreases in assaults in the target area. A number of the dosage effects were related to slight increases in shootings in the timeseries analysis, including number of clients, number of contacts (both home and on the street), and hours spent with clients. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Arizona State University, 2012. 161p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2013 at: https://cvpcs.asu.edu/sites/default/files/content/products/TRUCE-Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://cvpcs.asu.edu/sites/default/files/content/products/TRUCE-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 127512 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Phoenix, Arizona)Gun Violence |
Author: Howell, James C. Title: Prevalence of Gang-Involved Youth in NC Summary: Drugs, property crimes, guns, turf battles, senseless violence…these are all consequences of serious gang problems. North Carolina has youth gangs, youth gang members, and associates of gangs - all creating fear in citizens for safety in their neighborhoods, schools and social institutions. There are gaps in services available to address the needs of high-risk or gang-involved youth. The NC Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP) has taken broad steps in examining the extent of the problem and use of best practices to reduce gang involvement. This report reviews the law passed in 2008 to combat the challenge of youth street gangs, the initiatives led by DJJDP and their progress to date, and what DJJDP data reveals with regard to the characteristics of gang members. Details: Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Fact Sheet: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.ncdjjdp.org/resources/gang_forms/DJJGangFactSheetPublicationDec2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.ncdjjdp.org/resources/gang_forms/DJJGangFactSheetPublicationDec2011.pdf Shelf Number: 127593 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (North Carolina) |
Author: McGarrell, Edmund F. Title: An Assessment of the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative: Final Project Report Summary: The U.S. Department of Justice developed the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) to support local communities in their efforts to prevent and control gang crime. The cities involved include Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Tampa, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Rochester, Raleigh/Durham, Chicago, Detroit, and a seven-city region in Eastern Pennsylvania. Multiple methods were used to evaluate the process and impact of CAGI. These included site visits, phone interviews, mail surveys, video conference calls with project staff, and review of progress reports submitted to the Department of Justice. Local crime data were gathered from five of the CAGI cities and city level crime data were collected from all the jurisdictions as well as from comparable cities nationwide. In terms of the implementation several key findings emerged. There was consensus across the sites that CAGI had allowed for the development of a variety of new partnerships. These relationships were most readily established among criminal justice agencies. The four most common enforcement strategies included increased federal prosecution, increased state and local prosecution, joint case prosecution screening, and directed police patrols. The most common prevention strategies included education and outreach, school-based prevention, ex-offender outreach, and substance abuse treatment. Re-entry interventions proved to be the most challenging to implement with most of the sites struggling to meet target numbers of clients. Unfortunately, the majority of sites could not provide consistent and reliable measures of gang crime. Thus, for most of the impact analyses the focus was on violent crime. CAGI cities were compared to all other comparable U.S. cities and to a matched comparison group of cities. Additionally, within city analyses were conducted in five of the sites. Overall, the CAGI cities experienced a larger decline in violent crime than the comparison cities but the difference was not statistically significant when controlling for concentrated disadvantage and population density. When level of implementation of enforcement was included, the high enforcement CAGI cities experienced a 15 percent decline in violent crime that was statistically significant. The comparison based on a propensity matching approach yielded similar findings. Looking only at the CAGI cities, higher levels of federal prosecution for gun crime were negatively related to violent crime. The final analyses involved within city time series analyses of target areas compared either to other comparison areas or the remainder of the city. These results were inconclusive. Although the CAGI sites all experienced declines in violent crime, in many cases they were not statistically significant or they were similar to declines in the rest of the city or comparison area. The findings of difficulty in implementing all components of the comprehensive strategy in a well-timed and coordinated fashion, as well as the mixed, and at best modest, impact on violent crime, are largely consistent with prior studies of large-scale, comprehensive anti-gang programs. At a minimum, much greater attention needs to be given to effective implementation. Local CAGI officials recognized these challenges and recommended a planning period to allow for the establishment of necessary partnerships before fully funding programs like CAGI. Finally, much greater attention needs to be given to developing reliable measures of gang crime at the local level. Federal funding agencies may wish to make gang crime data availability a prerequisite for the investment of federal funding for anti-gang programs. Details: East Lansing, MI: School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 2012. 197p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240757.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240757.pdf Shelf Number: 127689 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (U.S.)Gun Violence |
Author: Whitbeck, Barbara Title: Gangs and Youth Violence Interventions: A Review of Research and Literature Addressing Evidence‐Based and Promising Practices for Gang‐Affiliated and Violent Youth in Juvenile Institutions and Detention Centers Summary: This report reviews current research and literature to determine which evidence-based and promising practices work best for gang‐affiliated and violent youth in juvenile institutions and other detention settings, and what factors need to be considered when implementing best practices. It also notes evidence‐based practices currently used by Washington’s DSHS Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA), and practices JRA may consider for future implementation. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, 2010. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 2.23: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/graphics/Main/jra/VIP%20Literature%20review.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/graphics/Main/jra/VIP%20Literature%20review.pdf Shelf Number: 127735 Keywords: Evidence-Based PracticesGang PreventionGang ViolenceGangsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Farah, Douglas Title: Central American Gangs and Transnational Criminal Organizations: The Changing Relationships in a Time of Turmoil Summary: On October 11, 2012, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-‐13) a significant transnational criminal organization (TCO). The gang was targeted for its involvement in “serious transnational criminal activities, including drug trafficking, kidnapping, human smuggling, sex trafficking, murder, assassinations, racketeering, blackmail, extortion and immigration offenses.”1 The designation, which came as a surprise to Central American governments, has caused considerable debate within the U.S. policy and law enforcement communities over whether the step was merited and whether it would, or could, have a significant impact. This report attempts to offer some insights into those questions at a time when the gangs themselves are in a tremendous state of flux and interacting in new ways amongst themselves and with regional governments. This is particularly true in El Salvador, the spiritual homeland of the MS-‐13. Relying primarily on original fieldwork, the report examines the relationship of the MS-‐13 and Calle 18 gangs to the transnational criminal networks that are growing in strength and sophistication across Central America, particularly in the Northern Triangle of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Details: Alexandria, VA: International Assessment and Strategy Center, 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2013 at: http://www.strategycenter.net/docLib/20130224_CenAmGangsandTCOs.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Central America URL: http://www.strategycenter.net/docLib/20130224_CenAmGangsandTCOs.pdf Shelf Number: 127916 Keywords: Criminal NetworksGang ViolenceGangs (Central America)MS-13 |
Author: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Statistical Analysis Center Title: 2011 Arizona Gang Threat Assessment Summary: In the summer of 2011, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Statistical Analysis Center surveyed law enforcement officers in Arizona regarding gangs and gang activity in their jurisdictions. The survey used for the Arizona Gang Threat Assessment was based upon the National Gang Threat Assessment conducted by the National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Drug Intelligence Center, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The survey was designed to obtain from law enforcement information about the gangs in their jurisdictions and their level of activity. This report provides statewide results from the 2011 Gang Threat Assessment and compares it to similar data collected in 2007 through 20101 to assess changes over time. Results of the threat assessment from local agencies have also been aggregated to the county level for 14 of the 15 Arizona counties. County level data is contained in the appendices of this report. Findings Gangs were reported to be active in 46 of the 63 jurisdictions (73.0 percent) that responded to the survey in 2011. Of the agencies that reported active gangs, 35 provided estimates of the number of gang members in their jurisdiction. Together, these agencies alone estimated that there are 31,511 active gang members in their jurisdictions. Slightly less than half (48.8 percent) of responding agencies reported that gangs were expanding their scope of activities. Over half of the agencies reported that gang activity had increased in the prior 12 months and during the last five years. Nearly two-thirds of the agencies (62.2 percent) reported gang activity had either stayed the same or decreased in the six-month period preceding the survey. Assault/aggravated assault was listed by nearly 67 percent of the agencies reporting on gang activities as the primary crime being committed by gangs, followed by burglary and drug offenses. A high level of gang involvement in the sale of marijuana was reported by 45.5 percent of responding agencies and 26.7 percent reported high levels of gang involvement in the sale of methamphetamine. The percent of agencies reporting a high level of gang involvement in heroin sales nearly doubled from 5.8 percent in 2008 to 10.3 percent in 2010 and then nearly doubled again to 20 percent in 2011. When asked about gang intervention strategies, law enforcement agencies identified law enforcement, identification of gang members and Gang Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GIITEM) as the most effective strategies for responding to gangs and gang activity in their jurisdictions. Much lower percentages of agency respondents saw value in school programs, special gang prosecution units and community-based gang programs. Details: Phoenix: Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, 2013. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/2011%20GTA.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://acjc.state.az.us/ACJC.Web/Pubs/Home/2011%20GTA.pdf Shelf Number: 128080 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Arizona, U.S.)Juvenile OffendersYouth Gangs |
Author: Napa County, California Title: Napa County Gang and Youth Violence Master Plan Summary: Gangs and gang members have been present in municipalities and unincorporated areas in Napa County for nearly two decades, and while they are responsible for a portion of the above statistics, the crime rates have not reflected the changes in gang activity. Gang activity throughout Napa County increased in the mid-1990s. Many medium-sized law enforcement agencies across the state of California experienced similar increases during this period (Klein and Maxson, 2006). These numbers increased at the start of the 21st century, reflecting a nationwide trend. In 2008, there were 3,253 property crimes and 832 violent crimes recorded in the county. With regard to the former, there were 768 burglaries, 2,178 thefts, and 307 motor vehicle thefts. With regard to the latter, there was 1 homicide, 39 forcible rapes, 70 robberies, and 722 aggravated assaults. Napa County’s 2008 rate of 2,446.9 property crimes per 100,000 persons is lower than both the state of California (2,940.3) and the nation (3,212.5). For violent crimes, the 625.8 incidents per 100,000 persons is greater than both the state of California and national rate. The 2008 violent crime rate was nearly double than that of previous years, which is believed to be a reporting error. Homicide is very rare in Napa County. The homicide rate of 0.8 per 100,000 persons is well below state (5.8) and national averages (5.4), and even lower than many European countries. The National Youth Gang Center (NYGC), funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), collects and reports law enforcement statistics about gangs and gang activity present in jurisdictions. The City of Napa and Napa County are included in these data sources. Between 2002 and 2006, the City of Napa reported an average of 446 gang members while the County of Napa reported nearly 550 (many of these are likely duplicate and reside in both incorporated and unincorporated areas throughout the County, regardless of reporting jurisdiction). The City’s numbers increased over the time period, while the County’s decreased. With regard to the number of gangs, Napa City reported having two active gangs from 2002 to 2005, and in 2006 reported five gangs in the City. Napa County reported having between two and four gangs, and in 2006 reported three gangs in the county. While gang activity is present in the County of Napa, the data indicate that the extent of the gang violence is limited. The data from the National Youth Gang Center indicate that over a five-year period (2002-2006) there was one gang homicide, which was reported by the Sheriff’s Department. Given the involvement of gangs in homicide, the most serious form of violence, this is a positive sign of the level of safety in the county. This report is provided to help one better understand how and why gangs are forming and operating in Napa County and for what purposes. In addition, it includes information to help one recognize early warning signs that may indicate a child's interest or participation in a gang. Details: Napa, CA: Napa County, 2011. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2013 at: http://www.countyofnapa.org/DA/gang/ Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.countyofnapa.org/DA/gang/ Shelf Number: 128183 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (California) |
Author: Rocky Mountain Information Network Title: Gangs: Their Increasing Grip on the RMIN Region Summary: Rocky Mountain Information Network® (RMIN) is one of six regional projects in the United States that comprise the Regional Information Sharing Systems® (RISS). Each project links law enforcement agencies from neighboring states into a regional network that interacts with law enforcement member agencies nation-wide. Funded by the United States Congress through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, RISS provides secure communications, information sharing resources and investigative support to help detect, deter, prevent and prosecute multi-jurisdictional crime. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, RMIN serves more than 15,000 law enforcement officers from 1,038 agencies in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Canada. This report presents a number of gang-related articles designed to present an analysis of the gang problems in this geographical area. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Rocky Mountain Information Network, 2010. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://cryptocomb.org/RMIN%20Gangs%20Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://cryptocomb.org/RMIN%20Gangs%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128284 Keywords: Gang GraffitiGang TattoosGang ViolenceGangs (U.S. and Canada)Motocycle GangsPrison Gangs |
Author: Denman, Kristine Title: Evaluation of Dlo’ayazhi Project Safe Neighborhoods Summary: Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide crime reduction initiative sponsored by the Department of Justice (DOJ). It has been in operation for over a decade. It began with a focus on firearm crimes, and in 2006, expanded to include gang crimes. This initiative is typically implemented in urban areas; however, in 2008 the DOJ invited the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety to apply for the program. The successful application outlined a plan for implementing PSN in and around the Crownpoint area of the Navajo Nation. In 2011, DOJ provided supplemental funding to continue PSN efforts in Crownpoint and expand into the Shiprock area, which is in the northwestern part of New Mexico. This report summarizes a process evaluation of these expansion efforts, as well as ongoing PSN efforts in the Crownpoint area. There are three primary principles that guide the PSN model: it is meant to be community based, coordinated and comprehensive. PSN is designed to be centered on the community in which it is being implemented, recognizing and reacting to community needs and the local resources available to address those needs (http://www.psn.gov/about/index.html). For example, while PSN focuses on gun and gang crime, the Navajo Nation PSN program has been expanded to include a domestic violence component. This addition represents a Task Force response to concerns about domestic violence voiced by representatives of the Navajo Nation. Across the country, United States Attorney’s Offices (USAO) coordinate PSN efforts in their respective districts. The USAO designates a Task Force Coordinator whose charge is to convene a PSN Task Force that brings together representatives from law enforcement and prosecution at all jurisdictional levels (local, tribal, state and federal), as well as community leaders, research partners, and others. This Task Force then meets regularly to develop collaborative strategies to address PSN program goals. The Task Force meetings are a venue for planning, reporting on and refining PSN activities and initiatives. In addition to managing these efforts, the PSN Task Force Coordinator reports back to the Department of Justice regarding local PSN efforts. Finally, PSN is meant to be comprehensive. The Navajo Nation PSN focuses on intervention, prevention, and prosecution of gun crimes, gang related/motivated offenses, juvenile violence and domestic violence offenses occurring on the Navajo Nation. Intervention involves violence suppression through targeted law enforcement operations. Prevention includes educational programming, outreach and support services. For example, the educational component involves a program called Project Sentry which targets at-risk youth, and is designed to prevent their involvement in gun and gang crime. Other prevention efforts occur as well. Outreach includes family advocacy and support for domestic violence issues and related problems, such as substance abuse. Finally, prosecution of targeted crimes occurs at the tribal and federal levels. The Navajo Nation PSN program is unique among PSN programs. It is among the first to be implemented on tribal lands, and must address challenges that differ from those typically seen in urban areas. First, the geography of the area differs from that of a typical urban PSN site. It is a very large geographical area, with many undeveloped roads and many areas that are sparsely populated. Second, there are fewer law enforcement officers per square mile relative to that seen in an urban area. In addition, this PSN initiative must take into account tribal law, and be able to work with tribal government in addition to negotiating municipal, state and federal laws. Finally, there are cultural differences and sovereignty issues that PSN must be sensitive to and take into account when implementing the initiative. However, the area is also similar to other PSN sites in that the community leaders have identified violence and gangs as a problem. They note that these problems are associated with substance abuse and poverty issues, like other PSN locales. Further, there is concern that particular housing structures on the Navajo Nation have become crime magnets, similar to urban dwellings. The USAO for the District of New Mexico (USAO NM) requested evaluation services in support of the Navajo PSN initiative from the New Mexico Statistical Analysis Center at the University of New Mexico’s Institute for Social Research. The USAO NM outlined two primary evaluation goals. First, the USAO NM expressed particular interest in determining how well the Task Force was coordinating activities and forging connections between disparate groups. Second, they were interested in better understanding the challenges to PSN implementation on the Navajo Nation so that they could best meet these challenges. There are five questions guiding this evaluation: 1. What portions of PSN are being implemented? 2. How well are PSN Task Force partners coordinating activities to implement the program goals? 3. What are Task Force members’ perceptions of PSN’s impact and success? 4. What are the facilitators to PSN implementation in the target areas? 5. What are the barriers to PSN implementation in the target areas? The purpose of this evaluation, then, is to determine whether the initiative is being implemented in the way that it is intended, to understand the perceived success of the initiative, and to pinpoint facilitators and barriers to implementation, focusing especially on coordination of activities. The results are meant to be used to make decisions about whether and how to refine the program activities and to provide feedback to the funders regarding program compliance. Details: Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research; New Mexico Statistical Analysis Center, 2013. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://nmsac.unm.edu/psn-process-evaluation-final-report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://nmsac.unm.edu/psn-process-evaluation-final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 0 Keywords: Crime Prevention ProgramsDomestic ViolenceGang ViolenceGun ViolenceNavajo NationProject Safe Neighborhoods (New Mexico, U.S.)Violent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Brankovic, Jasmina Title: Leaving the Gangster Things to the Boys Growing Up Now: Young Men, Physical Violence, and Structural Violence in Post-Transition South Africa Summary: This paper examines the intersection of physical violence, structural violence, and masculinity through the life history narrative of a 20-year-old man exiting an informal gang in Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town. Beginning and remaining with James Madoda’s narrative, the paper shows how the gendered physical violence between young men in townships emerges from historical and present-day structural violence - here defined as institutionalised power inequalities that limit life opportunities - and argues that structural violence needs to be discussed and addressed as a policy issue in South Africa. It also suggests that structural violence may provide a platform for collaboration among civil society actors working on socioeconomic transformation and the prevention of violence. Details: Cape Town: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2013 at: Cape Town: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: Shelf Number: 128411 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsGender-Based Violence (South AfricaViolent Crimes |
Author: Hipple, Natalie Kroovand Title: Project Safe Neighborhoods Case Study Report: Southern District of Alabama Summary: In 2001 the Bush Administration made the reduction of gun crime one of the two major priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with defeating terrorism and enhancing homeland security. The vehicle tor translating this goal into action is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN represents a commitment to gun crime reduction through a network of local partnerships coordinated through the nation's 94 United States Attorneys Offices. These local partnerships are supported by a strategy to provide them with the resources that they need to be successful. The PSN initiative integrates five essential elements from successful gun crime reduction programs such as Richmond's Project Exile, the Boston Ceasefire Program and DOJ's Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative (SACSJ). Those elements are: partnerships, strategic problem solving, outreach, training and accountability.' The strategic problem-solving component of PSN was enhanced through grants to local researchers to work in partnership with the PSN task force to analyze local gun crime patterns, to inform strategic interventions, and to provide feedback to the task force about program implementation and impact. At the national level, PSN included a grant to a research team at the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University (MSU) to provide support to the strategic problem-solving component as well as to conduct research on PSN implementation and impact. As part of its research role, MSU has produced a series of strategic case studies ofPSN interventions that have emerged in a number of jurisdictions across the country." The current report is part of a second series of studies focused on implementation of PSN in particular districts. The current study, focused on the Southern District of Alabama, is similar to the situation in the Middle District of Alabama. The PSN effort was initially focused on the major city within the district and relied on a strong partnership between the local police department and the U.S. Attorney's Oftice. The task force implemented a strategy that drew heavily on Project Exile and the core principles ofPSN. Once sites were identified, the MSU research team conducted site visits to learn more about PSN structure, implementation, and impact. Cooperative relationships between the local research partners and the MSU research team were established for the purpose of generating the case studies. This provided the benefit of the "deep knowledge" of the local research partners with the "independent eyes" of the national research team. This approach will continue to be employed through an ongoing series of case studies in additional PSN sites. Given this strategy, in effect a purposive sampling approach, the case studies cannot be considered representative of PSN in all 94 judicial districts. Rather, these are studies of PSN within specific sites. Through these studies, particularly as more and more case studies arc completed, complemented by evaluations conducted by local research partners, we hope to generate new knowledge about the adaptation of the national PSN program to local contexts as well as about the impact ofPSN on levels of gun crime in specific jurisdictions. Details: East Lansing, MI: School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 2007. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: PSN Case Study Report #10: Accessed April 18, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241728.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241728.pdf Shelf Number: 128418 Keywords: Community PolicingCrime PreventionGang ViolenceGun ViolenceNeighborhoods and Crime (U.S.)Problem-Oriented Policing |
Author: Bryant, Rhonda Title: Taking Aim at Gun Violence: Rebuilding Community Education & Employment Pathways Summary: In a single generation, our nation is faced with the prospect of losing over 132,000 black men and boys to gun violence. Moreover, for every black male who dies from gun violence, there are another 24 others who suffer non-fatal injuries - making the impacts of such violence even greater. In black communities, gun violence is about far more than reforming gun control laws and empowering law enforcement. Gun violence for young black males predominates in communities where residents live in concentrated disadvantage with high rates of unemployment, school dropout, and poverty. The absence of opportunities in these communities gives rise to criminal activity and the loss of too many young lives. Solving the crisis of gun violence in communities requires that America address the issue of concentrated poverty and geography. The rebuilding and strengthening of these communities through creating infrastructure to provide improved education and employment opportunities for black youth will significantly reduce issues of gun violence. Details: Washington, DC: CLASP, 2013. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2013 at: http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/Taking-Aim-at-Gun-Violence.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/Taking-Aim-at-Gun-Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 128428 Keywords: Firearms and CrimeGang ViolenceGun Violence (U.S.)HomicidesViolent Crime |
Author: Kinnes, Irvin Title: From Urban Street Gangs to Criminal Empires: The changing face of gangs in the Western Cape, June 2000 Summary: The ongoing gang fights between the Americans, the Hard Livings and other gangs on the Cape Flats have caught the attention of the nation. The fights were started in an attempt to establish the new leadership of these gangs in the face of the assassinations of their old leadership core by vigilantes during 1998. It is significant that gangs have chosen to fight one another while facing of attacks by vigilantes, and have continued to defend themselves while simultaneously carrying on with their illegal operations. The trend of violence unfolding in South Africa and particularly in the Western Cape follows the same pattern of other developing countries undergoing transition. Countries such as those belonging to the former Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (Russia, for example), East Germany, Poland and Argentina all experienced a general increase in criminality during periods of political transition. This monograph examines the changing patterns of gangs across the Western Cape during the past few years. It sketches patterns of development in the organisation of crime with particular reference to the major street gangs in the Western Cape. Details: Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Security Studies, 2000. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph No. 48: Accessed May 9, 2013 at: http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/31702/1/Mono48.pdf?1 Year: 2000 Country: South Africa URL: http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/31702/1/Mono48.pdf?1 Shelf Number: 128692 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (South Africa)Urban Areas |
Author: Hipple, Natalie Kroovand Title: Project Safe Neighborhoods Case Study Report: Middle District of North Carolina (Case Study 11) Summary: In 2001 the Bush Administration made the reduction of gun crime one of the two major priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), along with defeating terrorism and enhancing homeland security. The vehicle for translating this goal into action is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN represents a commitment to gun crime reduction through a network of local partnerships coordinated through the nation's 94 United States Attorney's Offices. These local partnerships are supported by a strategy to provide them with the resources that they need to be successful. These site-specific case studies are intended to provide information about how PSN has been structured and implemented in different jurisdictions. PSN is a national program tailored to address varying gun crime pattems in localjurisdictions. One of the key roles of the research partner is to analyze these patterns to help inform the PSN task force. The local nature of PSN, however, makes it important to examine implementation and impact at the local level. Consequently, this series of site-specific cases studies addresses these issues. Details: East Lansing, MI: School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, 2007. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241729.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241729.pdf Shelf Number: 128917 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGun ViolenceProject Safe Neighborhoods (North Carolina, U.S.)Violence PreventionViolent Crimes |
Author: Sida Title: Maras and Youth Gangs, Community and Police in Central America Summary: The presence of criminal youth gangs – called pandillas in Spanish – has long since become an almost permanent feature of everyday life in Central America even if their number, geographical distribution and exact character have varied over the time and from country to country. However, during the last decade a qualitatively different kind of criminal youth gang has developed and firmly established themselves in three countries of the region – El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. This new type of gang – called maras – has rapidly become a major concern for the governments of these countries and a source of deep fear among the population living on the outskirts of cities and in poorer urban districts. The maras consist of groups of youths aged 8 to 35 who aim to control whole neighbourhoods or territories, making membership of the mara their lifestyle and identity, and crime their way of life. There are many different branches of maras, although the two most feared and well-known are the Mara 18 and the Mara Salvatrucha, both originating in the city of Los Angeles, USA. Estimates of the number of mara members in Central America vary widely, but the figure is likely to be in the range of 70,000 to 100,000, with the highest number present in Honduras, followed by El Salvador and then Guatemala. Maras constitute an urban sub-culture of a special kind, giving their members not only a sense of belonging but also of protection, pride and power. Their identity is reinforced by special rites, by a terminology of their own and self-invented symbols, such as their numerous and very visible tattoos. Solidarity with the mara is of supreme value, and to betray the group may be punishable by death. Mara members do not dedicate themselves to crime exclusively – they also participate in the normal labour market and share many leisure time interests with other young people. However, their criminal activities are frequent and include extortion, armed robbery, assault and kidnapping, as well as – increasingly, it seems – retailing drugs on the street. Murder is commonplace and may also be committed as a reference for power and controlling group behaviour. They have also been linked to lucrative border-crossing arrangements (from Guatemala to Mexico), trafficking in human beings as well as in arms, and it also appears that they are used as professional “torpedoes” and killers by groups of organized crime. Their main fight is against rival gangs for control of territory, which is generally identified by graffiti. In this fight, anyone – of any age – who has a friend or family member belonging to a rival gang may be “marked” (raped, or severely hurt) or even killed – in order to humiliate the enemy and convey a message to them. In the three Central American countries which are most affected, a considerable number of municipalities and/or city blocks are effectively under the control of different maras. Details: Stockholm, Sweden: Sida, 2008. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.sida.se/Global/About%20Sida/Nyhetsarkiv/Nyhetsarkiv%202009/Dokument/Maras_and_Youth_Gangs,_Community_and_Police_in_Central_America%5B1%5D.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Central America URL: http://www.sida.se/Global/About%20Sida/Nyhetsarkiv/Nyhetsarkiv%202009/Dokument/Maras_and_Youth_Gangs,_Community_and_Police_in_Central_America%5B1%5D.pdf Shelf Number: 129119 Keywords: Gang ViolenceMarasPandillasViolent CrimesYouth Gangs (Central America) |
Author: Kolbe, Athena R. Title: Revisiting Haiti´s Gangs and Organized Violence Summary: Though a preoccupation with organized violence has dominated much of the discourse on politics and development in Haiti, little research exists on Haiti’s urban gangs and insurgent groups. This paper examines urban gangs through intensive field research conducted over a number of years with both members of armed groups and residents of areas in which they operate. Drawing on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper sets out to examine whether Haiti ́s gang-related violence constitutes a “war” using criteria embedded in the Geneva Conventions. Advancing the debate, this study finds that there are surprising convergences in the views and experiences of armed group members and Haitian civilians. Details: Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil: HASOW (Humanitarian Action in Situations other than War), 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 4: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.hasow.org/uploads/trabalhos/102/doc/923593528.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Haiti URL: http://www.hasow.org/uploads/trabalhos/102/doc/923593528.pdf Shelf Number: 129120 Keywords: Gang ViolenceViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Gangs (Haiti) |
Author: Boulton, Michael Title: Living in a World of Violence: An Introduction to the Gang Phenomenon Summary: Gang violence is a feature of everyday life in some countries, where entire communities are dominated by gangs and gang culture. The violence affects men, women and children alike. Many victims are young people who are targeted by the gangs for recruitment and to carry out criminal activities. In fact, in certain regions, much of the gang violence is committed by children against other children. The gang phenomenon is increasing in certain areas and has proven difficult for many states to address. Some of the repressive measures taken against the gangs, by some of the Central American states for instance, have been found to be at variance with international human rights law. The result of escalating violence has been a steady outflow of people from these countries seeking international protection. Some have sought asylum in countries including the United States (US), Canada, Mexico, Australia and European states. This paper is an introduction to the gang phenomenon and aims to provide a brief overview of some of its characteristics globally. The reader will be provided with insights into gang culture, an understanding of how different gangs operate, the various forms of harm and violence involved, and how particular groups of persons are affected by gangs. Though gangs tend to vary widely in visibility, structure, activities, and historical and sociological origins, they share a number of common characteristics. A particular emphasis will be given to societies with serious gang problems where people have become the targets of gang-related violence and have been forced to seek protection across international borders, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Brazil and the Russian Federation. The paper also touches on how gang-related violence and government policies designed to combat gangs may cause displacement and lead to asylum claims. Decision-makers, practitioners and others working on refugee status determination, who wish to learn more about the gang phenomenon, may find the present paper helpful as background reading. As the paper is written from a displacement angle, it does not look at prison gangs, which have generally not surfaced in the gang-related asylum jurisprudence. After setting out the scope of enquiry (Section 2), the paper proceeds with an examination of the roots of gang culture from a historical and sociological perspective, highlighting the linkages between post-conflict situations and the emergence of gangs (Section 3). Gang activities and rituals are then analysed with a view to illustrating the significant levels of violence and human rights abuses related to gangs (Sections 4 and 5). Additionally, the impact upon migrants and displaced persons as groups vulnerable to victimization by gangs is assessed (Section 6). The final section of the paper focuses on the issue of state protection and the various approaches that states have adopted in seeking to address gang violence (Section 7). Details: Geneva, SWIT: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Legal and Protection Policy Research Series: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://www.unhcr.org/4e3269629.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.unhcr.org/4e3269629.pdf Shelf Number: 129140 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (International) |
Author: Williams, Mahatma E. Title: Can the Jamaican Security Forces Successfully Reduce the Violent Impact of Gangs? Summary: This research discusses the high murder rate in Jamaica as a consequence of gang activity. It higlights the negative impact of gangs in regard to national security. The complexity of the gang problem is identified by describing the gangs’ connection to political parties and society overall. Further, endemic corruption, a weak justice system, an unreformed security sector and limited social intervention are identified as part of the complexity and facilitates the gang phenonmenon. A case study comparison was done with Jamaica, Brazil and Guatemala to try to identify workable approaches to the gang problem. Although various preconditions were identified which are required for countergang operations to work in a country, the research tried to address the security defense aspect. Various operations were reviewed and an assessment made to the level of effectiveness. Overall the study identified the reason for Jamaica’s failure to address gangs as a national security issue. The paper concluded by identifying the preconditions for successful operations, recommending social programs to be a part of any countergang operations, advocating the establishment of a Joint-Interagency Task Force and a doctrinal shift in an attempt at bringing a new philosophy and practice to countergang approaches within Jamaica. Details: Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 22, 2013 at: http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p4013coll2/id/2952/filename/3003.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p4013coll2/id/2952/filename/3003.pdf Shelf Number: 129142 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Jamaica, Brazil and Guatemala)Homicides |
Author: Carranza, Marlon Title: Detention or Death: Where the “pandillero” kids of El Salvador are heading Summary: This report focuses on organised territorial youth gangs, known as ‘maras’ or ‘pandillas.’ The two pandillas focused on were: Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS) and Barrio 18. Part One gives a contextualised summary of these groups. Part Two takes a closer look at the human face of this phenomenon, with profiles of individuals involved. Part Three examines possible solutions to the problem, with an evaluation of relevant social programmes and policies. A full-length version of the report summarised in this chapter can be found at www.coav.org.br. Details: COAV (Children and youth in Organised Armed Violence’), 2004. 22p. (Executive Summary; Full Report in Spanish at www.coav.org.br) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://www.coav.org.br/publique/media/elsalvadoring.pdf Year: 2004 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.coav.org.br/publique/media/elsalvadoring.pdf Shelf Number: 129163 Keywords: Gang ViolenceMarasPandillasYouth Gangs (El Salvador) |
Author: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Criminal Investigative Division Title: (U) Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13): An International Perspective Summary: The purpose of this assessment is to provide an overview of the international activities of the MS-13 criminal organization. The report is the result of the analysis of arrest records, law enforcement reports, deportation records, interviews, and observations conducted by members of the MS-13 National Gang Task Force (NGTF) regarding documented MS-13 members in the United States; Chiapas, Mexico; El Salvador; and Honduras. Violent MS-13 members have crossed international boundaries and key members have documented links between the United States and the countries addressed in this assessment. Details: Washington, DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2005. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-MS13.pdf Year: 2005 Country: International URL: http://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-MS13.pdf Shelf Number: 129366 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsMara Salvatrucha (MS-13) |
Author: Dudley, Steven Title: The El Salvador Gang Truce and the Church - What was the role of the Catholic Church? Summary: El Salvador and its Central American neighbors are experiencing a terrible tide of criminal violence. Homicide rates are some of the highest in the world. This scourge of violent crime is a major concern of policymakers both in the region and in Washington, DC. Indeed, through regional security initiatives the U.S. government has invested more than $500 million in violence reduction programs during the last five years. European development agencies and international NGOs, similarly, have privileged violence reduction in their programs of financial and technical assistance to El Salvador and neighboring countries. Until recently, however, no policy initiatives seem to have made a significant dent in the problem. This paper addresses one development that has been portrayed in some circles as game-changing, and that now constitutes a critical point of reference for violence reduction programs going forward. The truce among rival gangs in El Salvador worked out in March 2012, which has held since that time, has reduced homicides to half their previous levels. The paper examines in particular the widely held belief that the Catholic Church “brokered” that truce in light of the wider set of actors actually responsible and considers the various ways that religion may have an impact on contemporary violence in the region. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Latin American & Latino Studies, American University, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: CLALS White Paper Series, No. 1: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.american.edu/clals/upload/CLALS_White_Paper_Series_No-_1_The_El_Salvador_Gang_Truce_and_the_Church.pdf Year: 2013 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.american.edu/clals/upload/CLALS_White_Paper_Series_No-_1_The_El_Salvador_Gang_Truce_and_the_Church.pdf Shelf Number: 129375 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (El Salvador)HomicidesReligionViolent Crime |
Author: Carroll, Theodore Title: Where Do We Go From Here?: Assessing the USAID Crime and Violence Prevention Project in El Salvador and Understanding its Effects on Participating Communities Summary: El Salvador, the smallest nation in Latin America, has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most violent in the world. In 2010, with a population of 7 million people and an area just smaller than the U.S. state of Massachusetts, this tiny country had a rate of 65 homicides per 100,000 residents; this is one of the highest murder rates in the world. This level of murder is several times higher than the rate of 10 per 100,000 – the rate that the United Nations considers a sign of an epidemic. According to the National Civil Police (PNC for its acronym in Spanish), more than half of the murders are related to gang activity. The Salvadoran Armed Forces state that it is more likely that the figure is closer to 90%. Youth gang violence in Central America is a serious problem. The most well known gangs that operate in this region are the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and 18th Street. These two gangs often engage in violent competition with each other and are involved in various criminal activities including local drug dealing, extortion, assault, rape, and robbery. The violence they perpetrate makes daily headlines in newspapers across from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to Los Angeles and Washington, DC. While government in Central America have tried to address the problem with mano dura, iron-fisted policies, many researchers believe that the most effective response to gang violence is a comprehensive, community-based approach that includes prevention, intervention, rehabilitation, in addition to law enforcement. This study will focus on one specific program being implemented at the primary level of prevention in El Salvador by Research Triangle Institute International. Details: Washington, DC: George Washington University, 2012. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Latin American & Hemispheric Studies Capstone: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://elliott.gwu.edu/assets/docs/acad/lahs/el-salvador-usaid-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: El Salvador URL: http://elliott.gwu.edu/assets/docs/acad/lahs/el-salvador-usaid-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 129377 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (El Salvador)HomicidesViolent Crime |
Author: Cruz, Jose Miguel Title: Global Gangs in El Salvador: Maras and the Politics of Violence Summary: Where does Mara Salvatrucha come from? How did the U.S.-born Eighteenth Street Gang become a powerhouse of the Salvadoran streets? The Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS- 13, and the Eighteenth Street Gang, branded also as Barrio 18, are the two major youth gangs in El Salvador. According to different sources (Aguilar and Miranda 2006; USAID 2006), between 2002 and 2006, both gangs comprised more than 87 percent of gang membership in El Salvador. These gangs are known not only because of their control of the Salvadoran neighborhoods and most of the prisons nowadays, but also because groups of street gangs using those same names are found in every country of the North American hemisphere from Canada to Honduras, and even some cliques have been reported in distant countries such as Australia, Germany and Bolivia. Yet, the common answer to the question as to why MS-13 and the Eighteenth Street Gang are the major gangs in this Central American country is usually narrowed to the backwardand- forward migration of Salvadorans to the United States. The evidence, however, points to a more intricate response. Migration and deportation policies in the United States have indeed played an important role in boosting the phenomenon of street gangs in El Salvador, but it is an overstatement and a naivety to say that the dominance of MS-13 and Barrio 18 in Central America and their seemingly growing transnational character is essentially the result of the circular Salvadoran migration to the U.S. Should we accept this argument alone, we would find difficult to explain why the Eighteenth Street Gang, a gang originally formed by Chicanos and Mexican immigrants, have not put down roots in Mexican soil as they have done in El Salvador; or why the Belizean Crips and Bloods have not developed in the same way as the Salvadoran gangs. Gangs are the outcome of different factors. Marginalization, migration, street cross-culturalization, and —what I shall call— the politics of violence, being the key ones to explain the rise and predominance of the youth gangs in El Salvador, also locally known as maras. This article draws substantial theoretical insight from the work of Vigil (2002) on multiple marginalization, Hagedorn (2008) on gang institutionalization, and Decker on the dynamics of gang violence (Decker 1996; Decker, Bynum, and Weisel 1998; Decker and Van Winkle 1996); and is based on the research program on gangs developed by the University of Central America in San Salvador (Aguilar 2007; Carranza 2005; Cruz and Portillo Peña 1998; ERIC et al. 2001; Santacruz and Concha-Eastman 2001) and other institutions (Smutt and Miranda 1998). It argues that contemporary street Salvadoran gangs emerged as a result of social conditions in El Salvador, then they were shaped by the intensive exchange of young people, cultural goods and policies between the U.S. and El Salvador, and were finally strengthened by the need to deal with the mano dura (firm hand) policies, and extralegal violent actors stemming from state institutions and civil society. The paper is divided in three sections. The first part addresses the factors that lie behind the emergence of gangs as a major social issue in El Salvador; then, it reviews the path of gangs strengthening and the process through which they became street powerhouses not only in El Salvador but also in the region. Finally, the paper analyzes the link between gangs and violence in a country considered one of the most violent nations in the western hemisphere (UNODC 2007). Details: Paper presented at the Global Gangs Workshop, Centre on Conflict, Development, and Peacebuilding, Geneva, May 14-15, 2009. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/5039/Cruz-global-gangs-in-el-salvador.pdf Year: 2009 Country: El Salvador URL: http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/5039/Cruz-global-gangs-in-el-salvador.pdf Shelf Number: 129410 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (El Salvador)Mara Salvatrucha |
Author: Sullivan, John P. Title: From Drug Wars to Criminal Insurgency: Mexican Cartels, Criminal Enclaves and Criminal Insurgency in Mexico and Central America. Implications for Global Security Summary: Transnational organized crime is a pressing global security issue. Mexico is currently embroiled in a protracted drug war. Mexican drug cartels and allied gangs (actually poly-crime organizations) are currently challenging states and sub-state polities (in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and beyond) to capitalize on lucrative illicit global economic markets. As a consequence of the exploitation of these global economic flows, the cartels are waging war on each other and state institutions to gain control of the illicit economy. Essentially, they are waging a 'criminal insurgency' against the current configuration of states. As such, they are becoming political, as well as economic actors. This presentation examines the dynamics of this controversial proposition. The control of territorial space -- ranging from 'failed communities' to 'failed regions' -- will be examined. The presentation will examine the exploitation of weak governance and areas (known as 'lawless zones,' 'ungoverned spaces,' 'other governed spaces,' or 'zones of impunity') where state challengers have created parallel or dual sovereignty, or 'criminal enclaves' in a neo-feudal political arrangement. The use of instrumental violence, corruption, information operations (including attacks on journalists), street taxation, and provision of social goods in a utilitarian fashion will be discussed. Finally, the dynamics of the transition of cartels and gangs into 'accidental guerrillas' and 'social bandits' will be explored through the lens of 'third generation gang' theory and 'power-counter power' relationships. This presentation will serve as a starting point for assessing the threat to security from transnational organized crime through lessons from the Mexican cartels. Details: Paris: Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Papers Series, No. 9: Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00694083/ Year: 2012 Country: Central America URL: http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00694083/ Shelf Number: 129414 Keywords: Drug CartelsDrug TraffickingDrug-Related Violence (Mexico, Central America)Gang ViolenceOrganized Crime |
Author: Thelin, Rachel Title: Evaluation of Indianapolis Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative Reentry Program, 2009-2010 Summary: In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) to support law enforcement in combating violent gang crime and promoting prevention efforts that discouraged gang involvement. The initiative grew out of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program aimed at reducing gun and gang crime through support of existing local programs. DOJ dedicated $30 million in grant funding to support new and expanded anti-gang prevention and enforcement efforts through CAGI. DOJ initially provided anti-gang resources to six cities. In April 2007, CAGI was expanded to include four additional sites, including Indianapolis, Indiana. CAGI provided $2.5 million in targeted grant funding for a three-year period to each selected city to implement a three-pronged strategy to reduce gang involvement and crime, which included initiatives in prevention/intervention, law enforcement, and reentry. Approximately $1 million was dedicated to support comprehensive gang prevention and intervention efforts with youth. An additional $1 million was targeted to law enforcement and $500,000 to support reentry initiatives. This report focuses on an assessment of the reentry initiatives for the CAGI grant to the city of Indianapolis through 2010. Details: Indianapolis: Center for Criminal Justice Research, School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5568 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/5568 Shelf Number: 129540 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionGang ViolenceGangs (Indianapolis, U.S.)Reentry |
Author: Hallsworth, Simon Title: Confronting London's Violent Street World: The Gang and Beyond Summary: Over the last decade a new 'folk devil' has come to prominence in British society. This, the urban street gang is believed by many to be the instigator of the most serious violence in the UK today. The threats allegedly posed by this group range from public fears of young people 'hanging around' to stories of 'gang rape', violent territorialism, gun and knife related violence, the use of 'weapon dogs' and the importation and distribution of illegal drugs. Cumulatively the impression promoted by the media, politicians and many enforcement agencies, is that structured organised gangs are more prominent today and the offences in which they engage have become more serious. Drawing upon recent and relevant research this report explores the 'gang' situation as it pertains to London. While the report identifies gangs and gang violence as a real threat, the report is nevertheless critical of the way the term 'gang' is often used and is particularly critical about attempts to conflate into terms like 'the gang' and 'gang culture' social problems that need to be addressed in their own right. Whilst confronting gangs remains an important issue, the report argues for an approach which locates intervention effort within a wider appreciation of the violent street periphery where gangs are found. Gangs are certainly part of this world but other groups and criminally involved individuals inhabit this world as well. These, the report argues, need to be understood in their own right and as they intersect together. If the aim of intervention effort is to prevent such violence then effort must address this totality in a measured and proportionate way and not focus on one part of it at the expense of the whole. The report begins by briefly profiling the evidential base on which this review is conducted; it then examines some recurrent problems in the way the term 'gang' has been popularly used and abused by examining gang myths and stereotypes. A framework for defining gangs and differentiating these from other groups that have some involvement in crime and violence is then developed. This involves distinguishing gangs from delinquent peer groups and both of these groups from more organised crime groups. The following section examines the extent to which serious violence involving the use of weapons in London can be attributed to gangs. As this section shows, gangs are violent by nature and weapons can be used in certain contexts which the report identifies. As this section makes clear, other groups, including volatile individuals who are not in gangs, are also responsible for much of the violence that is being attributed to the gang, while some problems being attributed to the gang turn out, on inspection, not to be gang related. The second section draws the implications of this analysis together arguing for an approach to serious violence which looks beyond the gang. Rather than privilege a particular group as the object of intervention, the report argues instead that intervention effort needs to be directed at the spaces where gangs and other groups are located; this constitutes the volatile periphery of a violent street world. A framework for understanding this world is then developed. The report concludes by examining the principles that should inform the intervention effort directed to address the violence of the street periphery and profiles a range of interventions that can be mobilised to confront the different risks and dangers peer groups and gangs types of group pose. Details: London: Centre for Social and Evaluation Research London Metropolitan University, 2010. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 4, 2013 at: https://londonfunders.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/LondonGangsfinal.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://londonfunders.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/LondonGangsfinal.pdf Shelf Number: 131745 Keywords: Gang ViolenceYouth Gangs (U.K.) |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Ending Gang and Youth Vioelnce: Review 2012-13 Summary: This report supplements findings presented in the Ending Gang and Youth Violence Annual Report 2013. The original Ending Gang and Youth Violence report was published in November 2011 following the riots earlier in the summer. The subsequent programme re-prioritised $10 million of Home Office Funding for 29 areas identified as facing the biggest challenges in relation to youth violence and gangs to help these areas build their capacity to respond effectively to their particular local issues. These areas were also provided wider support and a peer review (which set out local strengths and recommendations for action). This report provides an overview on what happened in the 29 areas during the 2012-13 programme period, and how the programme performed. Details: London: Home Office, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265463/Ending_gang_youth_violence_12-13__3_.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265463/Ending_gang_youth_violence_12-13__3_.pdf Shelf Number: 131836 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs |
Author: Llorente, Maria Victoria Title: One Goal, Two Struggles: Confronting Crime and Violence in Mexico and Colombia Summary: Since the mid-2000s, violence related to drug trafficking and other transnational crime has increased exponentially in Mexico. By the end of the decade the public began to seriously doubt the government's strategy and its ability to guarantee public safety. The nature and intensity of violence in Mexico brought forth memories of the 1980s and '90s in Colombia, when the country was besieged by the Medellin and Cali drug cartels. Over the course of more than a decade, Colombia's security situation has improved dramatically; it has become an "exporter" of security expertise and has trained thousands of military and police personnel in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean as well as around the world. What aspects of Colombia's strategy and tactics for fighting organized crime in its own territory offer useful lessons for Mexico? What might Colombia's steps and missteps offer by way of example or counter-example? What is unique about each case such that comparisons are misleading? What do current security challenges in Colombia suggest about the threat posed by organized crime more generally? In One Goal, Two Struggles: Confronting Crime and Violence in Mexico and Colombia, international experts address the utility of comparing Colombia and Mexico's experiences and strategy for combatting organized crime and violence more generally. Details: Washington, DC: Wilson Center, 2014. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Woodrow Wilson Center Reports on the Americas - #32: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Colombia_Mexico_Final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Central America URL: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Colombia_Mexico_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 132052 Keywords: Drug CartelsDrug TraffickingGang ViolenceOrganized CrimeTransnational CrimeViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Jones, Nathan P. Title: Understanding and Addressing Youth in "Gangs" in Mexico Summary: This report seeks to understand and define the gang issue in Mexico, establish the regional histories and sociologies of what is known about these gangs, and understand the causes of youth gang involvement. The paper briefly describes U.S.-Mexico bilateral efforts on youth gang prevention via the Merida Initiative, and identifies a sampling of existing civil society groups and programs geared specifically toward addressing youth gangs in Mexico and Central America. The report concludes with a set of policy recommendations for the U.S. and Mexican governments on how to best support civil society and strengthen relevant state institutions. Details: Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson Center, Mexico Institute, 2013. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Series on Civic Engagement and Public Security in Mexico: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/jones_youth_gangs.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/jones_youth_gangs.pdf Shelf Number: 129819 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Mexico)Merida InitiativeYouth Gangs |
Author: Imafidon, Kenny Title: The Kenny Report. How do politics and eocnomics affect gangs and serious youth violence across the UK? Summary: The word 'gang' means different things to different people: for some it may be a group of three or more people with hoodies; or a group of young people who hang about in their local estate till late in the night; or a group of people who join up to commit criminal offences. Gangs and serious youth violence have affected our country for years, especially in major cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. Gangs have been around for decades and have been constantly evolving over the years, they are far from a new problem generated by our modern society. There has been some criticism that the government has not established a single definition that can explain what a gang is for everyone else to understand. In addition, the word 'gang' is widely and loosely used in our society by members of the public, by the media, and by professionals and politicians etc. The widely accepted definition of a gang, which I agree with to a degree, is set out in the Centre for Social Justice's 2009 Report, Dying to Belong. The Centre for Social Justice 2009 report Dying to Belong defines a gang as: "A relatively durable, predominantly street-based group of young people who: 1. See themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group; 2. Engage in criminal activity and violence; 3. Lay claim over territory (this is not necessarily geographical territory but can include an illegal economy as territory); 4. Have some form of identifying structural feature 5. Are in conflict with other, similar gangs." Gangs and serious youth violence obviously create social disorder and have a detrimental effect on our society. The big question everyone is asking is how do we solve this gang problem, because the justice system is clearly not deterring the growth of gangs and serious youth violence in our society? At the same time there have been many inquiries, investigations and academic research to "find out about and understand the objective characteristics of gangs such as their history, territories, size, nature and the risk factors that prompt gang involvement. Thanks to all this extensive study and research we are now at a point where we can objectively understand the many dynamics of a gang. Yet all the research we have on gangs still leaves us stuck asking the same big question year after year, government after government: "How do we solve this gang problem?" Gangs consist of people, just like you and me, and yet there is very little research that sets out to understand the subjective characteristics of the people directly or indirectly involved in gangs. Too much time is spent understanding gangs as a whole and not enough time is spent tackling the root of the problem, which must surely include a deeper understanding of the individuals who make up these gangs, the people actively involved in the violence that take place in our communities every day. Understanding the individuals and not the group will enable us to better understand the socio-economic issues that these communities face. Only when we understand the relationship between socio-economic factors and gang involvement, particularly in our deprived communities, can we make the right changes, and start to get to the heart of the problem. It is not possible to solve a problem you do not understand, nor one you do not want to solve. This report asks the question: "How do politics and economics affect gangs and serious youth violence across the UK?" It is based on a highly detailed case study of an individual called Harro, who society would see as a gang member and a cold hearted villain, but who would be described by his friends and family as a decent person with good manners and a heart of gold, and who would do whatever he could for his family and friends. This central case study provides an insight into the thoughts and feelings of a single real-life individual, and the level of socio-economic deprivation he faced. A young man full of potential, who would still be alive today had the support he needed been in place when he needed it. This case study shows us how ill-informed social policy and the ongoing cuts in the youth sector have affected Harro, his family, and many others like them in their community. This case study is based on one individual but this one individual shares characteristics with many young people involved in gangs, for example feelings of hopelessness, exclusion from society, socio-economic deprivation, growing up without positive male role models and not knowing how to get out of it all and "find help to exit that lifestyle. This report analyses seven significant influences, which affect young men like Harro and which steer them in the direction of gang membership and committing serious youth violence. These areas are: education, employment prospects, positive role models, housing, health, relationships and socialisation awareness, and community support. Details: London: Safer London Foundation, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.saferlondonfoundation.org/resources.php Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.saferlondonfoundation.org/resources.php Shelf Number: 133000 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.K.)Juvenile OffendersPovertySocioeconomic Conditions and Crime |
Author: Myrttinen, Henri Title: Poster Boys No More: Summary: Gender analysis of actual SSR processes is sorely lacking in the SSR literature. In 'Poster Boys No More: Gender and Security Sector Reform in Timor-Leste' Henri Myrttinen breaks new ground in examining the gender dimensions of the DDR and SSR processes in Timor-Leste, with a focus on the establishment of the police and armed forces. The paper explores issues such as: how men's roles relate to gang violence and relationships of patronage that undermine the security services, how women have been incorporated into the new security services and how the security services are addressing gender-based violence. It shows how a gender perspective can add to our understanding of many of the social processes at work in Timor-Leste and help to find solutions to some of the main security issues in the country, making recommendations for Timor-Leste's ongoing SSR processes. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), 2009. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Paper No. 31: Accessed August 29, 2014 at: http://www.dcaf.ch/Publications/Poster-Boys-No-More Year: 2009 Country: East Timor URL: http://www.dcaf.ch/Publications/Poster-Boys-No-More Shelf Number: 129913 Keywords: Abusive MenGang ViolenceGender-Based Violence (East Timor)Policingviolence Against Women |
Author: Donais, Timothy Title: Vertically Integrated Peace Building and Community Violence Reduction in Haiti Summary: Gang-driven violence in the urban slums of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, has been a preoccupation of international peace-building efforts for the past decade, yet continues to pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the country. These communities have, in recent years, been the site of an ongoing series of experiments, involving a range of different actors, aimed at reclaiming them from armed gangs; however, the isolated and fragmented nature of these interventions has reduced their cumulative impact. This paper makes a case for greater coherence and coordination between bottom-up community violence reduction efforts and top-down police reform, based on a broader argument around the importance of "vertically integrated peace building." Based on field interviews with community leaders as well as officials from both the UN and the Haitian government, this paper suggests that, in the public security realm as elsewhere, the careful integration of top-down and bottom-up efforts represents an important avenue for strengthening state-society relations, increasingly recognized as a crucial component of any sustainable peace-building process. Details: Waterloo, ON, Canada: Centre for International Governance Innovation, 2014. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: CIGI Papers No. 25: Accessed October 15, 2014 at: http://www.cigionline.org/sites/default/files/no25_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Haiti URL: http://www.cigionline.org/sites/default/files/no25_0.pdf Shelf Number: 133667 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Haiti)Urban CrimeViolence Prevention |
Author: Livingston, Stephen Title: Africa's Information Revolution: Implications for Crime, Policing, and Citizen Security Summary: Violent crime represents the most immediate threat to the personal security of most Africans. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 36 percent of all homicides globally occur in Africa. With 17 deaths per 100,000, the homicide rate in Africa is double the global average. Rates of robberies and rape in Africa also exceed global norms. The problem is worse in urban areas, with many of Africa's urban-dwellers often worrying about crime. The risk of violent crime has implications for Africa's development, governance, and stability. Crime ranks as one of the major inhibitors to investment on the continent according to private business owners. Parents choose not to send children to school rather than put them at risk in high-crime areas. Countries with higher rates of violent crime tend to make less progress in reducing poverty and expanding development. Closely linked to the threat of violent crime is the weakness of many of Africa's police forces. They are often underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained. Surveys show that a majority of Africans see police only infrequently, and therefore do not view the police as a source of protection. In addition to being ineffective in combatting crime, inadequate police training contributes to unprofessional behavior. In some cases, police are active participants in criminal activity. In others, corruption permeates the force. In still others, police use extrajudicial violence to intimidate and coerce suspected criminals, potential witnesses, and even victims. This generates high levels of distrust of the police in many African countries. The acuteness of the crime challenge has grown with rapid urbanization and the expansion of slums lacking basic services, including police presence. In many urban centers, this vacuum has been filled by gangs and organized criminal organizations that profit from extortion, kidnappings, and violence against the local population. At times these gangs are protected by corrupt police or politicians. As these criminal groups expand into trafficking of illicit goods - drugs, cigarettes, medicines, and arms - they tend to link up with transnational criminal networks, posing an even more formidable security problem. Consistently high levels of violence have far-reaching implications for how youth learn to resolve conflict-perpetuating tolerance for higher levels of violence in a society. This, in turn, fosters the acceptability of political violence and threatens the viability of democratic governance, which relies on dialogue, free speech, tolerance of opposing perspectives, and protection for minorities. The rapid expansion and accessibility of mobile communications technology in Africa is creating new opportunities for combatting crime and strengthening police accountability. Twitter, SMS, and event-mapping technologies are being used to connect communities with police and security forces as never before. This is precedent setting for many citizens, especially those in rural areas who have grown accustomed to fending for themselves. Now at least they are more able to alert one another to potential threats, mobilize the community in self-defense, and inform security sector authorities in the interest of gaining protection. In urban areas, citizens who would not normally have many interactions with the police now have a number they can call in times of trouble. Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are also connecting societies horizontally in real time. This is forging cross-regional ties and linkages that may not have previously existed and historically have emerged only with the development of a national transportation infrastructure. In the process, both economic and social integration are facilitated. This enhanced cohesiveness can contribute directly to greater stability. ICTs, often tapping into their crowdsourcing capabilities, also offer opportunities to improve police responsiveness and accountability. Crime maps provide the basis for allocating resources to match prevailing threats. They also establish a benchmark from which to assess the effectiveness of police responses. Bribe-reporting websites create a record and pattern of illegal police behavior that raise the profile of what are often treated as isolated events into a broader, measurable phenomenon requiring a policy response. While opening opportunities to enhance security and accountability, ICTs are not a panacea for resolving crime and corruption. Information is solely a tool and not the driver of reform. ICTs can be used for nefarious purposes - both by criminal organizations as well as unaccountable police forces. Rather, ICT-generated change requires an organized body of committed individuals who can use the increased accessibility of information to educate the public, engender popular participation, and press authorities for reform. It is this sustained engagement of on-the-ground actors, typically in the form of civil society organizations, that transforms information accessibility into concrete improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens. By lowering information barriers, ICTs are bringing discussion and analysis of crime in Africa out of the shadows, enhancing the potential for oversight of the security forces, and elevating citizen security. ICTs, therefore, are contributing to improved security through both internal channels via the strengthening of the state's crime data gathering capacity as well as external mechanisms to monitor, critique, and hold the security sector accountable. Details: Washington, DC: Africa Center for Strategic Studies, 2013. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 5: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://africacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ARP5-Africas-Information-Revolution1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://africacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ARP5-Africas-Information-Revolution1.pdf Shelf Number: 131514 Keywords: Crime StatisticsGang ViolenceHomicidesOrganized CrimePolicingSocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeViolenceViolent Crime (Africa) |
Author: Violence Policy Center Title: Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2012 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24 Summary: Homicide is the second leading cause of death for California youth and young adults ages 10 to 24 years old. In 2011, the most recent year for which complete data is available from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), homicides in California were outpaced only by unintentional injuries-the majority of which were motor vehicle fatalities-as the leading cause of death for this age group. Of the 633 homicides reported, 83 percent were committed with firearms. Nationally in 2011, California had the 15th highest homicide rate for youth and young adults ages 10 to 24. Broken out by gender, homicide retains its number-two ranking for males and drops to number four for females for this age group in California. For males, of the 581 homicides reported, firearms were the weapon used in 84 percent of the killings. For females, of the 52 homicides reported, firearms were the weapon used in 67 percent of the killings. When analyzed by race and ethnicity, however, the rankings become less uniform and the severe effects of homicide on specific segments of this age group increasingly stark. For blacks ages 10 to 24 in California in 2011, homicide was the leading cause of death. For Hispanics it was the second leading cause of death. For Asian/Pacific Islanders it was the third leading cause of death. For whites it was the fourth leading cause of death, and for American Indian and Alaska Natives it was the fifth leading cause of death. Details: Washington, DC: Violence Policy Center, 2014. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2014 at: https://www.vpc.org/studies/cayouth2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.vpc.org/studies/cayouth2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133806 Keywords: Crime StatisticsGang ViolenceHomicides (California)MurdersViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Salamanca, Luis Jorge Garay Title: Understanding the Structure of Transnational Criminal Networks Operating in the U.S./Mexico Border and the Southeastern Border of the European Union Summary: Systemic crime and systemic corruption, much like any other activity, require the interaction of different agents. Some of those interactions are sporadic and some are permanent. In general, there are "many situations that social actors create and must negotiate in their behavior" (Radil, Flint, & Tita, 2010, p. 308), and it is possible to model and analyze those situations when arranged as a social network. Additionally several States and multilateral agencies acknowledge Transnational Criminal Networks (TCNs) as one of the most important threats for the domestic and transnational stability. Bearing this in mind, the purpose of this document is to model and analyze situations of crime consisting on Transnational Criminal Network (TCNs) operating in the southern border of The United States and the Southeastern border of the European Union, both regions concentrating some of the most dangerous and powerful TCNs on a global scale. The present document consists of eight sections. The first is the methodological and theoretical framework. The second is an introduction to the current situation of crime in Mexico. The third is the model and analysis of a TCN operating across Mexico and the United States, in which members of "Los Zetas" and "La Familia Michoacana" participate on activities of drug and hydrocarbons trafficking. The fourth section is an analysis of how the modeled Mexican TCN operates inside the United States. Implications for the stability and national security of the United States are also explored in the fourth section. The fifth section is an introduction to the situation of crime and corruption in Bulgaria, herein interpreted as the southeastern border of the European Union. In the sixth section four TCNs are modeled and analyzed: two consisting on crime transiting through Bulgaria, related to Drug Trafficking, and two consisting on exporting human trafficking from Bulgaria to Western Europe and a Skimming network. The final section is a summary of recommendations for improving the confrontation of TCNs. Details: Bogota, Colombia: Vortex Foundation; Sophia, Bulgaria: Risk Monitor, 2013. 235p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2014 at: http://www.informeescaleno.com.ar/images/Understanding_the_Structure_Bulg_grant.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.informeescaleno.com.ar/images/Understanding_the_Structure_Bulg_grant.pdf Shelf Number: 133820 Keywords: Border SecurityCriminal NetworksDrug TraffickingGang ViolenceGangsHuman TraffickingOrganized CrimePolitical Corruption |
Author: Mississippi Analysis and Information Center Title: Gang Threat Assessment 2010 Summary: The following Gang Threat Assessment, prepared by the Mississippi Analysis and Information Center ({"MSAIC"), was produced to provide a general outlook of gang presence and criminal activity in the State of Mississippi. Data in this report was obtained from the Mississippi Department of Corrections ("MDOC") and provides statistics, research and key findings from corrections data, law enforcement reports as well as academic and open source research. This assessment is a follow-up from the Interim Gang Threat Assessment issued by MSAIC in September of 2010. The assessment contains crime-specific and corrections statistics attributed to the four most prevalent gangs ("core" gangs) in the state: Gangster Disciples, Simon City Royals, Vice Lords and Latin Kings. From the four core groups they are attributed to the higher affiliations which are Folk Nation (Gangster Disciples and Simon City Royals) and People Nation (Vice Lords and Latin Kings). The assessment also includes brief descriptions of other gangs including MS-13, Aryan Brotherhood and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. Gang members in Mississippi continue to be involved in a number of criminal activities, the primary goal of which is to make money. Most frequently, gang members are incarcerated for drug violations, burglary, larceny, robbery, and assault. Although the gangs present in Mississippi may use the same name as the highly-organized, Chicago-based gangs, they primarily operate independently in Mississippi and do not appear to be in the hierarchy or in the direct control of the Chicago-based gangs. However, because some of the early organizers of the most prolific street gangs in the country have roots in Mississippi, the state has a unique relationship with these groups, their senior leadership and families. KEY FINDINGS Prevalence - In 2008, gang membership in the United States was estimated at 1 Million individuals belonging to more than 20,000 criminally active gangs within all 50 states and the District of Columbia - this represents a 20% increase from the 2005 estimate. - In the four-year period from 2004 - 2008, reports of gang activity from local and state law enforcement agencies increased by 28%. - According to a 2001 Department of Justice survey, 20 % of students aged 12 through 18 reported gang presence at their school. More than a quarter (28%) of students in urban schools reported a street gang presence, and 18% of students in suburban schools and 13% in rural schools reported the presence of street gangs. Public schools reported a much higher percentage of gang presence than private schools. - As of December 31, 2010, the MDOC housed approximately 21,565 inmates, 3,015 or 14% of which are validated gang members. MDOC uses a Security Threat Group Validation Form (see addendum page 23) within their correctional facilities to identify gang members. Of those validated gang members, 2,611 or 87% were members of the core groups described in this report. - The increase use of social media has created a new outlet for gangs to recruit members. Younger members have posted their affiliation with gangs on websites such as MySpace, Bebo, and YouTube. - From 2008 - 2010; 6,122 validated gang members completed their sentences and were released. Demographics - The MDOC reports that the youngest incarcerated gang members are 16 years old (four Gangster Disciples and one Imperial Insane Vice Lord) and the oldest gang member is 76 and is affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan. Gang membership is broken down as follows: - 24.72% are 18-25 years of age; - 24.97% are 26-30 years of age; and - 23.97% are 31-35 years of age. - Eighty percent (80%) of the incarcerated gang members are African American; 20% are Caucasian and less than 1% are Spanish/Hispanic/Native American. Criminal Activity - According to law enforcement officials throughout the nation, criminal gangs commit as much as 80% of the crime in many communities and are the primary retail-level distributors of most illicit drugs the majority of the crack cocaine trade in Mississippi is controlled by members or affiliates of gangs. Details: Pearl, MS: Mississippi Analysis and Information Center, 2010. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2014 at: http://info.publicintelligence.net/MSAIC-GangsAssessment2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://info.publicintelligence.net/MSAIC-GangsAssessment2010.pdf Shelf Number: 133947 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (Mississippi)Prisons GangsStreet Gangs |
Author: National Gang Intelligence Center Title: 2013 National Gang Report Summary: The 2013 NGR highlights current and emergent trends of violent criminal gangs in the United States. Consistent with the 2011 report, the 2013 installment illustrates that gangs continue to commit violent and surreptitious crimes - both on the street and in prison - that pose a significant threat to public safety in most US jurisdictions across the nation. A comprehensive overview of gang activity in the United States, the 2013 NGR examines gangs from a national standpoint and explains how they function as sophisticated criminal networks that engage in all levels of crime in order to further their objectives to gain control of the territories they inhabit and generate revenue. As the 2013 NGR demonstrates, gangs expand their reach through migration into communities across the nation; collaboration with other illicit networks like drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and rival gangs; active recruitment of membership; and through the absorption of smaller, less visible neighborhood-based gangs (NBGs), which continue to negatively impact US communities at a greater rate than national level gangs. Intelligence herein also reviews how gangs perpetuate their criminal enterprises through their ability to adapt to changing social and economic environments; exploit new technology; target law enforcement; evade law enforcement detection; and enroll or employ within educational facilities, law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and through all branches of the US military. Details: Washington, DC: National Gang Intelligence Center, 2013. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/national-gang-report-2013 Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/national-gang-report-2013 Shelf Number: 134179 Keywords: Criminal NetworksGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangs (U.S.) |
Author: Long, Joseph E. Title: A social movement theory typology of gang violence Summary: This thesis uses social movement theory to describe the formation of street gangs and account for their high levels of violence. By understanding street gangs as a social movement contributing to the gang cycle, my hope is that communities and law enforcement will be able to adopt better strategies for breaking the cycle. Likewise, the study of street gangs serves as a laboratory for counterinsurgency operations overseas. By understanding the potential effects of repression on a population, future counterinsurgent operators will better understand the complex environment in which they serve. As demonstrated by the case studies of Salinas and Oakland, continued coercive repression and negative channeling are recipes for creating isolation within a community that leads to fragmentation and increased violence. Details: Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School, 2010. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/5272 Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/5272 Shelf Number: 134183 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs (U.S.) Youth Gangs |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Tackling Youth Knife Crime: Practical Advice for Police Summary: The Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) was developed by the Home Office, working closely with other government departments and key stakeholders including local government, police forces, community groups and practitioners in affected local areas. TKAP will sustain and build on existing cross-government and community work; this includes the lessons learned and success achieved by the Tackling Gangs Action Programme and Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP) to reduce the number of teenagers killed or seriously wounded and increase public confidence that our streets are safe. The first phase of TKAP was launched by the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on 5 June 2008. In the first nine months we focused nearly $7 million of resources on rapid, concentrated work to tackle teenage knife crime in 14 areas of the country. In March 2009 TKAP was extended for a further year, with an extra $5 million to tackle knife crime and increase targeted police action to tackle the minority of young people who commit serious violence, regardless of the weapon involved. TKAP has been extended to include 13- to 24-year-olds (previously 13- to 19-year-olds), and to a further two forces, taking the total to 16 forces. This work runs alongside the Youth Crime Action Plan. The guide will help police to engage with key partners including: - the local community; - Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs); - children's services, schools, colleges and Safer School Partnerships; - health services; and - trading standards. This guide will help you to: - share and use available data effectively; - identify an emerging knife-carrying population/knife crime problem; - identify the range of partners you should work with in your area; and - consider options for tackling the problem (including prevention-based, targeted work with at-risk individuals, risk assessment, mediation, enforcement and community reassurance). The nature and extent of knife crime varies across England and Wales, so the approaches discussed in this guide are not prescriptive. The guide reflects learning from around the country and is designed to be used as a starting point for developing strategies to address your local issues. Details: London: Home Office, 2009. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 21, 2015 at: http://www.knifecrimes.org/youth087a.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.knifecrimes.org/youth087a.pdf Shelf Number: 134426 Keywords: At-Risk YouthGang ViolenceKnife Crime (U.K.)Violent CrimeWeaponsYouth Gangs |
Author: Peeters, Timo Title: Truce on a tightrope: risks and lessons from El Salvador's bid to end gang warfare Summary: On 14 March 2012, current affairs website Elfaro broke the story of a truce facilitated by the government between El Salvador's two most powerful gangs, leading to an instant reduction in the country's homicides. Over one and a half years later, the truce is still intact. However, the government's reluctance to take full responsibility for the pacification process, the lack of a comprehensive policy to address root causes of violence, and the fear that the process might strengthen gangs by giving them political power have placed numerous pitfalls in its path. Neither the El Salvadorean public nor the inter-national community is united in its support for negotiating with the maras. Even so, the truce serves as an important example of a more balanced approach to gang violence, and a source of insight into how local patterns of marginalisation and crime, fuelled by rapid urbanisation of the world's population, may on occasion be managed through dialogue. Details: The Hague: Clingendael Institute, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: CRU Policy Brief No. 27: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: http://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/CRU%20Policy%20Brief%2027.pdf Year: 2013 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/CRU%20Policy%20Brief%2027.pdf Shelf Number: 135130 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsHomicidesViolenceViolence Crime |
Author: Southgate, Jessica Title: Seeing differently: Working with girls affected by gangs Summary: While concern has grown in recent years about the extent of gang activity in Britain, the ways in which girls and young women are affected tends to be overlooked, simplified or distorted. Where attention is given to girls' involvement they tend to be depicted either as violent, out of control perpetrators or as vulnerable victims; reflective of a wider tendency to cast girls who offend in a 'false dichotomy' between the extremes of 'autonomous actors' or 'passive subjects' (Batchelor, 2009a). Through experience of working in organisations delivering gender-specific services to young women, I know these representations to be simplistic and rarely reflective of the complexity or reality of girls' lives. One pertinent example of the representation of gang-associated girls is the case of Samantha Joseph, dubbed the "honeytrap killer" for her involvement in the murder of Shakilus Townsend in 2008. Media coverage of the trial fixated primarily on her involvement and responsibility for "luring" Townsend to the place of his death at the hands of seven gang-associated boys. As has been noted in other media representations of women involved in murder cases (Jones & Wardle, 2008), Joseph's picture was shown more regularly and prominently than those of her male co-defendants, suggesting her ultimate responsibility. Despite some coverage which reported Joseph's boyfriend Danny McLean (for whom she had agreed to 'get Shak set' (Clements, 2009)) to have been neglectful and abusive towards her (Bird, 2009), little critical analysis was given to her role, motivation or potentially constrained choices. Both the current and previous Governments have taken a range of actions in an attempt to reduce gang activity and serious youth violence, including the "Tackling Knives and Serious Youth Violence Action Programme" (TKAP), the introduction of gang injunctions, specific funding to tackle "knife, gun and gang" related violence, and a cross-sector Ending Gang Violence team. These measures tended to have been developed without consideration of girls' and women's experiences, however, resulting in a context where they 'fall straight through the gaps at best, and at worst have their situations exacerbated, or their risk increased, due to a lack of consideration for their experiences' (ROTA, 2010:17). The recently published "Ending Gang and Youth Violence" report (HM Government, 2011b) makes a number of references to girls, and when published the Home Secretary was keen to stress that the strategy would have a "new focus" on girls and young women "caught up in gang-related rape and abuse" (Hansard, 2011). The strategy committed money to specialist sexual abuse services for gang-affected young women, and referenced positive outcomes specific to girls and young women, including increased self-esteem, early referral to support services, and reduced sexual assault, exploitation and forced miscarriage. Alongside other indications that policy-makers are considering girls' needs more, this is a step to be welcomed, however, the degree to which this translates to a shift in public discourse or enhanced local service provision remains to be seen. In comparison to the priorities outlined by practitioners I spoke to for this research, gaps in delivering appropriate support to girls and young women remain unaddressed, including having sufficient staff support or expertise, an appropriate balance between prevention, intervention and support services, and addressing attitudes that enable a culture in which violence against girls and women is permissible. Details: London: The Griffins Society, 2011. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper 2011/02: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research_Paper_2011_02_(updated_May_2012).pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research_Paper_2011_02_(updated_May_2012).pdf Shelf Number: 129824 Keywords: Female Gang MembersGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsGender-Specific ProgramsYouth Violence |
Author: Amiot, Michel Title: Jamaica Constabulary Force: Three Year Anti-Gang Strategic Plan Summary: In 2009, the Ministry of National Security (MNS) held a Symposium on Criminal Gangs in Jamaica. Among the key findings were: - Over the past two decades, Jamaica has experienced an increase in criminal gang activity, especially in the Kingston Metropolitan Area, where on average 80% of all murders occur annually; - The signing of a Peace Treaty between feuding gangs in St. Andrew Central, the control of bus terminals in Spanish Town by the major organized gangs and the rise of several gangs in St. James and Clarendon highlight the phenomena of gangs as an ongoing social crisis that critically and directly impacts on the state of crime and public safety in Jamaica; - Gangs are seen to be involved not only in traditional forms of criminal activity but also have expanded their range of activities to include sophisticated and technologically driven crimes; - The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) estimated that there were at least two hundred (200) established gangs operating in Jamaica, mainly comprising of young men between the ages of 16 V 30 years old1. Intelligence estimates showed that one hundred and twenty (120) of these gangs were actively engaged in shootings, murders, and other serious crimes such as car-jacking and theft, robberies, extortions, contract killings, and drug and gun smuggling; and, - Despite the impact that gangs have on crime in Jamaica, there remain gaps in the understanding of the structure and organization of gangs, how gangs might be defined in the Jamaican context, and consequently how the issues might be effectively dealt with to ensure public safety and a reduction in crime and violence. The following three-year Anti-Gang Strategic Plan combines the following 12 strategic measures: - Establish a gang unit within Organized Crime Investigation Division (OCID); - Establish a dedicated uniformed gang enforcement unit in each of the 19 Geographic Divisions; - Develop and dedicate covert evidence gathering and covert tactical resources within the current Flying Squad; - Designate one company of the Mobile Reserve as a Gang Response Unit; - Conduct Gang Specific Training; - Strengthen the intelligence gathering and dissemination process; - Create operational Implementation Working Group; - Widen and strengthen Social Services umbrella group, under PIOJ's Community Renewal Program (CRP) as a basic coordination mechanism; - Ensure that S&JWG adapted, empowered and motivated to oversee implementation of anti-gang Strategic Plan; - Establish or strengthen a fully operational, independent and universal body, with the official mandate and competence to investigate and prosecute all Economic & Financial Crime offenders, wherever they may be in Jamaica; - Strengthen the Judiciary; and, - Employ an Anti-Gang programme manager. Details: Kingston: Jamaica Constabulary, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 29, 2015 at: http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/coad/documents/threeyearantigangstrategy.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Jamaica URL: http://www.santarosa.fl.gov/coad/documents/threeyearantigangstrategy.pdf Shelf Number: 135800 Keywords: Anti-Gang PreventionCrime PreventionGang ViolenceGangsHomicidesPolicing |
Author: Sarkar, Sumita Title: Combating Organised Crime: A Case Study of Mumbai City Summary: This paper places the specific case of organized crime in the city of Mumbai, within the context of transnational trends in criminal activity. It first examines the larger international discourse on organized crime, clarifying concepts and outlines the nature and magnitude of various component phenomena across the globe. The paper then passes on to an assessment of trends in the operation of gangs and organized crime in Mumbai, the socio-demographic profile, ethnic background, religion and international dynamics of gangsters in the city and the international dynamics of gangsterism, contract killing, etc. Some combative strategies adopted to deal with organized crime in the city are also dealt with. Details: Conference paper, 2001. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume12/Article5.htm Year: 2001 Country: India URL: http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/publication/faultlines/volume12/Article5.htm Shelf Number: 136432 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs Organized Crime |
Author: Human Impact Partners Title: Dignified & Just Policing: Health Impact Assessment of the Townsend Street Gang Injunction in Santa Ana, California Summary: A gang injunction is a controversial policing practice that essentially acts as a group restraining order against alleged gang members within a safety zone, a specific geographic area thought to be "controlled" by a gang. Since the 1980's, over 60 gang injunctions have been imposed in California in an attempt to curtail a historic spike in violent crime in the state (and in the nation) during the late 1980's and early 1990's, a topic we tackled in a previous blog post. The injunction in Santa Ana, the city's second, would prevent alleged gang members from associating with each other or carrying out certain illegal and legal activities within the safety zone. The injunction has stirred up heated debate in Santa Ana since June 2014, when it was first implemented, and has been a flashpoint for controversy more recently amidst allegations of police brutality. Supporters of the injunction say it will lead to decreased crime and violence for all residents, while opponents say the injunction fails to address the root causes of crime and may lead to increased police mistreatment of local youth. The HIA, which worked locally with SABHC, Chicanos Unidos de Orange County, KidWorks, Santa Ana Boys & Men of Color, Latino Health Access, UC Irvine's Community Knowledge and Community & Labor projects, and the Urban Peace Institute, examined the impact the gang injunction would have on crime, safety, community-police relationships, education and employment, and collected data on community safety through surveys, interviews and focus groups. The HIA focused on populations that may be disproportionately affected by the gang injunction, including youth, undocumented immigrants, transgender or queer-identified people, the homeless, and those with physical and mental disabilities. Members of these groups fear that increased police presence in the neighborhood will exacerbate the potential for profiling and discrimination. The HIA concluded that the injunction is unlikely to bring about significant and lasting reduction of serious crime, based on the outcomes of other gang injunctions and input gathered from residents, city officials, community organizations and police. On the contrary, the injunction could have negative effects on public safety, public health and public trust. The HIA found that: The evidence is insufficient that a gang injunction will reduce violent crime, gang activity or gang membership, or that it will improve community-police relationships. An injunction could make some in the community, particularly parents, feel more safe, but members of marginalized groups may, in contrast, feel more threatened by increased police presence. An injunction could lead to significant disruptions to education and employment opportunities for those named in the gang injunction, with immediate harm to their health and well-being and long-term harm to their chances in life. Young black and Latino men who experience repeated, unsubstantiated searches and other forms of suppression-based policing may experience higher levels of anxiety and depression than their peers. An injunction could divert funding from community programs that address the economic and social problems that are the root causes of much crime and a detriment to public health and well-being. In contrast to the mixed evidence on the effects of policing strategies on crime, there is solid evidence that correlates reductions in crime with environmental, educational and economic factors. Our findings led us to make specific recommendations for the police and other law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, city officials and community organizations. Our partners plan to use the data from the HIA in their campaigns on healthy policing practices and in upcoming court proceedings to determine whether the gang injunction will be upheld or reversed. Details: Oakland, CA: Human Impact Partners, 2015. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: HealthImpactAssessmentoftheTownsendStreetGangInjunctioninSantaAna,California+ Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: HealthImpactAssessmentoftheTownsendStreetGangInjunctioninSantaAna,California+ Shelf Number: 137017 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangsInjunctionsStreet GangsViolent Crime |
Author: Langley, Marty Title: Lost Youth: A County-by-County Analysis of 2013 California Homicide Victims Ages 10 to 24 Summary: Homicide is the second leading cause of death for California youth and young adults ages 10 to 24 years old. In 2013, the most recent year for which complete data is available from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), homicides in California were outpaced only by unintentional injuries-the majority of which were motor vehicle fatalities-as the leading cause of death for this age group. Of the 613 homicides reported, 86 percent were committed with firearms. Nationally in 2013, California had the 17th highest homicide rate for youth and young adults ages 10 to 24. Broken out by gender, homicide retains its number-two ranking for males and drops to number four for females for this age group in California. For males, of the 553 homicides reported, firearms were the weapon used in 87 percent of the killings. For females, of the 60 homicides reported, firearms were the weapon used in 72 percent of the killings. When analyzed by race and ethnicity, however, the rankings become less uniform and the severe effects of homicide on specific segments of this age group increasingly stark. For blacks ages 10 to 24 in California in 2013, homicide was the leading cause of death. For Hispanics it was the second leading cause of death. For American Indian and Alaskan Natives it was the third leading cause of death. For whites and Asian/Pacific Islanders it was the fourth leading cause of death. Details: Washington, DC: Violence Policy Center, 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.vpc.org/studies/cayouth2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.vpc.org/studies/cayouth2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137332 Keywords: Crime Statistics Gang Violence Homicides Murders Violent Crime Youth Violence |
Author: Lohmuller, Michael Title: El Salvador's Gangs & Prevailing Gang Paradigms in a Post-Truce Context Summary: This paper examines the relevance of prevailing gang paradigms as it relates to the case of El Salvador. It is particularly concerned with the concept of 'Third Generation Gangs,' which holds that Salvadoran street gangs are becoming sophisticated political actors seeking to maintain an international reach, and are increasingly capable of confronting the state. El Salvador is in the midst of a violent upheaval. In 2012, El Salvador's two main street gangs signed a truce, which was tacitly endorsed and facilitated by the government. However, following the breakdown of the truce, violence in El Salvador has rapidly escalated, with the gangs increasingly targeting security forces. This paper discusses whether this rising violence is indicative of the gangs' collective maturation process into a 'Third Generation Gang,' or, alternatively, if autonomous spasms of violence by individual gang factions as a means of self-preservation are being misinterpreted as a collective maturation process. Details: Washington, DC: Security Studies Program, George Washington University(?), 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2015/LohmullerElSalGangs.pdf Year: 2015 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2015/LohmullerElSalGangs.pdf Shelf Number: 137568 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsStreet GangsViolent Crime |
Author: Ueberall, Stephanie Title: Assessing New York City's Youth Gun Violence Crisis: Crews. Volume 1: Defining the Problem Summary: The success or failure of community strategies to address the youth gun violence crisis is often attributed in part to how well the problem is understood and diagnosed. With support from The New York Community Trust, the Crime Commission has undertaken an analysis of youth gun violence and crew activity - violent turf rivalries among less-organized, smaller and normally younger groups than traditional gangs - in select New York City communities. Our initial findings from available data, existing research, and interviews with stakeholders are presented in a series of papers titled, "Assessing New York City's Youth Gun Violence Crisis: Crews". This research and fieldwork demonstrated that crews - and not traditional, hierarchical gangs - are a major part of violent crime statistics and analysis. Crews actually account for a great deal of youth criminal activity, especially violent crime - and without proper interventions for this type of activity, we will not be able to adequately address what has been a persistent public safety and criminal justice issue for New York City. In order to develop more effective responses to crews it is essential for stakeholders to acknowledge the victimization of those involved, understand their underlying needs, and identify the neighborhood conditions that impact them. New York City has famously experienced unprecedented, sustained reductions in crime over the last 25 years. Areas once so dangerous that they resembled foreign war zones now are home to some of the most desirable real estate in the country. We proudly and rightfully point to our success, calling ourselves the "safest big city in America". But there are places and people that have been left behind. There are areas which have not seen violent crime rates drop to nearly zero - as others have - or anywhere close. Certain races and age groups are also still far more likely to become victims and be responsible for violent crime than others. The root causes of violent crime have not changed either - and the circumstances under which crime is committed sound eerily familiar to the high-crime New York of 25 years ago that we now refer to as the "bad old days". Therefore, in order to make real strides in improving the quality of life amongst these persistently hardest-hit groups, we must address the root causes of why youth become involved in gun violence and crews. The NYPD publically acknowledged that youth "gangs" are becoming more organized and more violent, finding that more than a third of all shootings in New York City now involve what the NYPD calls "crews". In order to truly identify how youth are involved in organized activity (gangs, crews, etc.) and gun violence, the Crime Commission researched legal and intelligence definitions and conducted fieldwork with community residents, service providers, and policymakers which revealed three broad categories of organization: traditional gangs, crews, and groups. This research and fieldwork demonstrated that crews - (Fluid groups formed based on where members live, such as a building or block, creating violent turf rivalries. Crews generally do not have clear hierarchy, structure, or rules, and are usually not profit-motivated)- and not traditional, hierarchical gangs - are a major part of violent crime statistics and analysis. Crews actually account for a great deal of youth criminal activity, especially violent crime - and without proper interventions for this type of activity, we will not be able to adequately address what has been a persistent public safety and criminal justice issue for New York City. Details: New York: Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, 2015. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol1-DefiningTheProblem.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol1-DefiningTheProblem.pdf Shelf Number: 137681 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Ueberall, Stephanie Title: Assessing New York City's Youth Gun Violence Crisis: Crews. Volume 2: CompStat for Violence Prevention Programs Summary: Although there have been significant recent investments by policymakers and funders - ranging from organizing task forces and work groups, to deploying new law enforcement strategies, to implementing programmatic interventions - New York City's ability to fully understand and diagnose its crew problem is hindered by a lack of data and coordination. While the NYPD collects data on crew members and related criminal activity, law enforcement data are typically insufficient to inform comprehensive responses because it is collected for the purpose of informing suppression and investigation strategies. At the same time, community-based organizations collect a range of data about the underlying needs of the individuals involved, but often lack the capacity to analyze and communicate these data to inform policy and programming decisions. Further, the City lacks a collaborative effort among stakeholders dedicated to addressing this problem. Preventing crew violence cannot be accomplished by a single agency or organization. Effective solutions require the combination of insight, hard work, and dedication from a wide variety of organizations and stakeholders. New York City should immediately mobilize stakeholders to take steps toward developing a comprehensive strategy to address the city's crew violence problem. Details: New York: Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol2-Compstat.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol2-Compstat.pdf Shelf Number: 137682 Keywords: CompstatCrime AnalysisGang Violence Gangs Gun Violence Gun-Related Violence Violence CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Ueberall, Stephanie Title: Assessing New York City's Youth Gun Violence Crisis: Crews. Volume 3: Responding to the Problem Summary: The success or failure of community strategies to address the youth gun violence crisis is often attributed in part to how well the problem is understood and diagnosed. With support from The New York Community Trust, the Crime Commission has undertaken an analysis of youth gun violence and crew activity - violent turf rivalries among less-organized, smaller and normally younger groups than traditional gangs - in select New York City communities. Our initial findings from available data, existing research, and interviews with stakeholders are presented in a series of papers titled, "Assessing New York City's Youth Gun Violence Crisis: Crews". This research and fieldwork demonstrated that crews - and not traditional, hierarchical gangs - are a major part of violent crime statistics and analysis. Crews actually account for a great deal of youth criminal activity, especially violent crime - and without proper interventions for this type of activity, we will not be able to adequately address what has been a persistent public safety and criminal justice issue for New York City. In order to develop more effective responses to crews it is essential for stakeholders to acknowledge the victimization of those involved, understand their underlying needs, and identify the neighborhood conditions that impact them. Executive Summary New York City has famously experienced unprecedented, sustained reductions in crime over the last 25 years. Areas once so dangerous that they resembled foreign war zones now are home to some of the most desirable real estate in the country. We proudly and rightfully point to our success, calling ourselves the "safest big city in America". But there are places and people that have been left behind. There are areas which have not seen violent crime rates drop to nearly zero - as others have - or anywhere close. Certain races and age groups are also still far more likely to become victims and be responsible for violent crime than others. The root causes of violent crime have not changed either - and the circumstances under which crime is committed sound eerily familiar to the high-crime New York of 25 years ago that we now refer to as the "bad old days". Therefore, in order to make real strides in improving the quality of life amongst these persistently hardest-hit groups, we must address the root causes of why youth become involved in gun violence and crews. The NYPD publically acknowledged that youth "gangs" are becoming more organized and more violent, finding that more than a third of all shootings in New York City now involve what the NYPD calls "crews". In order to truly identify how youth are involved in organized activity (gangs, crews, etc.) and gun violence, the Crime Commission researched legal and intelligence definitions and conducted fieldwork with community residents, service providers, and policymakers. Although there have been significant recent investments by policymakers and funders - ranging from organizing task forces and work groups, to deploying new law enforcement strategies, to implementing programmatic interventions - New York City's ability to fully understand and diagnose its crew problem is hindered by a lack of data and coordination. While the NYPD collects data on crew members and related criminal activity, law enforcement data are typically insufficient to inform comprehensive responses because it is collected for the purpose of informing suppression and investigation strategies. At the same time, community-based organizations collect a range of data about the underlying needs of the individuals involved, but often lack the capacity to analyze and communicate these data to inform policy and programming decisions. Further, the City lacks a collaborative effort among stakeholders dedicated to addressing this problem. Preventing crew violence cannot be accomplished by a single agency or organization. Effective solutions require the combination of insight, hard work, and dedication from a wide variety of organizations and stakeholders. New York City should immediately mobilize stakeholders to take steps toward developing a comprehensive strategy to address the city's crew violence problem. The Crime Commission's Assessment offers the following recommendation: 1. Implement a cooperative approach 2. Better collect and share data 3. Coordinate a continuum of interventions Details: New York: Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, 2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol3-RespondingToTheProblem.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Crews-Vol3-RespondingToTheProblem.pdf Shelf Number: 137683 Keywords: Gang Violence Gangs Gun Violence Gun-Related Violence Neighborhoods and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: InSight Crime Title: Gangs in Honduras Summary: In the last two decades, Honduras has seen a significant increase in gang membership, gang criminal activity, and gang-related violence. The uptick in violence has been particularly troubling. In 2014, Honduras was considered the most violent nation in the world that was not at war. Although high impunity rates and lack of reliable data make it difficult to assess how many of these murders are gang-related, it's clear that the gangs' use of violence -- against rivals, civilians, security forces and perceived transgressors within their own ranks -- has greatly contributed to these numbers. Among the areas hardest hit are the country's urban centers. Honduras' economic capital, San Pedro Sula, is, according to some, the world's most violent city, with a homicide rate of 142 for every 100,000 people. The political capital Tegucigalpa has a homicide rate of 81 per 100,000. The third largest city, La Ceiba, has a murder rate of 95 per 100,000. These are also the areas where the gangs, in particular the two most prominent, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) and Barrio 18, have the greatest presence and influence. The emergence of hyper-violent street gangs happened relatively quickly in Honduras. In the late 1990s, following legislation in the United States that led to increased deportation of ex-convicts, numerous MS13 and Barrio 18 members arrived in the country. By the early 2000s, these two gangs, along with several local groups, had begun a bloody battle for territory -- and the extortion revenue and drug markets that goes with it -- that continues to this day. The government responded by passing so-called "iron fist" legislation and arresting thousands of suspected gang members. Instead of slowing the growth of gangs, however, the policy allowed them to consolidate their leadership within the prison system, expand their economic portfolios and make contact with other criminal organizations. This report covers the current state of gangs in Honduras. Specifically, it examines the history, geographic presence, structure and modus operandi of Barrio 18 and MS13 in the country. It also analyzes how the gangs may be developing into more sophisticated criminal organizations. It looks closely at examples that illustrate how some parts of these two gangs are winning the support of the local communities in which they operate. Finally, it gives an overview of some of the other street gangs operating in Honduras. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2015. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2015/HondurasGangs.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Honduras URL: http://www.insightcrime.org/images/PDFs/2015/HondurasGangs.pdf Shelf Number: 137713 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsHomicidesStreet Gangs |
Author: Disley, Emma Title: Local perspectives in Ending Gang and Youth Violence Areas. Perceptions of the Nature of Urban Street Gangs Summary: The aim of this study was to understand perceptions of the nature of urban street gangs and whether these gangs have changed in recent years in the 33 areas1 that make up the Government's Ending Gang and Youth Violence (EGYV) programme (HM Government, 2011a). The EGYV programme aims to improve the way that gangs are tackled locally through providing peer support to local areas to help prevent young people becoming involved in violence; providing exit routes for those already involved in gangs; and ensuring that appropriate enforcement responses are put in place to address challenges associated with gangs. The study was based on the perceptions of practitioners working on gang-related issues as well as individuals who were current or ex-gang members, or associated with, or affiliated to gangs (referred to throughout as gang associates). It investigated the extent to which there were perceived similarities or differences in the nature of street gangs in EGYV areas and whether or not gangs were thought to have changed in the last two years. It also explored the extent to which there were common or divergent trends in perceptions at national or local levels. It was not the purpose of this study to evaluate the effectiveness of the EGYV programme or local measures to address gang and youth violence. The findings, based largely on practitioners' perceptions, highlight issues and possible trends that could be more fully explored and investigated locally or nationally, using a wider range of evidence and information. Details: London: Home Office, 2016. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 88: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491802/horr88.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491802/horr88.pdf Shelf Number: 137716 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceStreet GangsUrban Areas |
Author: Relf, Aubrey Title: The nature of gang spawning communities: African American gangs in Compton, CA: 1960-2013 Summary: African American gangs have existed in Compton since the late 1960s, policy makers, scholars, and residents have sought to understand why certain communities remain vulnerable to gang persistence. This study investigated factors that have possibly contributed to this persistence in Compton, CA during 1960 to 2013. The study used a qualitative research design and facilitated semi-structured interviews with twelve people, age twenty to seventy, who lived in Compton for at least 20 years. The analysis revealed that gangs persisted because several youth adopted an identity that glorified the gangster culture, the influx of drugs which: fractured family structures, enflamed gang warfare, and provided illegal means of economic growth. Moreover, as gang wars evolved from fistfights to drive-by shootings, they enhanced community exposure to violence and elicited retaliation that has contributed to gang persistence. Overall, from a community structural vantage point, marginalization, poverty, crack cocaine, and a lack of jobs facilitated a place where gangs and crime may thrive. Details: Los Angeles: University of Southern California, 2014. 147p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 2, 2016 at: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll3/id/404817 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll3/id/404817 Shelf Number: 137734 Keywords: African AmericansDrive-By ShootingsGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Squires, Peter Title: Police Perceptions of Gang and Gun Related Offending: A Key Informant Survey Summary: This survey of Police officers (and civilian intelligence analyst staff) within one police force (GMP) offers an important and unusual insight into the problem of urban gun crime. Our findings reflect the perceptions of the problem of gun crime shared by a group of uniquely experienced police officers whose daily work involves dealing with, responding to and forward planning in respect of the problems of gun crime in one major British city with a particular reputation for gun crime. The particular survey itself comprises responses from 55 police personnel, ranking from detective constable to chief superintendent, (including a number of civilian intelligence analysts). Those GMP staff included in sample shared 835 years within policing, suggesting a mean duration of police service of some 15.8 years. Respondents were drawn from all of the force's separate geographical divisions. As suggested, the sample also included 20 GMP intelligence analysts, five of these working on attachment with the GMP Firearms Desk and operational gang response units. The intelligence analysts alone had a mean duration of service within GMP of between 8-9 years. Taken together, therefore, these lengths of service in the GMP suggest that our sample is appropriately drawn from an experienced and uniquely well qualified section of the police workforce, and a group we would expect to be able to speak knowledgeably, informatively and constructively about the gun crime and gang crime problems that they work with on a regular basis. There was a threefold purpose in reviewing 'key informant' perceptions of the gun crime problem within the project. First, in a wider sense it is part of our effort to get a clear perspective on how the problem is understood or constructed - this is, in a simple sense, what the 'experts' dealing with the problem think about it, the forms it takes and the means by which it might usefully be tackled. Second, in a more critical sense the survey is also very much about how these same 'experts' (or 'primary definers' (Hall et al, 1978)) help to construct the issue for the rest of us. A third issue relevant here concerns how the constructions of these 'experts' represent and yet may also 'misrepresent' aspects of the problems represented by 'gun' and 'gang' crime. For example, the particular professional preoccupations of police officers may tend to distort their perceptions of both the offence and of the offenders (or it may dwell upon some aspects of these matters at the expense of others). Or, to put it another way and recognising the "political" nature of problem definition in public policy-making, our respondents might perpetuate a perception of the gun crime problem which does not necessarily correspond with views shared by others, or they may hold views uncorroborated, for example, by research findings. All of this is, perhaps, only to be expected. Our group of respondents were selected precisely for their specialist knowledge and experience, and this knowledge and experience may lead them to see the matter in a different way. Details: Brighton, UK: University of Brighton, 2007. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://about.brighton.ac.uk/staff/profiles/pas1-magnet.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://about.brighton.ac.uk/staff/profiles/pas1-magnet.pdf Shelf Number: 137807 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceGunsInformants |
Author: Abt, Thomas Title: What Works in Reducing Community Violence: A Meta-Review and Field Study for the Northern Triangle Summary: This report was commissioned by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), a United States government effort primarily executed by both USAID and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). In preparation for this report, we performed a systematic meta-review of 43 reviews, including over 1,400 studies, to identify what works in reducing community violence. In addition, we supplemented our findings with fieldwork in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the United States, visiting over 20 sites and conducting over 50 semi-structured interviews. We found that a few interventions, such as focused deterrence and cognitive behavioral therapy, exhibited moderate to strong effects on crime and violence and were supported by substantial evidence. A few others, such as scared straight and gun buyback programs, clearly demonstrated no or negative effects. The vast majority of programmatic interventions, however, exhibited weak or modest effects. We identified six "elements of effectiveness" shared by the most impactful interventions, including maintaining a specific focus on those most at risk for violence; proactive efforts to prevent violence before it occurs whenever possible; increasing the perceived and actual legitimacy of strategies and institutions; careful attention to program implementation and fidelity; a well-defined and understood theory of change; and active engagement and partnership with critical stakeholders. Given the modest effects of most interventions, that violence generally clusters around a small number of places, people, and behaviors, and that violence is not displaced from those clusters when they are targeted, we reach the simple yet powerful conclusion that it is advisable to concentrate and coordinate anti-violence efforts where they matter most. We further conclude that increased attention to program implementation and evaluation is necessary. We close with four recommendations to governmental and non-governmental funders with regard to community violence in the Northern Triangle and globally. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2016. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 29, 2016 at: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/USAID-2016-What-Works-in-Reducing-Community-Violence-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Latin America URL: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/USAID-2016-What-Works-in-Reducing-Community-Violence-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 137993 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral TherapyFocused DeterrenceGang ViolenceGun ViolenceViolenceViolence PreventionViolent Crime |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Social Development Title: Adult gang members and their children's contact with Ministry of Social Development service lines Summary: The harm inflicted by gangs is a serious issue in New Zealand. We have a complex gang problem that spans social, economic and justice issues. Almost half of the serious offences committed by gang members are family violence-related. A high proportion of gang members' children experience multiple incidents of abuse or neglect. Adult gang members and their children's contact with Ministry of Social Development service lines seeks to quantify the scope and scale of the societal impact of adult gangs in New Zealand as it relates to contact with the Ministry. The report establishes baseline figures on how many known adult gang members, and how many of their children, come into contact with the Ministry of Social Development's service arms, and the types and estimated total costs of contacts that occur. This report, as a first step, gives a much more comprehensive picture of the social costs associated with gang members. There is further opportunity for government agencies to work more collaboratively to address the social harms noted throughout this report. Most notably, there would be an added benefit in incorporating further social sector data to enhance the profile we have of gang families. Key findings Profile of known adult gang members as at July 2014 - Most (86 per cent) of the 3,960 known adult gang members were patched, with the other 14 per cent being prospects. Patched members and prospects were all male. - The two largest adult gangs, the Mongrel Mob and Black Power, accounted for two-thirds of all known adult gang members in New Zealand as at July 2014. - Over three-quarters of adult gang members were Maori, 14 per cent were European and eight per cent were Pacific peoples. - Adult gang members' ages were spread with 20 per cent being in their twenties, 29 per cent in their thirties, 31 per cent in their forties and 17 per cent in their fifties. The average age of gang members was nearly 40 years. Welfare assistance received by gang members - Nine out of every ten gang members have received main benefits. - Ninety-two per cent (3,627) of the total 3,960 known gang members received main benefits from MSD at some stage between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2014. - The 3,627 gang members spent on average 8.9 years on a main benefit (not necessarily continuously). Over half the time was receiving job seeker-related benefits and nearly a quarter of the time was receiving health or disability-related benefits. - Eighteen per cent of all gang members had received a main benefit for a total of over 15 years, whereas 13 per cent received main benefits for two years or less, and eight per cent had not received main benefits at all. - As at the end of 2014, the gang members had been paid an estimated total of $525 million in welfare assistance - The total cost of all main benefits paid to the gang members between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2014 was estimated to be $382m. - Over the same period, an estimated $143m was paid to the gang members in supplementary benefits (e.g. Accommodation Supplement) and ad-hoc payments (e.g. hardship assistance). - In total, an estimated $525m in welfare assistance was paid to the gang members, an average of around $132,000 per person. - Over 7,000 dependent children were included at some point in time in benefit spells with the gang member cohort - Over half (59 per cent) of all gang members had benefit spells that included a total of 7,075 dependent children. These children spent an average of 2.8 years included in benefit - most commonly in either sole parent-related or job seeker-related benefits. - A total of 1,393 children spent more than five years included in benefit with a gang member, including 319 who spent more than 10 years included in benefit. - Nearly 40 per cent of the children of gang members were first included in benefit before their first birthday. - One per cent (32) of the 3,055 gang members who have received a main benefit in the last five years have been prosecuted for welfare fraud. Gang members as the perpetrators of abuse or neglect of children - Over a quarter of adult gang members were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as the alleged perpetrators of abuse or neglect of children - Of the total 3,960 known gang members, 27 per cent (1,056) were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as being the alleged perpetrators of substantiated abuse or neglect of children (noting limitations around the completeness of historical data). - Most commonly this was emotional abuse of children, recorded for 21 per cent of all gang members. Six per cent of gang members were recorded as being the alleged perpetrators of physical abuse of children, and two per cent for the sexual abuse of children. Seven per cent of gang members were recorded as having allegedly neglected children. - The 1,056 gang members were recorded as the alleged perpetrators in a total of 4,944 substantiated findings involving 2,953 distinct children. The relationship of the gang member to the victim in these 4,944 findings was recorded as the parent in 77 per cent of cases, and as the step-parent or mother's partner in 15 per cent of cases. In three per cent of findings, the gang member was recorded as some other relative to the victim, and in two per cent of cases had a non-familial type of relationship to the victim. Gang members' children known to Child, Youth and Family - Analysis was carried out on whether gang members' children had ever had contact with the Care and Protection or Youth Justice service arms of Child, Youth and Family. - Sixty per cent of the 5,890 children of gang members known to Child, Youth and Family have been abused or neglected. - A total of 3,516 children of gang members were recorded as being the victims of abuse or neglect that had been substantiated on investigation by Child, Youth and Family. This is 60 per cent of the total 5,890 known children of gang members. - Of the total 5,890 known children of gang members, 44 per cent were emotionally abused, 28 per cent were neglected, 13 per cent were physically abused and four per cent were sexually abused in terms of substantiated findings. - The alleged perpetrator of abuse or neglect of gang member's children was more often recorded as the child's mother than the gang member father. However, caution should be taken with this finding as the relationship was not recorded for 20 per cent of cases. - Nearly a quarter of the children of gang members aged 10 years or older had youth justice involvement with Child, Youth and Family. - Of the total 5,890 known children of gang members, 3,372 were aged 10 years or older at the time of this analysis. Of these 3,372 children, 23 per cent (762) had at least one referral to Child, Youth and Family for a Youth Justice Family Group Conference (FGC). Estimated costs to Child, Youth and Family associated with gang members - The estimated lifetime-to-date total cost to Child, Youth and Family from the adult gang members and their children was at least $189 million. - We estimate the direct and indirect costs of the 3,960 known gang members lifetime-to-date contact with the Child, Youth and Family service arms was in the vicinity of $58m. This is likely to be an under-estimate due to data limitations. Estimated costs cover both the care and protection and youth justice areas. - We estimate that the direct and indirect costs to Child, Youth and Family of the 5,890 known children of gang members was in the vicinity of $131m, making an overall estimated total of $189m. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/research-on-gangs-and-their-cost/ Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/research-on-gangs-and-their-cost/ Shelf Number: 138168 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChildren Exposed to ViolenceFamily ViolenceGang ViolenceGangs |
Author: Maciel, Dario Title: Dignified and Just Policing: Health Impact Assessment of the Townsend Street Gang Injunction in Santa Ana, California Summary: The HIA examined the impact the gang injunction would have on crime, safety, community-police relationships, education and employment. The HIA concluded that the injunction is unlikely to bring about significant and lasting reduction of serious crime, based on the outcomes of other gang injunctions and input gathered from residents, city officials, community organizations and police. On the contrary, the injunction could have negative effects on public safety, public health and public trust. Our findings led us to make specific recommendations for the police and other law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, city officials and the community as a whole. - Details: Oakland, CA: Human Impact Partners, 2015. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 24, 2016 at: http://www.humanimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Dignified-Just-Policing-HIA-2015-09-29.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.humanimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Dignified-Just-Policing-HIA-2015-09-29.pdf Shelf Number: 137017 Keywords: Gang Injunctions Gang ViolenceGangs Youth Gangs |
Author: Cahill, Meagan Title: Evaluation of the Los Angeles Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program: Year 4 Evaluation Report Summary: The Los Angeles Mayor's Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program works to reduce gang violence by providing prevention and intervention services concentrated in 12 zones. The fourth year of the GRYD evaluation examined program dosage, client and family experiences, program impact on youth risk factors for joining a gang, and community-level impacts on gang crime and violence. GRYD engaged youth with serious risk factors in intensive programming, and risk factors for GRYD Prevention clients declined. There was mixed evidence regarding whether the GRYD Zones "outperformed" comparison areas in reducing gang violence and crime. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2015. 183p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000622-Evaluation-of-the-Los-Angeles-Gang-Reduction-and-Youth-Development-Program-Year-4-Evaluation-Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000622-Evaluation-of-the-Los-Angeles-Gang-Reduction-and-Youth-Development-Program-Year-4-Evaluation-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 138460 Keywords: At-Risk YouthGang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Nakamura, Kiminori Title: Violence in the "Balance": A Structural Analysis of How Rivals, Allies, and Third-Parties Shape Inter-Gang Violence Summary: This paper explores the role of local structural conditions that facilitate or hinder violence when enmity is present between parties. This is illustrated by examining violence among street gangs. Using structural balance theory, the current research investigates whether certain triadic structures in which two rival gangs i and j are related to a third gang with either an ally or rival relationship is linked to the level of violence between i and j. Using multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure (MRQAP), the data on inter-gang relations and violent incidents among the gangs in Long Beach, CA, are analyzed. Structural imbalance, which indicates the lack of clear coalition patterns and a dominance relation, increases violence between rival gangs. On the other hand, the effect of balanced structures on violence is more complex. Balanced structures are much less violent, however, a gang will initiate violence if by doing so it can expect to reinforce its dominant position. Details: Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Mellon University, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed March 31, 2016 at: http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1411&context=heinzworks Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1411&context=heinzworks Shelf Number: 138508 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs Street Gangs Youth Gangs |
Author: Preciado, Luis E. Title: State approaches toward reducing youth violence in Honduras and Nicaragua Summary: Nicaragua and Honduras are neighbor countries situated in one of the most violent regions of the world. As such, they share many similarities, including geopolitics, a history of political violence and insurgency, as well as a repressive authoritarian past. In spite of the two countries' similarities, their divergent policing and public security policies have led to equally divergent outcomes in crime and homicide rates. What factors explain this divergence? How effective are their respective policing and security policies in confronting the proliferation of violence among the youth of their nations? Analysis of these questions helps U.S. policy-makers gain greater understanding of the critical factors that are contributing to Central America's escalating youth violence. By way of a most-similar systems approach, this thesis analyzes the aspects that either enable or degrade state efforts to address their youth gang crisis. In sum, building strong and accountable criminal justice institutions as well as addressing the socioeconomic challenges that confront youth populations are necessary preconditions for reducing youth violence. To assist our regional partners in restoring security to their nations, U.S. policymakers need to promote programs that help strengthen institutional capacities and expand social programs that assist at-risk youth. Details: Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School, 2015. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/47317/15Sep_Preciado_Luis.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2015 Country: Central America URL: http://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/47317/15Sep_Preciado_Luis.pdf?sequence=3 Shelf Number: 138626 Keywords: At-Risk YouthGang ViolenceGangsSocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth GangsYouth Violence |
Author: Hamilton, Mark D. Title: The young and the restless: Dynamics of violent youth mobilization in Sri Lanka and Nicaragua, 1960--2010 Summary: What are the factors that motivate youth to take up arms and mobilize in organized violence? That is the central question of this project, applied to two case contexts, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua. The project's integrative system dynamics methodology synthesizes competing causal explanations that are often considered in isolation within the literature. Three mechanisms are hypothesized to influence the "attractiveness" of armed mobilization for at-risk youth sectors: (1) Groups and Identity; (2) Grievances and (Perceived) Injustice; and (3) Greed and Incentives, with expected shifts across time and institutional context. Causal loop diagrams communicate the model's conceptual framework, key variable relationships, and interactive feedback effects across mechanisms. For purposes of testing, the model is contextualized to initial values for both cases, simulated across time (1960-2010), and then examined against the available empirical data for Sri Lanka and Nicaragua. Case illustrative narratives link quantitative and qualitative analysis of violent mobilization (and demobilization) for targeted historical periods. In Sri Lanka, analysis highlights the relative "attractiveness" for Sinhalese young people joining armed insurrections of the JVP (the "People's Liberation Front", a radical Maoist group with Buddhist roots), or for young Tamils joining ethno-nationalist armed groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In Nicaragua, model analysis traces the "attractiveness" of youth joining Marxist-nationalist Sandinista revolutionaries in the 1970s, with counter-revolutionary Contra forces in the 1980s, and fragmented neighborhood gangs from 1990. Project results show strong correspondence between the applied model simulations and the case historical record, for estimating the number of youth militants and their period-specific causal factor explanations. Model "leverage points" are highlighted across both cases, and then applied to a shadow case study (Israel-Palestine) as a proof-of-concept model extension (without simulation). From there, the text offers critical discussion of model limitations and potential extensions, and delineates key implications for policymaking, programming, and peace-building applications. The project concludes by highlighting the necessity of considering multiple causal explanations for a comprehensive understanding of armed youth mobilization. Moreover, it provides a systematic and rigorous framework to test these explanations' relative strength and their variance across time. Details: Washington, DC: American University, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 12, 2016 at: http://auislandora.wrlc.org/islandora/object/thesesdissertations%3A241 Year: 2012 Country: Nicaragua URL: http://auislandora.wrlc.org/islandora/object/thesesdissertations%3A241 Shelf Number: 138634 Keywords: At-Risk YouthGang ViolenceYouth GangsYouth Violence |
Author: Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Fusion Center, Intelligence & Counterterrorism Division Title: Texas Gang Threat Assessment Summary: The key analytic judgments of this assessment are: - Gangs continue to represent a significant public safety threat to Texas due to their propensity for violence and heightened level of criminal activity. Of the incarcerated gang members within Texas Department of Criminal Justice prisons, over 60 percent are serving a sentence for violent crimes, including robbery (24 percent), homicide (16 percent), and assault/terroristic threat (15 percent). We assess there are likely more than 100,000 gang members in Texas. - The Tier 1 gangs in Texas for 2015 are Tango Blast and Tango cliques (estimated 15,000 members), Texas Syndicate (estimated 3,400 members), Texas Mexican Mafia (estimated 4,700 members), Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) (estimated 800 members), and Latin Kings (estimated 2,100 members). These groups pose the greatest gang threat to Texas due to their relationships with Mexican cartels, high levels of transnational criminal activity, level of violence, and overall statewide presence. - Gangs in Texas remain active in both human smuggling and human trafficking operations. Gang members associated with human smuggling have direct relationships with alien smuggling organizations (ASOs) and Mexican cartels. These organizations were involved in and profited from the recent influx of illegal aliens crossing the border in the Rio Grande Valley in 2014. Gang members involved in human trafficking, including commercial sex trafficking and compelling prostitution of adults and minors, exploit their victims through force, fraud or coercion, including recruiting and grooming them with false promises of affection, employment, or a better life. Gangs identified as being involved in human trafficking in Texas in 2014 include Tango Blast, Texas Syndicate, Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples, and MS-13. - Mexican cartels regularly use Texas gangs for the purposes of illicit cross-border smuggling. Members of Tier 1, Tier 2, and other gangs are sometimes recruited and tasked by cartels to carry out acts of violence in both Texas and Mexico. The relationships between certain gangs and cartels fluctuate based on cartel structures and cell alignments, gang alignment with specific cartels, threats or coercion, and familial ties. - Traditional rivalries between gangs continue to diminish as members take advantage of opportunities to collaborate and achieve common criminal objectives, typically for financial gain. Members of gangs such as the Bloods, Texas Syndicate, and Texas Mexican Mafia are working together to smuggle and sell drugs and weapons, among other crimes. In addition, law enforcement continues to observe gang members with hybrid memberships, where gang members claim multiple affiliations, which presents challenges in identifying and investigating gang activity. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Department of Public Safety, 2015. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2016 at: https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/media_and_communications/2015/txGangThreatAssessment.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/media_and_communications/2015/txGangThreatAssessment.pdf Shelf Number: 138647 Keywords: Drug TraffickingGang ViolenceGangsHuman SmugglingHuman TraffickingProstitutionSex Trafficking |
Author: London. Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime Title: Identifying the Strategic Ambitions for London: Gangs and Serious Youth Violence: findings from the literature review and consultation Summary: To inform the development of the Strategic Ambitions document, MOPAC facilitated the following consultation: - A literature review; - An online survey which was available between 13 February 2014 and the 28 March 2014; - A youth engagement session led by the Greater London Authority (GLA) Peer Outreach Workers and supported by young people from One Big Community, LEAP, the Black Police Associations Charitable Trust project Voyage and a number of other youth organisations; - A focused session on gang exit in partnership with the Safer London Foundation, St Giles Trust and the Department of Work and Pensions; - A dedicated session on the importance of early intervention and prevention in deterring gang involvement in partnership with the London Borough of Islington; LEAP and Edmonton County School; - A roundtable discussion led by Health practitioners to explore mental and public health concerns in regards to gangs; - Sessions with London Crime Reduction Board (LCRB) Gang Strategy Local Authority and Criminal Justice System subgroups, and the LCRB Gangs Panel - A specific session for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations; - A review session with Council Leaders and the MPS Commissioner; and finally, - A wrap up session led by the Deputy Mayor of Policing and Crime, which highlighted the key findings to date, and proposed priorities. This document summarises the findings of literature review and consultation undertaken to inform the development of the Strategic Ambitions for London: Gangs and Serious Youth Violence. Details: London: Mayor's Office, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2016 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/Strategic%20Ambitions%20for%20Gangs%20and%20SYV%202014_Consultation%20findings.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/Strategic%20Ambitions%20for%20Gangs%20and%20SYV%202014_Consultation%20findings.pdf Shelf Number: 138666 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsYouth GangsYouth Violence |
Author: Higginson, Angela Title: Preventive Interventions to Reduce Youth Involvement in Gangs and Gang Crime in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review Summary: Youth gang membership and the crime that it generates is a serious problem in low- and middle-income countries, involving many thousands of young people and resulting in billions of dollars of crime, loss of life, and social disruption. This review assessed the evidence on preventive interventions that focus on increasing social capacity to reduce gang membership or rehabilitate gang members outside of the criminal justice system. Approach We conducted an extensive search of the published and unpublished academic literature, as well as government and non-government organization reports to identify studies assessing the effects of preventive youth gang interventions in low- and middle-income countries. We also included studies assessing the reasons for success or failure of such interventions and conducted a thematic synthesis of overarching themes identified across the studies. Results We did not identify any studies assessing the effect of preventive gang interventions in LMICs using an experimental or quasi-experimental design. Four studies evaluating the reasons for implementation success or failure were included. The limited number of studies included in the review suggests that the findings identified here should provide a direction for future research, rather than any substantive or generalizable claim to best practice. Specifically, the synthesis of reasons for implementation success or failure identified five factors that may be important for intervention design and implementation. Preventive gang interventions may be more likely to be successfully implemented when they include: - a range of program components that appeal to youth, - active engagement of youth, where their agency is embraced and leadership is offered, - programs that offer continuity of social ties outside of the gang, and - a focus on demobilization and reconciliation. Implications The lack of evidence prevents us from making any conclusions about which interventions are most effective in reducing youth involvement in gangs. To identify programs that work and those that do not researchers, practitioners and commissioners should begin to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of preventive gang programs in the field. Details: Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2015: 18. 177p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/297/ Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/297/ Shelf Number: 138794 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: New Jersey. Commission on Violence Title: Report of the Study Commission on Violence Summary: The Study Commission on Violence discharged its duty to examine trends and sources of violence, the impact of violence on the community, identified funding opportunities that address violence, and the mental health system through the receipt of subject matter expert briefings, public hearings, and its own independent research. This report summarizes the Study Commission's findings and its recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor. Violence in our communities is a concern we heard expressed time and again in our public hearings and in examining data related to the frequency of violence in New Jersey. There is no one source of violence or a single impact on the communities where it occurs. Rather, violence is brought on by a host of socio-economic factors and individual decisions made by people who choose to perpetrate violent acts against others or themselves. While "violence" is an all-encompassing term, it can also be imprecise. Deaths due to violence are at a generational low; yet, violence remains stubbornly high in certain areas - in New Jersey, roughly 80 percent of all violent crime occurs in just 21 cities. It is not coincidental that these cities also have lower rates of high school graduation, higher rates of unemployment, lower rates of household income, and higher rates of school truancy. Violence does not occur in a vacuum; rather, it thrives in poor and disadvantaged communities where educational and economic opportunities are limited and residents have become accustomed to a certain level of lawlessness. In recent years, the challenges facing these communities have been compounded by economic turmoil that has resulted in reductions in law enforcement. Violence, however, is not confined to urban settings and occurs in suburban and rural communities as well. The issue of violence should be a concern to all New Jersey residents, to one degree or another. And while violent "street" crime is found disproportionately in a small number of places in New Jersey, certain crimes like domestic violence are more widespread. Still others, like elder abuse, are emerging as concerns in the community. At the same time, a consensus has begun to form around the manner in which those who are drug addicted, particularly those suffering from heroin addiction, are treated when they are arrested. Whereas public policy once focused exclusively on incarcerating individuals, even for low-level offenses, for significant periods of time, current policy has shifted toward diverting non-violent offenders away from incarceration and into treatment. Moreover, this trend has extended into how law enforcement treats juvenile delinquents. Through diversion programs that offer community-based oversight, some county youth detention facilities have closed because too few juveniles are being remanded to custody and the number of juveniles in Juvenile Justice Commission facilities has dropped by roughly half. Of course, violence is not limited to acts by one person against another. Self-directed violence in the form of suicide and attempted suicide is also prevalent in our country. Indeed, the number of suicides that occur nationally each year is more than twice the number of homicides that occur in our nation. The Study Commission took seriously its charge to examine the trends, sources, and impact of violence in the community, the availability of grant funding to combat violence, the implementation of expanded involuntary outpatient commitments, and whether and how defendants with identified mental health disabilities but who are charged with crimes, can be offered an alternative to incarceration in the form of a structured, case managed program of treatment and counseling. The Commission learned that there are a wide range of programs and services available to those with a diagnosed mental health disability or illness. Indeed, coverage for mental health treatment is now available to more individuals through the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That said, issues still remain regarding access to that treatment due to limited resources and reimbursement for practitioners who treat these patients. With respect to at least one specific charge of the Commission - examining the involuntary outpatient commitment program and whether it should be extended statewide - the Commission determined that this has been mooted by legislation passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. Details: s.l.: The Commission, 2015. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2455899/study-commission-on-violence-report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2455899/study-commission-on-violence-report.pdf Shelf Number: 138801 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicidesMental Health ServicesSocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeSuicidesUrban AreasViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Katz, Charles M. Title: The Gang Truce as a Form of Violence Intervention: Implications for Policy and Practice Summary: While there is much literature describing the assumptions, issues, and effectiveness of crime suppression (e.g., Decker, 2003; Decker and Reed, 2002; Katz and Webb, 2006; McCorkle and Miethe, 2002) and prevention strategies (Esbensen and Osgood, 1997), much less attention has been paid to gang intervention programming, particularly gang truces. Little is known about how often gang truces occur, what conditions give rise to them, the role of third parties in brokering them, their transformative effects, and their effectiveness. In this policy brief, sponsored by SolucionES1 and conducted by FUNDE, a member of the SolucionES Alliance with Arizona State University, we systematically evaluate gang truces; including reviewing prior research and presenting evidence on the effectiveness of gang truces that have been implemented in El Salvador, Honduras, and Jamaica for the purpose of identifying lessons learned should other governments or donors wish to support gang truces in these or other countries. Summary of Findings We found that the truce in El Salvador resulted in a reduction in homicides that was not the product of other trends or temporal factors; and that the truce there should be considered a short term success. By contrast, the truces in Jamaica and Honduras resulted in no impact on violence. The Jamaican and Honduran experiences therefore mirror the results of prior gang truces that have been studied to various extents, including those in Los Angeles and Trinidad and Tobago. Important differences in how the various truces were negotiated may explain the different results and one important difference - the ability of government and non-gang community stakeholders to promise and immediately produce measurable deliverables - appear to be especially significant. Details: San Salvador: Fundacion Nacional para el Desarrollo - FUNDE, 2015. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2016 at: http://www.globalinitiative.net/download/general/central-america-caribbean/Gang%20Truce%20Form%20of%20Violence.pdf Year: 2015 Country: South America URL: http://www.globalinitiative.net/download/general/central-america-caribbean/Gang%20Truce%20Form%20of%20Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 138889 Keywords: Gang SuppressionGang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Fox, Andrew M. Title: Measuring the Impact of Kansas City's No Violence Alliance Summary: In 2013 and 2014, focused deterrence / lever pulling strategies were developed and deployed in Kansas City. Stakeholders involved in this strategy included the KCPD, Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, US Attorney's Office (WD-MO), Missouri Probation and Parole, Mayor's Office and federal law enforcement. Groups involved with violence were identified utilizing street-level intelligence and analysis, and stakeholders communicated directly and repeatedly to groups the consequences of future violence and opportunities to avoid violence by leveraging social services. Community members complemented this message by challenging the violent norms of the street code of retaliatory violence. Successive Interrupted Time Series analyses indicate that homicide and gun-related aggravated assaults were significantly reduced at 1, 2, 6-month intervals. However evidence also suggests that the deterrent value waned around the 12-month post-intervention period; while homicides continued to decline modestly there was indications that gun-related aggravated assaults began to regress to the mean, raising questions about the long-term effectiveness of focused deterrence. Details: Kansas City, MO: Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2015. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2016 at: https://cas.umkc.edu/cjc/pdfs/NoVA-impact-report-Aug2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://cas.umkc.edu/cjc/pdfs/NoVA-impact-report-Aug2015.pdf Shelf Number: 138890 Keywords: Focused DeterrenceGang ViolenceGangsHomicidesViolence PreventionYouth Gangs |
Author: U.S. Department of State. Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Title: Belize Engagement: Evaluation Report Summary: CSO's evaluation of its engagement in Belize was the first formal evaluation conducted by CSO, and was conducted as an independent internal evaluation by CSO's Office of Learning and Training. The Belize engagement was a small innovative program to reduce gang activity and violence in Southside Belize City by developing mediation and community dialogue capacity. The evaluation found that mediation was very effective and showed promise for expansion, while community dialogue was resonating but making slower progress and institutional issues hampered sustainability. Recommendations of the evaluation inspired a second wave of programming to plug gaps in community dialogue training, train mediators more grounded in gang neighborhoods, and improve program management capacity of the local partner, as well as a grant from the U.S. Embassy to the local partner allowing it to hire dedicated staff. Community dialogues consequently grew eight-fold and mediators and trainers doubled. The Prime Minister praised the program for establishing "a sustainable, Belizean community-based approach to reduce violence." While other programs and factors likely contributed, the homicide rate in Belize City decreased by roughly 50% in 2013, though increasing in several other locations. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of State, 2012. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/223248.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Belize URL: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/223248.pdf Shelf Number: 138906 Keywords: Community MediationGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsHomicideViolence |
Author: Apraxine, Pierre Title: Urban Violence and Humanitarian Challenges Summary: This second colloquium organised jointly by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) aimed to present the causes and humanitarian consequences of urban violence, as well as related trends and challenges for the European Union and humanitarian actors. Two case studies have been selected, focusing on different types of violence affecting urban environments. The first case study examines pilot projects to address humanitarian needs arising from organised crime and gang violence in megacities; the second is an analysis of the humanitarian challenges emerging from urban violence in the context of uprisings, referring specifically to the lessons learned from the protests in the Arab world. Urban violence represents numerous challenges for policy makers and humanitarian actors alike. Today, more than half of the world's population lives in cities and it appears that urban centres will absorb almost all new population growth in the coming decades. It has therefore become increasingly important to understand the dynamics of violence in an urban setting. By bringing together experts, academics and representatives from various relief organisations, the ICRC and the EUISS hope to have contributed to the debate and spurred further interest in this increasingly important issue. The present publication includes summaries of both the presentations provided by the speakers and the discussions held during the colloquium. Details: Paris: EU Institute for Security Studies, 2012. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2016 at: http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Urban_violence_and_humanitarian_challenges.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Urban_violence_and_humanitarian_challenges.pdf Shelf Number: 125774 Keywords: Gang ViolenceNeighborhoods and CrimeOrganized CrimePublic DisorderUrban Areas and CrimeUrban Violence |
Author: Decker, Scott H. Title: Street Outreach Workers: Best Practices and Lessons Learned. Innovative Practices from the Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative Series Summary: Street outreach workers are an important part of the Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative (CSI) comprehensive gang and youth violence reduction strategy in Massachusetts1. Street outreach involves the use of individuals to "work the streets," making contact with youth in neighborhoods with high levels of gang activity. These individuals are generally not employed by the criminal justice system agencies but rather are based in community service organizations or other non- governmental agencies. Street outreach workers provide an important bridge between the community, gang-involved youth, and the agencies (whether social service or law enforcement) that respond to the problems of delinquency and gangs. This guide offers information, guidance, and lessons learned from street outreach programs nationally and within the Massachusetts Shannon CSI communities to help guide existing street outreach programs and support communities considering developing new street outreach programs. The guide provides the following information: - History of street outreach worker programs in the United States - Functions and characteristics of street outreach worker programs - Street outreach programs in Massachusetts - Challenges of street outreach worker programs and recommendations for success Details: Boston: Northeastern University, Institute on Race and Justice, 2008. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/funding-and-training/justice-and-prev/grants/shannon-csi/shannon-pub-4.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/funding-and-training/justice-and-prev/grants/shannon-csi/shannon-pub-4.pdf Shelf Number: 139158 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsGang ViolenceGangsJuvenile OffendersStreet Outreach ProgramsYouth Violence Prevention |
Author: Roguski, Michael Title: Youth Gangs in Counties Manukau Summary: Growing concern about escalating youth gang activity and an increase in violent assaults in Counties Manukau led government and community representatives to call for significant government intervention. As part of a co-ordinated, cross-sectoral response, the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) Centre for Social Research and Evaluation (CSRE) was asked to research the issue of youth gangs. This report details the research finding which provides an evidence-base for policy development applicable to other regions throughout New Zealand. Aims and methodology The aims of the project were to: - understand the historical, social, economic and demographic features of Counties Manukau - understand the nature of youth gangs in Counties Manukau - assess possible factors contributing to the emergence of youth gangs - ascertain the extent and impact of youth gangs - identify the factors that support or hinder optimal service provision - identify elements and features of intervention models that could be developed in Counties Manukau with a specific focus on Mangere and Otara. This research was based around a multi-method ethnographic approach that included observation, participation, document analysis, data analysis, focus groups, community meetings and interviews. The research process involved extensive engagement with stakeholders from central and local governments, community-based agencies, families or whnau, and youth participants. The fieldwork began in early November 2005 and was completed at the end of March 2006. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2008. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2016 at: http://thehub.superu.govt.nz/publication/wannabes-youth-offenders-youth-gangs-counties-manukau-research-report Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: http://thehub.superu.govt.nz/publication/wannabes-youth-offenders-youth-gangs-counties-manukau-research-report Shelf Number: 139228 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Magaloni, Beatriz Title: Killing in the Slums: An Impact Evaluation of Police Reform in Rio de Janeiro Summary: This paper evaluates the causal impact of Rio de Janeiro's Pacifying Police Units (UPPs), probably the largest-scale police reform initiative taking place in the developing world. The main goals of the UPPs were: 1) to regain control of territories previously dominated by armed criminal groups; and 2) to improve security for these communities through reduction of lethal violence. In the course of six years, more than 9,000 police officers were permanently assigned to the UPPs, servicing close to half million residents in the city slums (favelas). We are interested in understanding the process through which governments supply a basic public service - the police - in poor urban neighborhoods that have long been abandoned to the arbitrary rule of non-state armed actors. Moreover, our paper documents Rio de Janeiro's painful trajectory of police violence, illuminating some of it major institutional facilitators. Painstakingly geo-coding homicides and police killings from 2005 to 2013, we provide answers to some of the most critical questions about police use of lethal force, including the determinants of variations in who is targeted by police repression and how different strategies for policing the slums have impacted police killings. To evaluate the UPP impact on lethal violence, we use a variety of causal identification strategies that leverage spatial and temporal variation in the introduction of the UPP as well as geo-referenced data of more than 22,000 incidents of lethal violence. Our empirical models reveal that the UPP had mixed results. The introduction of the UPPs did not play a significant role in reducing murders in the favelas that were pacified. The UPP's failure to reduce homicides imply that the poor in the slums continue to be subject to two or three times higher murder rates than the white middle class. Nonetheless, the UPP is breaking long-held practices of extreme use of police lethal violence. Our empirical results convincingly demonstrate that police killings would have been 60 percent larger without the UPP intervention. Details: Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), 2015. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: CDDRL Working Paper: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/cddrl_working_paper_dec15_rio.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Brazil URL: http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/cddrl_working_paper_dec15_rio.pdf Shelf Number: 139326 Keywords: Deadly ForceDrug TraffickingFavelasGang ViolenceHomicidesPacifying Police UnitsPolice ReformPolice Use of ForceSlums |
Author: Boogert, Laura van den Title: The securitization of street gangs in El Salvador: An analysis of anti-gang policies and the gang truce of 2012 Summary: Twenty-three years have passed since the peace accords were signed in El Salvador in 1992. Ever since, its authoritarian rule and bloody civil war has ended. However, the country is far from being peaceful nowadays. On the contrary, El Salvador is among the most violent countries in the world today (SICA 2014, UNODC 2014). In the last decade, crime and homicide rates have been skyrocketing and amongst the highest in the world. Levels of violence in the region are as high as, or even higher than during the state terror, insurgency and war of the 1970's and 1980's (Oettler 2011: 262). Much of the crime in El Salvador and its neighboring countries has been ascribed to youth gangs, also known as Maras or Pandillas (Rodgers and Muggah 2009; Savenije and Van der Borgh 2009; Cruz 2010; Wolf 2011; Aguilar 2012). In the first decade of the 21st century these gangs have been portrayed as a major security threat by the media, the public, and their respective governments (Hume 2007; Savenije and Van der Borgh 2009; Bruneau 2011; Peetz 2011). Security grew into the number one priority issue in the region and became the rationale for all of the policies formulated by political leaders in Central America (Bruneau 2011: 3). The Salvadoran administration started a 'war on gangs' and carried out severe and repressive anti-gang policies, also known as Mano Dura. The idea was that security could only be safeguarded if gangs were to be repressed and more penalties and tougher sanctions would dissuade criminals and reduce criminality (Apel & Nagin 2011). However, it soon became apparent that these security policies failed shortly after they were introduced and seemed counterproductive, with gang related activity and violence rates higher than ever (Hume 2007; Savenije and Van der Borgh 2009; Rodgers 2009; Cruz 2011, Gutierrez Rivera 2011). Note that in the last few years several authors do see a trend towards a more integrated gang policy (Jutersjonke et al. 2009) and there have been several experiments with prevention and rehabilitation programs. Nonetheless, these softer approaches were never fully implemented and remained underfunded (ibid). Despite some initiatives and changes of different governmental regimes, Mano Dura continued to be the preferred choice in gang policy in the last decade. However, March 2012 heralded an important event: a unique gang truce took place in El Salvador. The two biggest and most powerful rival gangs; the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and the Barrio Dieciocho (M-18) signed a truce with each other, 'facilitated' by the government and brokered by the catholic church and a former guerrilla commander. Essentially, the truce entailed an agreement between the gangs, in which they pledged to stop killing each other and end attacks on police, military and prison staff (Cruz 2013). The Salvadoran Mara truce appeared to have a dramatic effect on violence levels. Especially in the months following the truce the murder rate dropped with a 50 percent; from an average of roughly 14 murders per day to 5.5 per day (Seelke 2014a: 11). The truce process however, is surrounded with ambiguity. Not only its level of success and its sustainability, but above all, the role the government played in it and its attitude towards it. Initially, authorities denied any involvement in the truce. Even when a Salvadoran newspaper broke the news that the truce was secretly facilitated by the Salvadoran government, the authorities kept on announcing different and contradictory stories of their role in the whole process. This generated strong criticism and enormous distrust among civil society, influential academic writers and political opponents, even within the government itself. The truce suggests that 'negotiated' solutions to counter a security problem are indeed possible (see also Farah 2013; Figueroa et al 2013; Peeters et al 2013; Seelke 2013; Van der Borgh et al 2015). The facilitation of the truce may be seen as a new 'dialogue centred' policy approach, and a step away from the government's repressive anti-gang strategies of the last decade. But the ambiguous attitude and contrasting stories of the Salvadoran government with regards to the cease-fire process, does not indicate an equivocal clear-cut and well-defined government plan, nor policy. The main aim of the thesis is to understand and explain the attitude of the Salvadoran government towards gangs and the recent gang truce. To achieve this, the thesis has a dual approach. Firstly, it seeks to investigate the development and framing of the anti-gang policies in the years preceding the gang truce (2003-2012), while uncovering the incentives and consequences behind the anti-gang policies. Secondly, this paper places a big emphasis on the gang truce of 2012 itself and the role and attitude of the government in this process. It analyzes the build-up to and implementation of the truce process, and tries to understand and explain the contradictory role of different governmental actors (proponents and opponents). In the years leading up to the truce the government had an equivocal anti-gang approach, advocated a Mano Dura gang policy and successfully 'securitized' the gang issue (Van der Borgh et al 2015). The truce could be seen as a different approach. Both government proponents and opponents of the truce framed the process and legitimized their actions in different ways. How and why did these 'securitizing actors' try to convince the public? The main question of the thesis is: "How and why did (different key actors within) the Salvadoran government frame gangs and relate to the gang truce of 2012?". To answer this question, one has to take a broader look at the government's anti-gang approach in the years preceding the truce in which the gangs were framed as a security threat. To explain and understand these policies, the research is built on the advancements of the securitization theory (Buzan, Waever 1998; Balzacq 2009). Details: Utrecht, NETH: Utrecht University, 2015. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 10. 2016 at: http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/327446/Thesis_LvdBoogert_Gangs_v2.def.pdf?sequence=2 Year: 2015 Country: El Salvador URL: http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/327446/Thesis_LvdBoogert_Gangs_v2.def.pdf?sequence=2 Shelf Number: 139365 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsStreet Gangs |
Author: Garrett, Linda Title: The First Year: A Chronology of the Gang Truce and Peace Process in El Salvador: March 2012 - March 2013 Summary: Since March of 2012, El Salvador has experienced an unprecedented drop in violence due to a truce between the countrys two largest street gangs, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. Exceeding many early expectations, the truce has lasted over a year, and evolved to encompass a broader peace process within Salvadoran society. The extent to which the Salvadoran government has been involved in the process, even the nature of its involvement, remains uncertain and is a source of contention. But, the ongoing truce and peace process presents real lessons and serious public policy implications and now, with many communities signing on to the "violence-free municipality" initiative and thousands of lives saved by an over 50% reduction in homicides, much is at stake. Even before news of the truce was broadly known, the Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) had been monitoring the unfolding process in El Salvador, when a Salvadoran government official hinted to us in February 2012 that a dialogue between the gangs might be underway. In the pages below, we present our chronology of the process compiled over the last year, which details this historic series of events. The chronology provides a more complete picture of the process as it developed day-by-day during the first year: from the original confusing, contradictory versions of its creation, to the various commitments and good-will gestures offered by gang leaders. The truces advances and setbacks are chronicled, alongside the suspicions and distrust expressed by many Salvadorans. It also records the critical support provided by the Organization of American States (OAS). Finally, the chronology helps us understand the motivations of the facilitators and gang leaders. It gives us a glimpse into the lives and thoughts of young people who are struggling to find a way out of tumultuous lives of poverty, crime and often unspeakable violence. This chronology, focused on the gang truce and peace process, complements CDA's extensive coverage of developments in El Salvador. It is CDA's hope that the full telling of this story will encourage the debate and reflection, already underway in El Salvador, about the issues of exclusion and poverty, so closely connected to the causes of and solutions for the violence. The human dimensions highlighted here are crucial when considering policy choices; choices that heavily impact the lives of so many Salvadorans, not only in El Salvador but also in the diaspora. The Salvadoran government faces the challenges of developing a coherent public policy, that recognizes the possibility of human transformation from criminal to productive lives, and providing resources to implement that policy. If successful, the peace process could perhaps be the most significant legacy of the current government. It should be emphasized that the truce in itself is not the solution, but it has transformed the conversation from repression to prevention and rehabilitation. As President Funes said, the only options for youth have been to emigrate or join a gang for survival. To change that dynamic, the peace process must be institutionalized and funded as part of a long-term strategy to provide educational and job opportunities to all at-risk youth in the historically impoverished barrios and municipalities of the country. Advocacy of the peace process does not signify impunity for crimes committed. Nor does it reflect ignorance of the horrific violence inflicted on the Salvadoran people and their communities in recent decades: the murders of thousands of youths; the savagery of sexual violence; dismembered bodies; clandestine cemeteries; the uprooting of fearful families, and the scourge of extortion. Advocacy does mean a belief in the possibility of redemption. It reflects aspirations for an inclusive, nonviolent, democratic future for the country. "If it doesn't work," Bishop Colindres said, "we will have lost a little effort and illusions, but if it works the country will have found peace." Details: Washington, DC: Center for Democracy in the Americas, 2013. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 11, 2016 at: http://democracyinamericas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/First-Year-Chronology-of-El-Salvadors-Gang-Truce.pdf Year: 2013 Country: El Salvador URL: http://democracyinamericas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/First-Year-Chronology-of-El-Salvadors-Gang-Truce.pdf Shelf Number: 139373 Keywords: Barrio 18Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsMara SalvatruchaViolence Prevention |
Author: Carballo, Willian Title: The truce and everyday life in a violence-free municipality: The case of Santa Tecla in El Salvador Summary: Youth gangs are the main source of violence in El Salvador. After repressive measures to defeat the gangs failed, the government decided in 2012 to support a process called the "truce." Under its terms, El Salvador's two most important gangs pledged to reduce violence in exchange for an end to state repression against gang members and the establishment of reintegration programs. On the local level, the process led to the creation of violence-free municipalities - areas in which local authorities promote and support the truce through reintegration and violence prevention measures. Lately, in violence-free municipalities the gangs have boosted their role as agents of control through the "administration" of the crime rate. In this study I investigate the impact of the truce at the local level and in the everyday lives of the inhabitants of the municipality of Santa Tecla, and in particular the communities of San Rafael and San Jose El Pino. I look into the community members' perceptions of the truce, the actual impact of the truce at the local level, as well as the role that gangs now play in these municipalities. Details: Bielefeld, Universitat Bielefeld, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Violence Research and Development Project - Papers - No. 11: Accessed June 11, 2016 at: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/icvr/docs/carballo.pdf Year: 2015 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/icvr/docs/carballo.pdf Shelf Number: 139379 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsViolence PreventionYouth Gangs |
Author: Ives-Allison, Nicole Dorothea Title: P Stones and Provos: Group Violence in Northern Ireland and Chicago Summary: Although the government of the United States of America was established to protect the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness among all American citizens, this thesis argues intractable gang violence in inner-city Chicago has persistently denied these rights, in turn undermining fundamental (and foundational) American political values. Thus, gang violence can be argued to represent a threat to both civil order and state legitimacy. Yet, where comparable (and generally lower) levels of community-level violence in Northern Ireland garnered the sustained attention and direct involvement of the United Kingdom's central government, the challenge posed by gang violence has been unappreciated, if not ignored, by the American federal government. In order to mobilise the political commitment and resources needed to find a durable resolution to Chicago's long and often anarchic 'uncivil war', it is first necessary to politicise the problem and its origins. Contributing to this politicisation, this thesis explains why gang violence in Chicago has been unable to capture the political imagination of the American government in a way akin to paramilitary (specifically republican) violence in Northern Ireland. Secondly, it explains how the depoliticisation of gang violence has negatively affected response, encouraging the continued application of inadequate and largely ineffective response strategies. Finally, it makes the case that, while radical, a conditional agreement-centric peace process loosely modelled on that employed in Northern Ireland might offer the most effective strategy for restoring the sense of peace and security to inner-city Chicago lost over half a century ago. Details: St. Andrews, Scotland: University of St. Andrews, 2015. 216p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 21, 2016 at: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/6925 Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/6925 Shelf Number: 139786 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related Violence Gangs Political Violence Youth Gangs |
Author: Denman, Kristine Title: Evaluation of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Area Project Safe Neighborhoods Summary: Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a violent crime reduction initiative sponsored by the Department of Justice (DOJ). It has been in operation for over a decade and has been implemented in jurisdictions throughout the country. It began with a focus on firearm crimes, and in 2006, expanded to include gang crimes. The current initiative is intended to address violent crime, gun crime, and gang crime in Bernalillo County and the surrounding Native American communities, including Isleta Pueblo and To'hajiilee. Across the country, United States Attorney's Offices (USAO) coordinate PSN efforts in their respective districts. The USAO designates a Task Force Coordinator (also referred to herein as the "law enforcement coordinator") whose charge is to convene a PSN Task Force that brings together representatives from law enforcement and prosecution at all jurisdictional levels (local, tribal, state, and federal), as well as community leaders, research partners, and others. These Task Force meetings are a venue for planning, reporting on, and refining PSN activities and initiatives. In addition to managing these efforts, the PSN Task Force Coordinator reports to the Department of Justice regarding the implementation and short-term success of local PSN efforts. New Mexico has had the opportunity to engage in a number of Project Safe Neighborhoods projects in a variety of locations throughout the state. This PSN effort intended to build on those prior initiatives by engaging with established partners, utilizing strategic efforts developed previously, and using other proven resources and strategies developed previously through other efforts like Weed & Seed. This PSN project intends to expand on prior efforts by addressing the concerns of nearby Native American communities, particularly with respect to the transference of criminal activity and values across jurisdictional boundaries, and by addressing the impact of violent crime on urban Native Americans both as victims and offenders. As part of the research support and evaluation efforts for this PSN project, the New Mexico Statistical Analysis Center (NM SAC) at the University of New Mexico's Institute for Social Research has contracted with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety to conduct a process evaluation. Besides documenting project activities, this evaluation focuses on documenting the activities and collaboration that occurred, the perceived impact and success of the initiative, facilitators and barriers to implementation, and directions for future growth. Details: Albuquerque: New Mexico Statistical Analysis Center, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://isr.unm.edu/reports/2016/evaluation-of-bernalillo-county-metropolitan-area-psn.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://isr.unm.edu/reports/2016/evaluation-of-bernalillo-county-metropolitan-area-psn.pdf Shelf Number: 139804 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceNeighborhoods and CrimeProject Safe NeighborhoodsViolenceViolence PreventionViolent Crime |
Author: McGarrell, Edmund F. Title: Detroit Project Safe Neighborhoods: Final Project Report Summary: Detroit Project S afe Neighborhoods (PSN), known as the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership, involved a multi - agency collaboration of local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies, community partners, and a research partner following a data - driven strategic effor t to reduce gun and gang violence. The strategy combined focused enforcement with youth outreach and intervention. Detroit PSN focused on two high violent crime precincts on the westside of Detroit (6 th and 8 th precincts). Participants in the PSN/CVRP expressed consensus that the initiative resulted in enhanced communication and coordination among partnering agencies resulting in enhanced capacity to proactively address gun - and gang - related violence. There was clear evidence of significant activities as a result of PSN including long - term investigations and prosecution of violent street groups; prosecution of chronic violent offenders; probation and parole compliance checks; directed police patrols in gun hotspots; school - based prevention; and communit y engagement. Gun crime trends suggested declines in overall gun crime with the most apparent effect on armed robbery. The bottom line is that the level of gun crime victimization declined in the target area, particularly in 2014 after PSN was fully operational ( - 17%) . The difficulty is in interpreting the extent to which these declines in gun violence were attributable to PSN. The citywide data showed similar declines in gun violence that began earlier than the declines observed in the PSN target a rea. Thus, it is an open question of whether various initiatives such as COMPSTAT, Detroit One, MSP directed patrols, MDOC utilization of field agents and joint compliance checks, Ceasefire, improved economic conditions, or other factors were affecting ci tywide gun crime trends. It is impossible to clarify whether PSN contrib uted to the City's overall decline or whether the PSN target area benefitted from these broader forces. The most persuasive evidence of a PSN gun crime reduction impact came from a c omparison with "synthetic control areas". The synthetic controls were constructed by identifying police scout car areas most similar to the 6 th and 8 th precincts. This comparison indicated that in 2014 the PSN target area experienced a 9 percent decline in gun crime when compared to the most similar areas of Detroit. When coupled with the very positive reports from PSN/CVRP team members, this suggests that PSN had a positive impact on the capacity of the partnering agencies and on gun crime in the 6 th and 8 th precincts. Details: East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, Michigan Justice Statistics Center, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2016 at: http://cj.msu.edu/assets/Detroit_PSN-Final_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://cj.msu.edu/assets/Detroit_PSN-Final_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 140044 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceProject Safe NeighborhoodsViolent Crime |
Author: Day, Christopher Title: The Bangui Carousel: How the recycling of political elites reinforces instability and violence in the Central African Republic Summary: The successful February 2016 election of President Faustin Archange Touadera marks a new beginning for the Central African Republic (CAR) and provides hope that the country is now stabilizing after three years of violence and political transition. Touadera has been endorsed by many of his political opponents, and the country remained largely peaceful in the weeks following the elections. But CAR is still a long way from political stability. If policymakers fail to address the structural issues that led to the crisis in CAR, the country is likely to repeat its violent past. Sworn in on March 30, Touadera, a former math teacher and prime minister, faces massive challenges. Armed groups and criminal gangs continue to destabilize the countryside, controlling valuable mining areas and commercial towns where they extort illicit taxes and trade diamonds and gold. More than 2 million people, or half of the country's population, are experiencing hunger; close to 415,000 people remain internally displaced, and 467,000 refugees are only slowly trickling back. Thousands of people have been killed since the March 2013 military coup by the Seleka alliance and the violence that followed. CAR has endured persistent violence and instability for decades. Institutional weakness, poverty, and exclusion do much to explain the country's history of disorder. But by significant measure, it is also the deliberate maintenance of such weakness by a small political elite that is at the root of CAR's endemic kleptocracy, a source of political instability, and a driver of violence in the country. Whether ushered in by coup or popular election, successive governments have proved unable to bring about meaningful change in CAR, in part because of the pattern of appointing many of the same people - often relatives and personal friends - to senior government offices. In sum, successive rulers in CAR have maintained authority largely by centralizing control where possible, and extended personal rule by dispensing patronage in return for political support, in particular by personally appointing to senior posts those who served in previous governments or trusted family members. This system has fostered division between the capital and the countryside, incubated the grievances of armed groups, and above all, created significant incentives to hijack the state through violence. This occurs as groups have competed for control of the state to access resources and privileges, instead of to benefit Central Africans. This elite recycling is a key component of what we present here as the "Bangui Carousel" to reflect the many people who rotate through the country's regimes, time and again. This pattern of elite recycling, which is not per se unique to CAR, is more critical in this country than elsewhere because it is interwoven with a near-complete lack of governance. There are few effective state or local government institutions, making the role and impact of the recycled individual leaders that much more potent. Unfortunately, it has been the complete dismantling of institutional checks and balances, the weakening of political parties and civil society organizations, and the use of violence to suppress opposition that have been the hallmark of many of these leaders. This combination of elite recycling on top of a governmental and civic system with little to no capacity and that often reinforces its hold on power through violence defines the Bangui Carousel. It is at the heart of what passes for Central African governance. The recycling and maintenance of a small group of elites - regardless of leadership at the top - combined with the absence of effective state institutions is a fundamental feature of government in CAR. Understanding this matters most to address the structural roots of the country's persistent instability and eventually stop the Bangui Carousel from spinning, so that government can bring about the change the country desperately needs. The recycling of elites is present throughout much of CAR's modern history. To illustrate patterns of elite recycling, the report focuses on appointments to government ministries since early 2013. To gather information and supplement field research, the authors analyzed hundreds of presidential decrees, 15 of which provided information about government reorganizations ordered by former Presidents Francois Bozize, Michel Djotodia, and Catherine Samba-Panza. This was then used to develop an overview of the members in each government and their inter-connections. The report then focuses on some of the individuals who have participated in or benefited from the Bangui Carousel. Those in the report were selected for different reasons: their affiliations with different armed groups, their mere affiliation with past regimes, potential connections to corruption, or their family ties, each of which tends to undermine the possibility of good governance. The analysis has been done with the objective to understand how groups and individuals get access to the Bangui Carousel and how they often benefit from their political appointments at the expense of CAR's citizens or simply forfeit the government's ability to earn the public's trust. Reference to any particular individual in this report does not, in and of itself, mean the individual is responsible for the violence or corruption that typically flows from the Bangui Carousel system. Rather, we highlight these individuals simply to demonstrate how the elite recycling element of the Bangui Carousel has worked. Subsequent reports will examine the governance elements in more detail, as well as the role of foreign powers, such as France and Chad, in perpetuating the system. To disrupt, and eventually, stop the entirety of the Carousel, accountability and effective governance must exist in CAR. And in place of the Carousel, a system of principled governance and greater merit-based criteria for appointments responsive to the needs of ordinary Central Africans must be established. A way forward to accomplish this in part is addressed in a series of recommendations. Details: Washington, DC: Enough Project, 2016. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/bangui-carousel-how-recycling-political-elites-reinforces-instability-and-violence-central-a Year: 2016 Country: Central African Republic URL: http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/bangui-carousel-how-recycling-political-elites-reinforces-instability-and-violence-central-a Shelf Number: 140150 Keywords: Gang ViolenceIllegal TradeMining IndustryPolitical CorruptionViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Biderman, Ciro Title: Pax Monopolista and Crime: The Case of the Emergence of the Primeiro Comando da Capital in Sao Paulo Summary: This paper documents a rare phenomenon: the consequence of the dominance of a single criminal gang in the city of Sao Paulo, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). Using unique data to identify entry in geographically well-delimited areas - the Favelas - we explore the timing of the expansion of geographical dominance to estimate the causal impact of its dominance on property and violent crime. Pax Monopolista caused a reduction in violent crime but no impact on property crime. Details: Caracas, Venezuela: Development Bank of Latin America, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper No. 2014/03: Accessed September 20, 2016 at: http://scioteca.caf.com/bitstream/handle/123456789/712/paxmonopolista-crime-primeirocomandodacapital-saopaulo.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2014 Country: Brazil URL: http://scioteca.caf.com/bitstream/handle/123456789/712/paxmonopolista-crime-primeirocomandodacapital-saopaulo.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 140365 Keywords: FavelasGang ViolenceGangsProperty CrimeViolent Crime |
Author: National Gang Intelligence Center Title: 2015 National Gang Report Summary: The purpose of the 2015 NGR [National Gang Report] is to provide a national overview of the current gang threat in the United States by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing data obtained from law enforcement agencies across the nation. The assessments contained herein were derived from data provided by law enforcement through the '2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey', the NAGIA [National Alliance of Gang Investigators' Association] '2015 National Gang Report Survey', law enforcement reporting, and open source information. One hundred and nine respondents completed the '2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey' to create a representative sample of the five Safe Streets and Gang Task Force geographic regions. Combining data from the Safe Streets and Gang Task Forces allowed the NGIC to incorporate data from our partner agencies who participate on task forces, but did not complete the NAGIA '2015 National Gang Report Survey'. Thus, data from the '2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey' was combined with 569 responses from the four components of the NAGIA '2015 National Gang Report Survey', law enforcement reporting, and open source information to develop a holistic picture of current gang activity across the country. Details: Washington, DC: National Gang Intelligence Center, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2016 at: https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=792574 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=792574 Shelf Number: 146148 Keywords: Criminal NetworksGang Violence Gang-Related Violence Gangs (U.S.) |
Author: Lipscombe, Sally Title: Knives and offensive weapons Summary: The criminal law sets out two main categories of offence relating to knives and offensive weapons: offences relating to possession, and offences relating to sale and supply.For example, it is an offence to possess an offensive weapon or bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place or on school premises. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 introduced a new aggravated form of these possession offences,which is committed when the person in possession of the weapon uses it to threaten another in such a way that there is an immediate risk of serious physical harm to that other person.Offenders aged 16 or over convicted of the new aggravated offences will receive a mandatory custodial sentence.In June 2008 the Home Office launched the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP),which focused on the police response to teenage knife crime. TKAP came to an end in March 2011. Home Office research concluded that, while there had been reductions in serious violence involving teenagers and young adults across the country between 2007 and 2010, there was little discernible difference between those areas targeted by the TKAP programme and those that were not. It was not therefore possible to directly attribute reductions in the TKAP areas to TKAP activities.In June 2010 the Government asked Brooke Kinsella, a former Eastenders actress whose younger brother Ben murdered in a knife attack in 2008, to review and assess anti-knife crime projects in place across England and Wales. The outcome of her review was published on 2 February 2011. Recommendations included greater anti-knife crime work inschools and better early intervention with younger children.On the same date as Brooke Kinsella’s review was published, the Home Secretary announced £18 million of ring-fenced funding to help tackle teenage knife, gun and gang violence. Yvette Cooper, the shadow Home Secretary, argued that the Government's announcement of new funding was "disingenuous" as it came alongside cuts to the budgets of police, local authorities and youth services. For statistics, please see Library Standard Note 4304 Knife crime statistics.This information is provided to Members of Parliament in support of their parliamentary duties and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual. It should not be relied upon as being up to date; the law or policies may have changed since it was last updated; and it should not be relied upon as legal or professional advice or as a substitute for it. A suitably qualified professional should be consulted if specific advice or information is required.This information is provided subject to our general terms and conditions which are available online or may be provided on request in hard copy. Authors are available to discuss the content of this briefing with Members and their staff, but not with the general public. Details: London: House of Commons Library, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Standard Note: SN/HA/330: Accessed November 12, 2016 at: http://fliphtml5.com/bxkl/vsit/basic Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://fliphtml5.com/bxkl/vsit/basic Shelf Number: 141114 Keywords: Gang ViolenceKnife Crime Knives Violent Crime |
Author: Mahamed, Mahamed Rage Title: Developing a Monitoring and Evaluation System for the Ceasefire Gang Violence programme in Hanover Park, Cape Town Summary: This study is a formative evaluation of the Ceasefire gang violence programme in Hanover Park, Cape Town, South Africa. The primary audience of this evaluation is the Ceasefire programme management. The Ceasefire programme is a project of the City of Cape Town's Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading Unit (VPUU). The Ceasefire programme is run by the First Community Resource Centre (FCRC) in Hanover Park. The main aim of this evaluation is to develop a results-based monitoring and evaluation system for the Ceasefire programme. This evaluation has responded to the following four evaluation questions: 1. What is the programme theory of the Ceasefire gang violence programme? 2. Is the Ceasefire programme theory plausible? 3. How can the Ceasefire gang violence programme be tailor-made to the South African Cape Flats gang violence context? 4. What is a proper result-based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the Ceasefire programme? To respond to the first evaluation question listed above, the Ceasefire programme documents and records were examined and interviews were held with the programme management. The information obtained through this research was used to develop an impact and process theory for the Ceasefire programme. The developed programme theory can be summarized in the following sentence: gang violence problem will be reduced in Hanover Park community if the Ceasefire Programme intervenes and interrupts gang violence at the street level, if the programme provides identified clients with behavioural modification training and refers them to social services and the programme educates the community to change their violent norms and values. To respond to the second evaluation question a literature review on approaches used to deal with gang violence problems in communities was conducted. In addition to this, evaluation findings of programmes that use gang violence approaches that are similar to the Ceasefire programme approach discussed. The reviewed literature has revealed that there are four common approaches that are used to solve the problem of gang violence in communities. These four approaches are prevention, intervention/disengagement, suppression/law enforcement, and multiple approach models. This dissertation has explained that the Ceasefire programme uses the multiple approach models to solve gang violence problems in Hanover Park. Furthermore, this dissertation has explained that programmes such as the Ceasefire programme that use the multiple approach models are plausible in reducing gang violence problems in communities. To respond to the third evaluation question listed above, a literature review was conducted to find out the causes of gang violence in the Cape Flats communities. The activities that the Ceasefire programme management have done to tailor the programme to the local context was also discussed. This information was used to make the following recommendations to further tailor the Ceasefire programme to the local context: To prevent the youth in the community who are at risk to join gangs and or involve in gang violence, the Ceasefire programme needs to develop a gang violence prevention outreach programme for the schools in the community which targets the school going youths. To help the individual gang members to exit their gang life and prevent them from involving in gang violence, the Ceasefire programme needs to establish a peer-to-peer outreach programme by employing rehabilitated programme participants who have graduated from the programme as peer educators for fellow gangs in the community. To facilitate the gangs to exit their gang life, the Ceasefire programme needs to provide a Safe House facility outside of the Hanover Park community for the programme participants who would like to exit their gang life. To further help the programme participants to abandon their gang life, the Ceasefire programme also needs to provide a tattoo removal service for the programme participants that would like the tattoos on their body to be removed. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: University of Cape Town, 2013. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Master Dissertation: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://cureviolence.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/dissertation.pdf Year: 2013 Country: South Africa URL: http://cureviolence.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/dissertation.pdf Shelf Number: 145128 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceHomicidesOperation CeasefireViolence Prevention |
Author: Yousuf, Sarah Title: CeaseFire: Breaking Through the Impenetrable Gang World to Eradicate Violence Summary: Gang violence is a pervasive issue that adversely affects urban populations such as Cape Town. Though such violence is rooted in poor inner-city slums, its effects are far-reaching, with violence spilling over into other realms of society. Gang violence tears apart families and leaves communities to live in constant fear and intimidation of gangs. Numerous violence prevention initiatives have been developed throughout the decades to combat gangsterism and gang violence, yet no long-lasting strategy has been achieved thus far. Various explanations have been put forth as to why these programs are ultimately unsustainable, yet the same types of programs continuously re-emerge, only to be shut down because they have no appreciable effect on gang violence. Over the decades, a pattern of violence and violence prevention has developed. Typically, a spate of killings related to gang warfare occurs, the community's outcry leads to a short-term solution and the problem is temporarily abated. Within months, however, violence erupts yet again. This failed pattern repeats itself because the response to gang violence revolves around two core principles -- the community must become more active and involved with curbing gang violence, and law enforcement must be tougher on policing and apprehending the offenders. Absent from these solutions is the very source of the problem itself, fully engaging gangsters in a long-term solution to end the violence. Short-term solutions involve gang members in a very limited way, and only after a particularly notorious incident of gang violence has already occurred. For example, gang members have been repeatedly called upon to enter into conflict mediation and peace pacts so as to end gang warfare. As a result of these pacts, violence temporarily desists for a few months. However, no other support systems are put into place to ensure that the peace continues, and ultimately, violence breaks out again. Gang members have also been approached to engage in other pursuits besides gang activity, such as becoming involved in local football teams. Again, such solutions are merely hasty and immediate answers that avoid the more deeply-rooted and complex issues that these young adults face on a day-to-day basis. Playing football for a few hours does not address the problem of broken homes, drug addiction, and the trauma that comes with living in a violent culture. Nonetheless, the community sees any sort of engagement with gangs as a last resort to stopping crime and no attempts are made to have gang members reintegrate into society. Rather, the problem is seen as a war between gangs and the community. The other traditional solution, besides community involvement, is tougher law enforcement. However, the lack of manpower and resources available to the police, compounded with the fact that the police are viewed with suspicion in the Cape Flats, makes more effective law enforcement also difficult to sustain. Frustrated with the inappropriate response to gang violence by the police, communities have resorted to taking the law into their own hands, with organisations such as PAGAD forming. However, having organisations carry out their own form of vigilante justice can be dangerous. These organisations have been known to respond to gang violence by attacking gang members themselves, and the consequence has been that violence continued unabated. Such previous tactics focus on the notion that gangsters are thugs or skollies, who are condemned to a life of delinquency and violence. The tendency has been to pit the community against gangsters, and if gangs were to be a part of any solution, it must be with their minimal involvement. However, gang members need much more support by the community if gang violence is to be reduced. What is needed is a holistic community approach that centres around and actively includes gang members. Rather than just dealing with gangsters in a minimal fashion, it is necessary to engage them and motivate them to change themselves. CeaseFire is one such program that looks at gangsters in this light and is ground-breaking in its work. This paper evaluates the CeaseFire model within the context of the South African community that it operates in, Hanover Park. The CeaseFire model can work, because any community approach to addressing gang violence must include reaching out to gang members themselves. However, as the model itself affirms, this approach can only work within the context of an integrated community response. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: University of Cape Town, 2013. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed February 13, 2017 at: https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/item/4321/thesis_law_2013_yusuf_sarah.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2013 Country: South Africa URL: https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/item/4321/thesis_law_2013_yusuf_sarah.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 145117 Keywords: CeasefireGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsViolence Prevention |
Author: Mesa de Sociedad Civil contra el Desplazamiento Forzado por Violencia y Crimen Organizado en El Salvacor Title: Desplazamiento Interno Por Violencia: Y Crimen Organizado en El Salvador. Informe 2016 (International Displacement Due to Violence and Organized Gang Violence in El Salvador) Summary: The government of El Salvador has been unable to deter organized gang violence plaguing many of its municipalities and communities. Violence against children, extortion of businesses and land owners, femicide, physical assaults, and threats from local and rival gangs has contributed to forced displacement among El Salvador's citizens. Several international non-government organizations are working with the El Salvadoran government in search of solutions. The impact of gang violence has many citizens seeking asylum in the United States and other areas. Details: La mesa de Sociedad Civil contra el Desplazamiento Forzado por Violencia y Crimen Organizado de El, 2016. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: (In Spanish): Accessed February 15, 2017 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5784803ebe6594ad5e34ea63/t/5880c66b2994ca6b1b94bb77/1484834488111/Desplazamiento+interno+por+violencia+-+Informe+2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: El Salvador URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5784803ebe6594ad5e34ea63/t/5880c66b2994ca6b1b94bb77/1484834488111/Desplazamiento+interno+por+violencia+-+Informe+2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147327 Keywords: ExtortionFemicideGang ViolenceGang-Relations ViolenceGangsViolent Crime |
Author: Savenije, Wim Title: Políticas de seguridad en El Salvador (Security Policies in El Salvador) Summary: English Summary: This article analyzes the policies implemented in El Salvador with the aim of reducing violence and crimes related to street gangs between 2003 and 2013. After analyzing the central features of these policies, it concludes that despite the profound differences, In all cases of short-term measures, which sought instant solutions to complicated and long-term security problems - whether in a hard-hitting style or in the form of dialogue with gangs and facilitating a truce - have failed to improve the situation of insecurity. Far from it, they have strengthened the gangs and have caused a severe restriction of the opportunities of the young people not included in this type of organization. Details: Buenos Aires: Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences. National University of La Plata, 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Cuestiones de Sociología, nº 10; Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://www.cuestionessociologia.fahce.unlp.edu.ar/article/view/CSn10a09/6073 Year: 2014 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.cuestionessociologia.fahce.unlp.edu.ar/article/view/CSn10a09/6073 Shelf Number: 141310 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsStreet Gangs |
Author: Palomo Contreras, Areli Title: Friendly Mistrust: Coping with the Rule of Gangs in a Salvadoran Community Summary: This study focuses on strategies or practices that members of a Salvadoran community have incorporated to their everyday life in order to cope with gangs. Through time, gangs in El Salvador have transformed into powerful social actors, and currently, their dynamics distort the quotidian life of those who live under their rule. I argue that gangs have imposed rules or constraints to people's behavior, and that community members have incorporated these rules and produced practices to co-exist with gangs or to survive their rule. Among these practices of co-existence, I describe precautionary strategies, negotiations and finally exile. This research is based on an ethnographic fieldwork that took place from July to September 2014 in a Salvadoran community of the state of La Libertad. I conducted 35 semi-structured interviews and participant observation during the above-mentioned period. I conclude that, through these strategies, it is possible to observe that gangs are parallel structures of power to the Salvadoran state and that in some cases strategies to cope with gangs also reproduce their power. Details: San Diego: University of California at San Diego, 2016. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16p6z2d9 Year: 2016 Country: El Salvador URL: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16p6z2d9 Shelf Number: 141314 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangs |
Author: Idris, Iffat Title: Youth unemployment and violence: Rapid Literature Review Summary: This literature review looks at the evidence for a causal link between youth unemployment and violence in stable developing countries, focusing on crime, gang violence and domestic violence. It also looks at the effectiveness of donor programming to address this issue, and identifies areas where further research is needed. Perceived link between youth unemployment and violence The literature shows a strong acceptance of the assumption that youth unemployment is a factor leading to violence - both criminality and youth participation in political violence and armed groups. The hypothesis is that, without jobs, young people are prone to violence and pose a threat to society. This is thought to be particularly the case in countries with a high proportion of young people - 'youth bulges'. A search for empirical evidence to back up this hypothesis reveals two critical points: 1) a lack of consistency about terminology and definitions; and 2) a lack of data. Youth is defined differently in different countries/regions and by different agencies: whereas the UN defines youth as the age group from 15 to 24 years old, it can include someone as young as 12 or as old as 35. There also tends to be an assumption that youth in the context of unemployment and violence refers only to young males, not females. Moreover, there is ambiguity about whether it is unemployment or under-employment and the quality of work young people have that is relevant. Finding accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive, gender and age-disaggregated data on youth in developing countries is a major challenge. This is arguably even more the case in relation to unemployment and violence than in 'traditional' development sectors such as education and health. Details: Birmingham, UK: GSDRC, University of Birmingham, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58c8019640f0b67ec500018c/YouthUnemployment_Violence.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58c8019640f0b67ec500018c/YouthUnemployment_Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 145147 Keywords: Developing CountriesDomestic ViolenceEconomics of CrimeGang ViolenceUnemployment and CrimeYouthful Offenders |
Author: Virginia. Department of State Police Title: Bloods street gang intelligence report Summary: The Bloods street gang has become one of the most violent and notorious criminal organizations, spreading its influence in the U.S. from coast to coast. A traditionally African American gang, Bloods membership today includes Caucasians, Hispanics, and Asians. Blood members are involved in a variety of criminal activities including murder, assault, robbery, and narcotics distribution. Nationally, gang membership in the Bloods has been estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 members. Blood sets range from highly organized and structured groups similar to the Italian Mafia to loosely organized cliques with little discipline and loyalty. The Bloods have grown in popularity over the years thanks in part to the proliferation of music, movies, and television shows glorifying the "gangsta" lifestyle as well as social networking sites and the vast amount of information on the gang available on the Internet. Current intelligence gathered by the Virginia Fusion Center and other law enforcement agencies indicates the Bloods are a significant criminal threat to the Commonwealth and will continue to grow in numbers and operational scope. Details: North Chesterfield, VA: Virginia Department of State Police, 2008. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2017 at: https://info.publicintelligence.net/BloodsStreetGangIntelligenceReport.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: https://info.publicintelligence.net/BloodsStreetGangIntelligenceReport.pdf Shelf Number: 145986 Keywords: Bloods Gang ViolenceGangs |
Author: Lumsden, Andrew Title: Black, Green, Gold and Too Much Red: Jamaica's Struggle with Gang Violence Summary: The heinous execution-style murder of 2-year-old Demario Whyte in downtown Kingston on August 23- along with unleashing a wave a fear, anger, and sorrow across the community- has highlighted the urgent need for a solution to Jamaica's epidemic of rampant gang violence. Authorities believe the child's murder was part of a gang feud possibly involving his father, who was also shot during the incident but survived. Eighty percent of all illicit activity in Jamaica is connected to criminal gangs, of which nearly 300 exist island-wide. Jamaica has struggled with gang violence for decades. Successive governments - including, so far, that of current Prime Minister Andrew Holness - have emphasized the use of punitive measures such as curfews and military deployment to stem the tide of violence. All have had only limited successes. While law enforcement is no doubt a necessary component in the fight against gang violence, Jamaican authorities must place significantly more focus than they have on social development programs in inner-city communities, and on building stronger relationships with the law-abiding majorities in these places who too often feel neglected and mistreated by the state. Details: Washington, DC: Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2017 at: http://www.coha.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Jamainca-Lumsden.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Jamaica URL: http://www.coha.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Jamainca-Lumsden.pdf Shelf Number: 146220 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsHomicides |
Author: Barlean, Mary Kathryn Title: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13): The Imminent Threat Inside Our Borders and Throughout the Continent Summary: For the past decade, citizens, governments, and scholars alike have expressed ongoing concerns about the increasing rates of violent crimes committed by drug traffickers, organized criminal groups, and gangs within the United States and Central America. The gang Mara Salvatrucha, familiarly known as MS-13, arguably presents the largest threat to national and regional security. The gang's relatively recent emergence, growth, and expansion has raised serious concern. The criminal group is responsible for a multitude of crimes that directly threaten the welfare of citizens and state security from the suburbs of Washington D.C. to slums in Central American. This gang's coast-to-coast presence plagues cities and communities across the United States, claiming territory in at least 42 states. MS-13 now claims 10,000 members in the U.S. and 70,000 Latin American members across the entire American continent (FBI 2008). The U.S. government's concerns about gangs have heightened with the increasing growth of MS-13, both in membership and sophistication. Congress maintains an interest in crime and gang violence in Central America, as well as the related activities of the U.S. branches of MS-13 within our borders. Central American governments, the media, and some scholars have attributed a significant proportion of violent crime plaguing the region to the recent globalization of U.S. gang culture. This thesis provides a current overview of the threat posed by MS-13, as well its historical origins and evolution as a criminal organization. The first half analyzes the birth of the gang in Los Angeles in the 1980s and the political factors contributing to MS-13's continental migration south over the past two decades. American criminal deportations play an important role in the transnational nature of MS-13 and will be analyzed. Many blame U.S. deportation policies for the globalization of the gang and fueling the current gang epidemic in Central America. Subsequently, the context in which the gang operates within Central America, specifically in El Salvador is examined. Many scholars and government officials agree that the suppressive policies enacted by Central American states, specifically the Mano Dura ("hard hand") laws have failed at countering both MS-13 membership and its associated crime and violence. The latter half of this thesis focuses on the evolution of U.S. policy responses, at the international level, enacted to address the security implications posed by MS-13. The concern of this thesis is not whether the U.S. government is responding but rather if its responses are designed and implemented thoughtfully so that the limited funding is allocated effectively. Policymakers in the U.S. and Central American are struggling to find the right combination of suppressive and preventive policies to combat MS-13. Most analysts agree that a more comprehensive, regional approach to the sophisticated gang is necessary to prevent further escalation of the problems created by the gang's illicit activity Details: Monmouth, OR: Western Oregon University, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: http://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=honors_theses Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://digitalcommons.wou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=honors_theses Shelf Number: 148173 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related Violence Gangs Mara Salvatrucha MS-13 |
Author: InSight Crime Title: MS13 in the Americas: How the World's Most Notorious Gang Defies Logic, Resists Destruction Summary: The Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) is one of the world's largest and arguably most violent street gangs. After relatively humble beginnings in Los Angeles in the 1980s, it has spread to more than a half-dozen countries and become a central focus of law enforcement in two hemispheres. In spite of these efforts, the MS13 remains a persistent threat and shows signs of expanding its criminal portfolio. This report attempts to explain what makes the MS13 such a difficult problem for authorities to tackle. It focuses on assisting law enforcement's understanding of the gang's criminal activities, but it includes deep discussion on the social and political issues around the MS13. Below are our major findings. The MS13 is a largely urban phenomenon that has cells operating in two continents. The MS13 has between 50,000 and 70,000 members who are concentrated in mostly urban areas in Central America or locations outside the region where there is a large Central American diaspora. In Honduras and Guatemala, the gang is still largely urban. In El Salvador, however, the gang has steadily spread into more rural areas. Expansion beyond urban areas has also happened in places in the United States, most notably in Long Island and North Carolina, and increasingly California. The gang has appeared as well in Europe, specifically in urban areas of Spain and Italy. The size of the gang in these settings varies greatly and fluctuates, mostly in accordance with law enforcement efforts and migration patterns unrelated to the gang. The MS13 is a social organization first, and a criminal organization second. The MS13 is a complex phenomenon. The gang is not about generating revenue as much as it is about creating a collective identity that is constructed and reinforced by shared, often criminal experiences, especially acts of violence and expressions of social control. The MS13 draws on a mythic notion of community, a team concept, and an ideology based on its bloody fight with its chief rival, the Barrio 18 (18th Street) gang, to sustain a huge, loosely organized social and criminal organization. The MS13 is a diffuse organization of sub-parts, with no single leader or leadership structure that directs the entire gang. The MS13 has two poles of power: in Los Angeles, where it was founded, and in El Salvador, its spiritual birthplace where many of its historic leaders reside. But the gang has no single leader or leadership council. Instead it is a federation with layers of leaders who interact, obey and react to each other at different moments depending on circumstances. In general terms, most decisions are made by the individual cell, or what is known as the "clica," the Spanish term for clique. The highest-ranking members in some geographic areas make up a leadership council, but not all areas have a leadership council. In Los Angeles, the MS13 is subservient to the prison gang known as the Mexican Mafia. In El Salvador, the gang is also run from prison by its own leadership council. Along the East Coast of the United States, the gang has no council, although it is takes much of its directives from Salvadoran-based gang leaders. Because these leaders are mostly in jail, it is exceedingly difficult for them to impose total control over the rank-and-file. The MS13 has guidelines more than rules, which are subject to varying interpretations. The diffuse nature of the organization has widespread implications for how it operates. The gang has guidelines more than rules. These guidelines are subject to haphazard interpretations and application. In other words, this internal justice is not necessarily a strict system and often depends more on who the leader is and who is being judged, rather the actual transgression or the circumstances surrounding it. This inconsistent application of the rules leads to constant internal and external conflicts and is the cause of widespread violence wherever the gang operates. MS13 violence is brutal and purposeful. Violence is at the heart of the MS13 and is what has made it a target of law enforcement in the United States, Central America and beyond. It is central to the MS13's ethos, its modus operandi, and its evaluation and discipline of its own members. Violence also builds cohesion and comradery within the gang's cliques. This use of violence has enhanced the MS13's brand name, allowing it to expand in size and geographic reach, but it has undermined its ability to enter more sophisticated, money-making criminal economies. Potential partners see the gang as an unreliable, highly visible target, and the gang's violent spasms only reinforce this notion. The MS13's diffuse nature makes it hard for it to control its own expressions of violence. The MS13's diffuse nature has made it difficult to curtail its violence. The gang itself has attempted to implement rules to control the use of force. Most murders must be sanctioned from the highest levels, but as one of our case studies illustrates, this is often a perfunctory task, reflecting what seems to be a disregard for human life. In addition, the very system that is designed to control the violence often leads to more violence, since failure to carry out a sanctioned hit becomes cause for internal disciplinary action. The MS13 is a hand-to-mouth criminal organization that depends on control of territory to secure revenue. The gang's lack of a centralized leadership has kept it relatively impoverished. While it has established revenue streams, the MS13 has a hand-to-mouth criminal portfolio. Extortion is the single most important revenue stream for the gang in Central America, although a significant and rising portion of the MS13's criminal portfolio comes from local drug peddling, especially in US cities such as Los Angeles. The gang is also involved in prostitution, human smuggling, car theft and resale and other criminal activities, but the gang's revenue nearly always depends on its ability to control territory. The MS13 is a transnational gang, not a transnational criminal organization (TCO). While the gang has a presence in two continents and at least a half-dozen nations, the gang is a small, part-time role player in international criminal schemes. In cases of international drug trafficking, for instance, the MS13 is dependent on other criminal actors such as the Mexican Mafia. The gang plays a similar, part-time role in other international criminal activities such human smuggling as well. Its diffuse organizational structure and public displays of violence are two of the main reasons why the gang has not succeeded in transforming itself into a TCO. And while some criminal activity - most notably the MS13's involvement in petty drug dealing on a local level - is driving the gang's maturation process and leading it to new opportunities, this is a slow process that is causing significant conflict within the gang. El Salvador's MS13 leaders are trying to assert more control over the US East Coast. Some MS13 leaders, especially those operating from jails in El Salvador, are trying to create more top-down control, and expand its social and political influence. In El Salvador, the gang has negotiated delivering votes to some of the country's most powerful politicians. They have also instituted more formal and complex command structures inside and outside of jail, and they have emissaries in places as far away as Boston who are trying to corral the rudimentary and undisciplined gang cliques operating along the US East Coast. The MS13 is taking advantage of traditional migration patterns, not sending members to set up new cells. The MS13's efforts in El Salvador have alarmed law enforcement officials who say the gang's high-ranking leaders are also moving their rank-and-file around the region, including to the United States. But while the gang is repopulating cells and establishing new ones, the MS13 appears to be taking advantage of circumstances, rather than actively creating those circumstances. MS13 members migrate for the same reasons that other migrants do, and they go to the same places. They also face many of the same risks such as indigence, isolation, victimization, detention and deportation. This report is divided into five sections. We begin by chronicling the multi-national history of the MS13. The group is the byproduct of war, migration and policy, and it has a footprint in a half dozen nations. We then turn to the gang's philosophy, its guiding principles and ideology. The gang centers itself around the idea of community, which is reinforced mostly via violent rituals and expressions of rage towards outsiders and rivals. From there, we move to organizational structure. This includes explaining the largely misunderstood loose hierarchy of the gang and its clique system. Then we cover modus operandi, tackling the all-important questions of recruitment, criminal economy, use of violence, and political and social capital. Finally, we elaborate five case studies, which address the MS13's: 1) organizational structure; 2) use of violence; 3) criminal migration; 4) involvement in international drug trafficking; and 5) political and social capital. Details: s.l.: Insight Crime; Washington, DC: Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, 2018. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 20, 2018 at: https://www.insightcrime.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/MS13-in-the-Americas-InSight-Crime-English.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Central America URL: https://www.insightcrime.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/MS13-in-the-Americas-InSight-Crime-English.pdf Shelf Number: 149182 Keywords: Criminal OrganizationDrug TraffickingDrug-Related ViolenceGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsMara SalvatruchaMS13Prison Gangs |
Author: Coyne, John Title: 'Santa Muerte', are the Mexican cartels really coming? Summary: Whether in Mexico, the US or Australia, the image of the transnational serious and organised crime (OC) threat from 'Mexican cartels' used to construct policy doesn't appear to engage with the reality that there's no homogeneous Mexican cartel, cartels or OC group. In popular culture, the labels 'Mexican cartel' and 'street gang' conjure an image of a highly organised, hierarchically commanded and ultraviolent crime group. Even Mexico's infamous Sinaloa cartel, rumoured to have an increasingly ominous presence in Australia, is more an alliance of criminal figures than a hierarchical organisation. There should be little doubt that these groups, as a collective phenomenon, have consistently demonstrated a propensity to regularly use breathtakingly barbaric violence for revenge and intimidation. Unfortunately, popular characterisations of the structure and organisation of these groups does little justice to the complexity of the threat that they pose. These generalisations lack the necessary granularity to be useful in the development of disruption- and mitigation-focused strategies. For policymakers, it's convenient to conflate well-known US-based Mexican street gangs, transnational street gangs such as the 'Mexican Mafia' and transnational OC groups such as the 'Mexican cartels' into a singular homogeneous threat grouping or strategy: 'the cartels'. It's equally convenient to link all Mexican OC activity together with the cartel thread. With this kind of conflation, the seriousness of the threat at hand can clearly and concisely be communicated to government decision-makers in terms that will ensure funding and strategy responses. Frustration with the inability of law enforcement arrest and seizure strategies to undermine the drug trade and its associated OC has further complicated the policy decision-making in this space. In the US and Mexican governments' cases, it's likely that this frustration has underpinned government policy, thereby expanding the role of the military and intelligence agencies in the 'war on drugs'. Unfortunately, conflating these groups doesn't produce the kinds of policies and strategies that will result in operational activity that has long-term disruption impacts on the groups involved. Moreover, the current understanding arguably does not allow for the involvement and integration of enforcement operations with other whole-of-government social, economic and development strategies. This report argues that, for Australia and Asia, the menace of Mexican OC is no longer looming on the horizon; it has already arrived. However, the nature of the Mexican OC problem in Australia and Asia is not likely to be the same as that found in either the US or Mexico. To fully understand the implications of this development for Australia and the region, this threat needs to be viewed in context. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 2, 2018 at: http://www.css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/resources/docs/ASPI-SR107_Mexican-cartels.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://www.css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/resources/docs/ASPI-SR107_Mexican-cartels.pdf Shelf Number: 149648 Keywords: Drug CartelsDrug TraffickingDrug-Related ViolenceGang ViolenceMexican CartelsOrganized CrimeStreet Gangs |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Serious Violence Strategy Summary: The Government is determined to do all it can to break the deadly cycle of violence that devastates the lives of individuals, families and communities. This strategy sets out how we will respond to serious violence. The strategy consolidates the range of very important work already being taken forward and renews our ambition to go further, setting out a number of significant new proposals. We want to make clear that our approach is not solely focused on law enforcement, very important as that is, but depends on partnerships across a number of sectors such as education, health, social services, housing, youth services, and victim services. In particular it needs the support of communities thinking about what they can themselves do to help prevent violent crime happening in the first place and how they can support measures to get young people and young adults involved in positive activities. Our overarching message is that tackling serious violence is not a law enforcement issue alone. It requires a multiple strand approach involving a range of partners across different sectors. The strategy sets out our analysis of the evidence and the trends and drivers of serious violent crime. The evidence shows that while overall crime continues to fall, homicide, knife crime and gun crime have risen since 2014 across virtually all police force areas in England and Wales. Robbery has also risen sharply since 2016. These increases have been accompanied by a shift towards younger victims and perpetrators. Most of the violence is also male on male. About half the rise in robbery, knife and gun crime is due to improvements in police recording. For the remainder, drug-related cases seem to be an important driver. Between 2014/15 and 2016/17, homicides where either the victim or suspect were known to be involved in using or dealing illicit drugs increased from 50% to 57%. Crack cocaine markets have strong links to serious violence and evidence suggests crack use is rising in England and Wales due to a mix of supply and demand factors. Drug-related cases also seem to be one of the driving factors in the homicide increase in the United States. Drug-market violence may also be facilitated and spread to some extent by social media. A small minority are using social media to glamorise gang or drug-selling life, taunt rivals and normalise weapons carrying. There has also been an increase in vulnerable groups susceptible to the related exploitation and/or drug use. The strategy is framed on four key themes: tackling county lines and misuse of drugs, early intervention and prevention, supporting communities and partnerships, and an effective law enforcement and criminal justice response. This strategy represents a step change in the way we think and respond to serious violence, establishing a new balance between prevention and law enforcement. Given the strong link between drugs and serious violence and the related harm and exploitation from county lines, we have set out the action we will take to tackle this violent and exploitative criminal activity. The Home Office is supporting the development of a new National County Lines Co‑ordination Centre. We will continue to raise awareness of county lines and the related exploitation, and we will provide funding to support delivery of a new round of Heroin and Crack Action Areas. Our work on early intervention and prevention is focused on steering young people away from crime and putting in place measures to tackle the root causes. The Home Office has committed $11 million over the next two years through a new Early Intervention Youth Fund to provide support to communities for early intervention and prevention with young people. We will support Redthread to expand and pilot its Youth Violence Intervention Programme outside London, starting with Nottingham and Birmingham, and to develop its service in major London hospitals. We will also continue to fund Young People's Advocates working with gang-affected young women and girls, and exploring whether the model should be expanded. The Home Office will work with the Department for Education and Ofsted to explore what more can be done to support schools in England to respond to potential crime risks and to provide additional support to excluded children. We need an approach that involves partners across different sectors, including police, local authorities and the private and voluntary sector. Communities and local partnerships will be at the heart of our response. This issue must be understood and owned locally so that all the relevant partners can play their part. We will support local partnerships, working with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), to galvanise the local response to tackling serious violence and ensure that they are reflecting local challenges within their plans. We have launched a new media campaign raising awareness about the risks of carrying knives. To help communities tackle knife crime, the Home Office is providing up to $1 million for the Community Fund in both 2018/19 and 2019/20, in addition to continuing the Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation (EGVE) Fund and EGVE review programme. We are clear that tackling serious violence is not a law enforcement issue alone and requires partnerships across a range of agencies; however we want to ensure that we are providing the tools to support the law enforcement and criminal justice response. We are planning new legislation to strengthen our controls on knives, corrosive substances and firearms. The Home Office will also work with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service (HMICFRS) to ensure their PEEL inspections focus on serious violence and support a HMICFRS thematic inspection of county lines in 2018/19. The Home Office has commissioned the Centre for Applied Science and Technology to ensure that the police have the capability to undertake street testing for corrosives. Finally, we will ensure that there is a framework in place to support delivery of the strategy. The Home Office will establish a new cross sector Serious Violence Taskforce with key representatives from a range of national, local and delivery partner agencies to oversee delivery and challenge the impact of delivery of the Serious Violence Strategy. The current Inter-Ministerial Group on Gangs will be refocused to oversee and drive delivery of the strategy. The Home Secretary will also hold an International Violent Crime Symposium to bring together the international academic community to understand the trends in serious violence in different parts of the world. Details: London: Home Office, 2018. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2018 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/698009/serious-violence-strategy.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/698009/serious-violence-strategy.pdf Shelf Number: 149794 Keywords: Crime PreventionDrug-Related ViolenceGang ViolenceViolenceViolence PreventionViolent Crime |
Author: Jahnsen, Synnove Okland Title: Scandinavian approaches to outlaw motorcycle gangs Summary: The Australian 'war on bikies' is known internationally for the significant policy, legislative and law enforcement effort that has been devoted to dealing with outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs). Given the ongoing concern expressed by the media and the general public, it is perhaps useful to look beyond the Australian context and consider experiences from Scandinavian states that share a history of violent conflict between competing OMCGs. This paper offers insight into Scandinavian experiences and efforts to prevent recruitment to OMCGs and encourage dissociation and desistance, with examples of cross-departmental approaches that seek to unite both disruptive and rehabilitative responses. Both local and national responses are described. The aim is to demonstrate the coexistence of various Scandinavian approaches targeting OMCGs which rest on penal, administrative and civil powers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 543. : Accessed April 24, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi543 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi543 Shelf Number: 149874 Keywords: Gang ViolenceMotorcycle GangsOrganized Gangs |
Author: Smith, Carter F. Title: Perceptions of Gang Investigators Regarding Presence of Military-Trained Gang Members Summary: Roughly 80% of all crimes in the United States are committed by members of criminal gangs (NGIC, 2009). FBI researchers surveyed state and local law enforcement agencies and estimated there were one million gang members in the U.S. (NGIC, 2009). Some gang members enlist in the military as an alternative to incarceration, and others join the military to recruit members into their gang, obtain access to weapons, and learn how to respond to hostile gunfire (NGIC). The increase in the number of military-trained gang members created a level of danger most law enforcement officials are not prepared to combat (NGIC). The threat increases because all MTGMs were or will be discharged from the military at some point, either due to inappropriate activity or because their commitment to military service was satisfied. The problem addressed in this quantitative study is an assessment of the presence of MTGMs in civilian communities. The number of crimes committed by these gang members has increased significantly since 2002. In 2006, investigators with Army CID found a 265% increase in reported gang-related incidents and investigations from 2005 to 2006 (CID, 2006). The 2009 Gang Threat Assessment yielded similar results, with a twofold increase since the 2006 report.There has been little research on the presence of MTGMs and fewer studies have examined factors that impact investigator's perceptions of the presence of MTGM populations. This study may fill some of the gaps. Details: Prescott Valley, AZ: Northcentral University, 2010. 192p. Source: Dissertation. Available from the Rutgers Criminal Justice Library. Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 150034 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsMilitary personnel |
Author: Tita, George E. Title: Strategies for Reducing Gun Violence: The Role of Gangs, Drugs and Firearm Accessibility Summary: This report on strategies to reduce gun violence begins with a brief overview of recent trends in gun violence with a particular focus on emerging trends and changes in Canada. A review of literature covers the linkages between gangs, drug markets and firearm accessibility and firearm violence. When possible, the impacts of these factors on patterns of violence are explored at both the individual and community levels. Overall, the report highlights the prevalence and patterns of homicide and gun violence in North America, Britain, Mexico, Canada and other countries. Particular attention is paid to the role of gangs and drug markets in facilitating violence. In addition, research findings and program evaluations aimed at reducing gun violence are also included. Given the exceptionally high rates of interpersonal violence (especially gun violence) within the United States, and its long history of gang violence, it is not surprising that much of the literature is centered on programs and interventions in America. If the current trends of gun violence involving youth continue in Canada, it is important that Canadian policies learn from the successes and failures of recent gun violence reduction strategies elsewhere. Drawing from the literature review as well as the first author's experiences in the design, implementation and evaluation of violence reduction strategies, this report includes a broad set of policy recommendations that might prove useful in the effort to control gun violence within the larger census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in Canada. The case is made that before any policies aimed at reducing gun violence are implemented, it is extremely important to conduct basic research into the nature of local gun and gang violence. One must first understand who is involved, and why they are involved in violence, before one can design and implement an effective gun violence strategy. Finally, the report includes an Annotated Bibliography of the most current and useful gun and gang violence prevention and intervention resources. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, 2007. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2007-3: Accessed May 16, 2018 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rdcng-gn-vlnc/rdcng-gn-vlnc-eng.pdf Year: 2007 Country: International URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rdcng-gn-vlnc/rdcng-gn-vlnc-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 150241 Keywords: Crime PreventionDrug-Related ViolenceGang ViolenceGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceGuns |
Author: Agnew, Emma R.E. Title: Discourse, Policy, Gangs: An Analysis of Gang Members' Talk and Policy Summary: European academics have historically been reluctant to conduct explicit gang research on the premise that it risks stereotyping communities. Subsequently, notions about gangs in the UK have been transposed from American literature, which is primarily based within a criminological perspective and focuses on personal characteristics of gang members, such as their violent tendencies (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Alternatively, underpinned by a community psychology perspective, this research explores how young people involved in gangs construct their identities and experiences, and to what extent these constructions reproduce or resist political discourse. Semi-structured interviews with six self-identified gang members, as well as the UK policy 'Ending Gang and Youth Violence' (Home Office, 2011) were analysed using a hybrid approach of discursive psychology and critical discourse analysis. The four main discursive sites identified in the policy were: i) The demonization of gangs, ii) the inevitability of gangs, iii) gangs: the product of 'troubled families', iv) the racialization of gangs. The four main discursive sites within the interviews were: i) experiences of racism, ii) the inevitability of gang membership, iii) problematized identities, iv) individual and family responsibility. The analysis indicated that, at times, the participants reproduced problematising ideological discourse, at other times they constructed reimagined personal narratives which resisted hegemonic discourses about gang members, and at other times they exposed the oppressive mechanisms of political discourse, by detailing how being labelled a 'gang member' and racial discrimination had shaped their subjectivities and lived experiences. The findings indicate the need for an overhaul of elitist policy production, for authentic participation of young people with experiences of living in deprived areas, and for a shift from the 'criminological' framework of gang policy towards 'welfare'. Furthermore, the findings highlight the need to direct political attention to addressing racial discrimination. Clinically, community psychology approaches are recommended, as well as working at macro levels to change cultural narratives around this group. Details: London: University of East Londong, 2016. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 17, 2018 at: http://roar.uel.ac.uk/5384/1/Emma_Agnew._U1331745._Thesis._Discourse%2C_Policy_and_Gangs..pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://roar.uel.ac.uk/5384/1/Emma_Agnew._U1331745._Thesis._Discourse%2C_Policy_and_Gangs..pdf Shelf Number: 150525 Keywords: CommunicationGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsRacial Discrimination |
Author: Demoscopia, S.A. Title: Maras y pandillas, comunidad y policia en Centroamerica Hallazgos de un estudio integral Summary: In the last decade, youth gangs have taken special relevance in Central America, becoming so much a problem of insecurity public as an object of concern for governments and fear among the population, on all in the countries of the northern triangle of the region -El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala - but with a development something similar also in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. While the existence of youth gangs dedicated to crime is nothing new in Central America, the systematization of the use of violence and brutality demonstrated by gangs current is something unprecedented; reflected in the new concept of "maras". In short, although it would not be correct to point out the maras as the main responsible for the high level of violence that for some time lives in Central America, without a doubt they represent a strong and real problem that deserves more attention, for the sake of providing security to citizens and improve future prospects for the population Young of the Region. Both history and social science teaches that juvenile delinquency is primarily a group phenomenon that reflects social situations and complex economics; deserving, therefore, updated, concrete and deep knowledge to achieve the design and implementation of policies and successful action programs. It is in this context that the Swedish International cooperation for development International (Sida) and the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (BCIE) have considered convenient to finance a regional study and multidisciplinary on the phenomenon of gangs and maras, with a contextual focus (maras-vecinoscommunity-police) and with a solid empirical base. The objective of this publication, which constitutes a condensed version of the study carried out by a group of researchers from the Demoscopy company S.A., is to facilitate a discussion broader and more purposeful public desire to contribute to efficient policies and actions, so much about the immediate need to face the current situation as in what refers to the prevention towards the future. (From Google Translate) Details: Guatemala, SIDA, 2007. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2018 at: http://www.dhl.hegoa.ehu.es/ficheros/0000/0143/maras_y_pandillas_comunidad_y_policia_en_centroamerica.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Central America URL: http://www.dhl.hegoa.ehu.es/ficheros/0000/0143/maras_y_pandillas_comunidad_y_policia_en_centroamerica.pdf Shelf Number: 150733 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangsMara SalvatruchaYouth Gangs |
Author: Van Gestel, Gregory Title: Expanding Mediation Theory: Gang Conflict and Mediation in El Salvador Summary: The field of mediation within peace and conflict studies has remained almost entirely focused on state-based armed conflicts and traditional non-state armed groups (NSAG). This restricts our ability to address other actors and emerging forms of conflict in non-conflict and postconflict settings. This includes a certain classification of gangs who display strong similarities to typical NSAGs. This study analyses gang mediation and its effects on levels of violence in gang conflicts in El Salvador through the lens of traditional mediation theory from the field of peace and conflict studies. It seeks to answer the question, how does mediation influence levels of violence within gang conflicts? More specifically, addressing the hypotheses that, mediation between gangs, and government support for mediation, will likely lead to lower levels of violence. Using a qualitative comparative case study method, employing a structured, focused comparison between three different time periods in El Salvador, I find support for both hypotheses, showing that gang mediation leads to a significant reduction in violence albeit conditional on government support. In addition, factors such as dialogue, information sharing, leverage, concessions and the signing of an agreement are essential in the process between mediation and lower levels of violence. Details: Uppsala: Uppsala University, Department of Peace and Conflict Research, 2018. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 18, 2018 at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2b4b/f6c2a8fdde6c473a3ec15dc91bdce6b4adb4.pdf Year: 2018 Country: El Salvador URL: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2b4b/f6c2a8fdde6c473a3ec15dc91bdce6b4adb4.pdf Shelf Number: 150909 Keywords: Conflict Resolution Gang ViolenceGangs Maras Mediation Youth Gangs |
Author: International Crisis Group Title: El Salvador's Politics of Perpetual Violence Summary: El Salvador, a small country in the isthmus of Central America, is wracked by an implacable strain of gang warfare. Exceptionally intense and persistent violence pits rival street gangs against one another and in opposition to the police and state. Formerly hailed for its smooth transition to democracy and for turning the two foes of its 1980s civil war into political forces competing vigorously yet peaceably for power, El Salvador once again is famed for its bloodletting. Its recent murder rates rank among the highest in the world and its jails are among the most overcrowded. For the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, its main gang, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), personifies the menace of undocumented immigration. Although the Salvadoran state has developed a series of strategies for violence prevention, its mainly repressive efforts over the past fifteen years have checked the influence of these alternative approaches. It should now implement plans to prevent crime, rehabilitate gang members and spur development in marginalised communities. Most urgently, El Salvador will require protection from the turbulence that U.S. mass deportations could provoke. The permanence of violence owes as much to the success as to the failings of the peace accords. The two former wartime foes have jostled for democratic supremacy, repeatedly using security policy for electoral purposes by seeking to satisfy public demand for mano dura (iron fist) against the gangs. Although government has changed hands, security methods have not altered: mass detentions and incarceration, as well as militarisation of policing, have become standard procedure whether under the rule of right-wing elites or former guerrillas. U.S. authorities have recently offered support to this approach, pledging to "dismantle" the MS-13. In private, however, high-level officials from across the country's political divide lament the harmful effects of this crackdown on over-stretched courts and front-line police. Blueprints geared to preventing the drift of young men from low-income neighbourhoods into gang life have been drafted: the government launched the most recent, the "Safe El Salvador" plan, as a holistic strategy to restore the states territorial control. But as violence soared after 2014 following the disintegration of a truce with the gangs, extreme measures of jail confinement and police raids have once again become the government's predominant methods to choke the gangs. Allegations of police brutality and extrajudicial executions have multiplied. Recent surveys suggest that veteran members of these gangs wish to cease the violence. However, the economic dead-end of El Salvador's urban outskirts the countrys recent GDP growth rate of 1.9 per cent is among the lowest in Central America - continues to drive a supply of willing young recruits, and consolidate a rearguard of sympathisers dependent on income from the gangs' extortion schemes and other rackets. The reality and stigma of gang violence combine to block off alternative ways of life for those born into these communities, cutting years of schooling for young people in areas of high gang presence and alienating potential employers. Instead of succumbing to the state's offensive, gangs set up roadblocks in their neighbourhoods and impose their own law; their fight against security forces has claimed the lives of 45 police officers so far this year. The deadlock between a tarnished set of security policies and a gang phenomenon that thrives on the ostracism and contempt of mainstream Salvadoran society can only now be resolved by recasting the way the country treats its security dilemmas. Judicial and security institutions require careful reform to ensure resources are distributed to areas with the highest concentrations of violence, and used to boost intelligence-led policing that targets gang members committing the most serious crimes. Jail-based reinsertion schemes, and cooperation with diverse churches, NGOs and businesses that offer second chances to former gang members, must be strengthened to provide a legal framework for rehabilitation as well as material incentives for the gangs to eventually disband. Although the countrys main political parties and most of the public oppose any hint of negotiation with gangs, the reality in many poor areas is of constant daily encounters with these groups. Tolerance for these grassroots efforts, despite the existing legal restrictions on any contact with gangs, is essential to build the confidence that will be required for dialogue in the future. None of this will be easy, nor is it likely to be assisted by U.S. policy toward either gangs or Salvadoran immigrants. The potential cancellation of the rights to residency in the U.S. of 195,000 beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program threatens to overwhelm the Salvadoran state's capacity to accommodate returnees, not unlike the experience of the late 1990s when mass deportations of gang members from the U.S. to El Salvador exported the criminal capital that led to the lightning rise of the MS-13 and its main rival, the 18th Street gang. El Salvador is simply unprepared, economically and institutionally, to receive such an influx, or to handle their 192,700 U.S. children, many of them at the perfect age for recruitment or victimisation by gangs. At a time when levels of violence remain extraordinarily high, with exhaustion toward an unwinnable conflict voiced on both sides, the arrival of thousands of migrants back to their crime-affected homeland would impose huge strains. To escape its perpetual violence, El Salvador needs support, not the recurrence of past mistakes Details: Brussels: International Crisis Group, 2018. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Latin America Report No. 64: July 30, 2018 at: https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/064-el-salvador-s-politics-of-perpetual-violence.pdf Year: 2018 Country: El Salvador URL: https://d2071andvip0wj.cloudfront.net/064-el-salvador-s-politics-of-perpetual-violence.pdf Shelf Number: 150953 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsMara SalvatruchaMS-13Violent Crime |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada Title: Overview of Direct Intervention Approaches to Address Youth Gangs and Youth Violence Summary: Gang-involved youth are considered to be some of the main perpetrators (and victims) of crime and violence, and impose a high burden on society in terms of criminal justice system and other societal costs. For example, the negative outcomes of gang involvement for individuals can include: dropping out of school; lack of employment opportunities or success; exposure to and involvement in drugs and alcohol use; and teenage parenthood. Moreover, participation in gangs and violence can reduce youths' connections to other prosocial activities, and they may cut ties with family, friends, schools and religious communities (Pyrooz, Sweeten, & Piquero, 2013). In order to avert these negative consequences, it is critical to try and prevent at-risk youth from joining gangs, and to intervene in the lives of current youth gang members. In general, youth gang membership cuts across many demographic, geographic and socioeconomic contexts. However, certain groups are disproportionately vulnerable to gang recruitment and involvement. Below is a brief overview of some of these populations. For a more detailed review of some of these groups, see Youth Gangs in Canada: A Review of Current Topics and Issues. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2018. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2018 at: http://youthactionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Overview-of-Direct-Intervention-Approaches-to-Address-Youth-Gangs-and-Yo....pdf Year: 2018 Country: Canada URL: http://youthactionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Overview-of-Direct-Intervention-Approaches-to-Address-Youth-Gangs-and-Yo....pdf Shelf Number: 151313 Keywords: Gang PreventionGang ViolenceGangsYouth GangsYouth Violence |
Author: Brantingham, P. Jeffrey Title: GRYD Intervention Incident Response and Gang Crime 2-17 Evaluation Report Summary: As part of GRYD's violence interruption efforts, GRYD Intervention Incident Response (IR) is designed to address gang violence both by responding to incidents when they occur and by engaging in ongoing proactive peacemaking efforts within the community (see Figure 3 for an overview of GRYD IR). GRYD's protocol involves coordination and communication between the GRYD Office, GRYD IR Providers, and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). These partners, referred to as the "Triangle Partners", work together in a relational triangle to reduce the potential for retaliation following an incident and to support victims and families impacted by violence. The Triangle Partners: Gather and share information about incidents; Deploy and provide community response (e.g., diffusion of rumors, crowd control); Provide referrals to services (e.g., connection to GRYD services, victim assistance); Negotiate peace treaties/ceasefire agreements; and, Engage in proactive peacemaking activities and events (e.g., monitor hot-spots, conduct impact sessions). This protocol combines the oversight and community organizing principles of the GRYD Office (through GRYD Regional Program Coordinators-RPCs), the assessment and implementation of intervention strategies based on community knowledge (through Community Intervention Workers-CIWs), and the investigative and targeted suppression strategies of law enforcement. The interaction among these entities affirms the roles and boundaries of each, while adding flexibility to each entity's response to incidents as they collectively work to reduce gang violence. The GRYD Intervention Incident Response Protocol GRYD RPCs and CIWs are on call 24/7 to respond to violent incidents that occur in and around GRYD Zones. Each GRYD RPC has designated GRYD Zones which they oversee and where they have developed relationships with the GRYD Prevention and Intervention Providers and law enforcement officers in each Zone. GRYD RPCs act as a conduit among and between law enforcement and Intervention Providers to ensure that accurate information is gathered and disseminated to both partners. When a violent incident occurs, (typically these are homicides, shootings, or stabbings) and GRYD is notified, GRYD's initial response (within 24 hours of the incident) may vary based on the characteristics of the incident and the potential level of impact on the community. At initial response, GRYD may (1) respond to an incident via phone/or email, and/or (2) deploy to an incident location, such as an active crime scene, hospital, or place in the community. The level of response, or actions taken in response to an incident, depends on the assessment of the partners. The types of responses may include: GRYD RPC Follows Up on the Incident (No CIW Action): GRYD RPC makes phone calls to follow up with LAPD about incidents, but limited information prevents further action from the GRYD RPC and CIW. GRYD RPC Makes Phone Calls to Gather Information (No CIW Action): GRYD RPC makes phone calls and emails to gather information. CIW may be notified but no action will be taken (i.e., CIW actions are unable to mitigate post-incident dynamics). GRYD RPC and CIW Takes Action: Both GRYD RPCs and CIWs take some type of action (e.g., GRYD RPC makes phone calls to gather information and deploys to the scene; CIW deploys to the scene and connects the victim to victim assistance services). Deployment to the scene or other places in the community may occur for one or more of the following reasons: for homicides, high profile incidents, information gathering, management requests, or areas where there is spike in crime or tension between particular gangs. While the initial response occurs within the first 24 hours of an incident, additional actions may also be taken in the days and weeks that follow as new information is gathered. These additional post-incident follow-up actions may be taken to direct community engagement efforts towards neighborhoods impacted by violence, to link victims and their families to services, and to provide mediation between gangs if possible. In addition to responding when incidents occur, CIWs also spend a significant amount of time in communities through proactive peacemaking efforts. These efforts aim to reduce violence in communities by conducting or participating in activities related to violence interruption. Details: Los Angeles: California State University, Los Angeles; et al., 2017. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: https://www.lagryd.org/sites/default/files/reports/GRYD%20IR%20and%20Gang%20Crime%20Report_2017_FINALv2_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.lagryd.org/sites/default/files/reports/GRYD%20IR%20and%20Gang%20Crime%20Report_2017_FINALv2_0.pdf Shelf Number: 151323 Keywords: Community InterventionsGang ViolenceGang Violence ReductionGangsViolence PreventionYouth Gangs |
Author: Valasik, Matthew A. Title: Summary: While violence across the United States has declined dramatically over the past two decades, gang-related crimes remain at unacceptably high rates, especially within the city of Los Angeles, America's gang capital. Gang-related crimes generally involve groups of individuals and have a strong territorial component, lending themselves to geographically targeted interventions. A strategy that has charmed law enforcement agencies with its ability to take advantage of both the social and spatial features of a gang is the civil gang injunction (CGI). Essentially, a CGI is a tailored restraining order against a gang, prohibiting its members from engaging in specific nuisance behaviors within a demarcated geographical region, termed a "safety-zone." Evaluations suggest that CGIs are effective at reducing serious crime and residents' fears; yet, CGIs remain a time-consuming and costly strategy with an unstudied mechanism for why they work. Do CGIs influence how gang members associate and where they hangout? And, more importantly, how do CGIs contribute to changes in gang violence? Using the framework of routine activities theory, this dissertation focuses on the relationship between CGIs, gang members' patterns of association and lethal violence. To address these questions I utilize two unique datasets: homicide case files and field identification (FI) cards gathered from the Hollenbeck Community Policing Area of the Los Angeles Police Department. My first chapter utilizes social network and spatial analyses to investigate the patterns of association among enjoined gang members at the individual- and group-level. I examine both the characteristics of enjoined gangs' social networks, ascertaining their influence in disrupting social ties, as well as examining the geographic characteristics of FIs to discern if enjoined gangs have changed the spatial patterns of their associations. My second chapter looks at both the homicide trends over the last decade and the disparities between non-gang and gang homicides, both enjoined and non-enjoined, to consider how CGIs influence the characteristics of violence. Lastly, in my third chapter I construct a turf-based spatial typology of gang homicide to investigate the impact that CGIs have on the mobility patterns of participants involved in gang-related homicides. If CGIs influence gangs' spatial patterns of association by discouraging members from congregating in public, then a CGI in theory shifts members' activity and travel patterns, suggesting that gang homicides involving enjoined gang members would experience a different mobility pattern than gang homicides involving only non-enjoined gang members. Results from this dissertation indicate that CGIs are able to influence the patterns of association of individual gang members, particularly in the short-run. Conversely, at the group level, enjoined gangs do not always respond as predicted by the rational of a CGI, with a gang's social network either being disrupted, with members' social ties losing connectedness, or a gang's social network converges, with members' social ties increasing in connectedness. It also appears that while CGIs are able to dislodge enjoined members from their gang's hangouts, a CGI actually constrains the overall mobility of enjoined gang members, reducing the likelihood that enjoined gang members are venturing outside of their gang's claimed turf. In relation to influencing the overall patterns of gang violence, the findings suggest that CGIs could be shifting enjoined gang homicides away from the street and into less public spaces, along with involving fewer suspects and victims. Results also indicate that the presence of CGIs in Hollenbeck has impacted the mobility patterns of participants who are involved in a gang homicide. Specifically, an increase in internal gang homicides and a reduction in predatory gang homicides were observed in the data. These findings are consistent with earlier results indicating that the mobility of an enjoined gang member is restricted by the presence of a CGI. Overall, the goal of this dissertation is to provide both scholars and criminal justice professionals with a better understanding of CGIs, and ascertain if they are an appropriate strategy to disrupt a gang's patterns of association and diminish their opportunities to participate in violent acts. Details: Irvine, CA: University of California at Irvine, 2014. 286p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2065d17s/qt2065d17s.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2065d17s/qt2065d17s.pdf Shelf Number: 151329 Keywords: Civil Gang InjunctionsGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsHomicidesYouth Gangs |
Author: California. Board of State and Community Corrections Title: California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention Program. 2014 Report to the Fiscal Committees of the Legislature Summary: The California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention program began in 2007 when Governor Schwarzenegger created the Governor's Office of Youth Violence Policy (OGYVP). The CalGRIP program was initiated to help communities support strategies to reduce gang and youth violence. The program was first administered by the OGYVP and later transferred to the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA), which is now the California Office of Emergency Services. At its onset CalGRIP provided anti-gang funding to many state departments including: job training, education and intervention programs through the CalEMA, and the Employment Development Department; the Corrections Standards Authority (now the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC)) to spend $1.1 million on anti-gang programs; and $7 million for the California Highway Patrol to help local jurisdictions combat gang violence. In July 2012, as a result of AB 1464 (Chapter 21, Statutes of 2012), the BSCC acquired sole administrative responsibility for the program. The administrative responsibility of the $9.2 million annual grant program came to BSCC along with an increased level of accountability. Under the BSCC the CalGRIP allocation is based upon an applicant's ability to demonstrate that funding is used to implement proven evidence-based prevention, intervention and suppression programs. With the signing of Assembly Bill 109 (Chapter 15, Statutes of 2011), the Legislature and the Governor enacted Public Safety Realignment with an understanding that California must reinvest in its criminal justice resources to support community-based corrections programs that focus on evidence-based practices that will improve public safety. In conjunction with AB 109, the Governor signed Senate Bill 92 (Chapter 26, Statutes of 2011), which established the BSCC, effective July 1, 2012, to provide statewide leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to effectively manage California's adult and juvenile criminal justice populations. As part of the creation of the BSCC, several grant programs, including the CalGRIP, were consolidated, and administrative responsibility was transferred from other agencies to the BSCC. This responsibility also requires the BSCC to submit a report and evaluation of the CalGRIP program to the fiscal committees of the Legislature not later than April 1, 2014. The use of evidence-based strategies represents a significant shift throughout the criminal justice field that places an emphasis on achieving measurable outcomes while ensuring that the services that are provided and the resources that are used are effective. As a condition of funding recipients are now required to evaluate programs and report on outcomes. The new funding strategy, with its focus on proven programs, aligns this program with BSCC's mandate for implementing certain provisions of AB 526 (Chapter 850, Statutes of 2012 (Dickinson)). AB 526 requires the BSCC to: -- Move toward consolidating the grant application processes for delinquency, intervention and prevention funds for grant programs with similar program purpose, -- Incentivize comprehensive regional partnerships, and -- By January 1, 2014, develop funding allocation policies that ensure that within three years no less than 70 percent of funding for "gang and youth violence suppression, intervention, and prevention programs and strategies is used in programs that utilize promising and proven evidence-based principles and practices." In early 2013, the BSCC established a Gang Issues Standing Committee (Committee) and tasked the Committee with, among other things, providing policy recommendations to address the BSCC's requirements under AB 526. In November 2013 the 13-member BSCC Board (Board) adopted the Committee-recommended funding allocation policies that directed BSCC staff to clearly define what is meant by evidence-based programs, practices and strategies, and to identify the grant funding streams that will be included when determining the 70 percent threshold. The Board's approval of Committee-recommended policy also set the course for the BSCC to explore incentives that encourage regional collaborative partnerships. Regional collaborations were a significant component of previous CalGRIP awards and the BSCC will continue to emphasize these partnerships moving forward. BSCC field representatives are in the process of becoming certified by the University of Cincinnati to assess evidence-based strategies. Ultimately, trained BSCC staff will be able to help locals direct funding to programs and practices that will best reduce gang activity while ensuring that state funds are used effectively. According to a July 2013 BSCC survey of stakeholders, gang issues continue to be a public safety priority across California. Consequently, demand for CalGRIP funding remains strong. In the most recent grant cycle, 49 cities submitted proposals in request for nearly $20 million to implement antigang programs. On January 1, 2014 the BSCC began to distribute the current round of funding to the 20 cities whose proposals were deemed most likely to produce positive results. Pursuant to Budget Bill Item 5227-101-0214 (SB 92, Chapter 36, Statutes of 2011), the CalGRIP Program appropriates $9.2 million each year from the State Restitution fund with the following six provisions: 1. (a) $1 million grant annually to the City of Los Angeles;(b) $8.2 million competitive grants to all other cities 2. All grantees must provide a dollar for dollar match 3. The BSCC must submit a report and evaluation to the Legislature no later than April 2014 4. The grants shall be competitive to cities; no grant shall exceed $500,000; at least two grants shall be awarded to cities with populations of less than 200,000; preference shall be given to regional approaches 5. Grants require collaboration with local Juvenile Justice Coordinating Councils, and each grantee must establish an Advisory Council with specified representation to help prioritize the use of the funds 6. A minimum of 20 percent of the funds received by grantees shall be distributed to community-based organizations. Currently there are two active cycles of CalGRIP funding, each a two-year cycle, ending on December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015 respectively. The BSCC is administering a total of $18.5 million in grant funds to 34 cities. Each city is required to provide a local match, which means as of January 1, 2014 more than $37 million in CalGRIP-initiated anti-gang programs are underway in California. The clerical burden of administering funding, both on the BSCC and applicants, is formidable. In March 2014 the BSCC Board approved changing CalGRIP to a 3-year grant cycle in order to ease the administrative burden, provide for greater project sustainability and, more importantly, because longer grant cycles are the cornerstone of effective evidence-based program implementation. It becomes effective for grant awards that run from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017 Details: Sacramento: Board of State and Community Corrections, 2014. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2018 at: http://www.bscc.ca.gov/downloads/CalGRIP_Rpt_FINAL_-_4.17.14.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.bscc.ca.gov/downloads/CalGRIP_Rpt_FINAL_-_4.17.14.pdf Shelf Number: 151499 Keywords: Evidence-Based ProgramsGang Intervention ProgramsGang PreventionGang ReductionGang ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Cook, Philip J. Title: Underground Gun Markets Summary: This paper provides an economic analysis of underground gun markets drawing on interviews with gang members, gun dealers, professional thieves, prostitutes, police, public school security guards and teens in the city of Chicago, complemented by results from government surveys of recent arrestees in 22 cities plus administrative data for suicides, homicides, robberies, arrests and confiscated crime guns. We find evidence of considerable frictions in the underground market for guns in Chicago. We argue that these frictions are due primarily to the fact that the underground gun market is both illegal and "thin" -- the number of buyers, sellers and total transactions is small and relevant information is scarce. Gangs can help overcome these market frictions, but the gang's economic interests cause gang leaders to limit supply primarily to gang members, and even then transactions are usually loans or rentals with strings attached. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series, Working Paper 11737: Accessed November 21, 2018 at: https://www.nber.org/papers/w11737.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: https://www.nber.org/papers/w11737, pdf Shelf Number: 153524 Keywords: Gang ViolenceGangs Gun Markets Gun Violence Gun-Related Violence Illegal Guns |
Author: Skott, Sara Title: Reduction in homicide and violence in Scotland is largely explained by fewer gangs and less knife crime Summary: - Scotland has a longstanding reputation for violence, especially involving gangs of young people using knives in public places. - Since the mid-2000s, both homicide and non-lethal violence decreased significantly in Scotland; however, it was unclear whether this applied to all types of homicide and violence or reflected a change in the culture of gang violence and knife crime specifically. - Analysis of both police and survey data found four main 'types' of homicide and four main 'types' of violence, all of which had decreased over time but by different amounts. - This study shows that declining incidents involving gangs of young people using weapons in public places made the biggest overall contribution to the reduction in both homicide and other forms of violence in Scotland. - Strategies introduced to tackle the problem of gang violence and knife crime seem to have been effective, although strategies to tackle other types of violence need greater attention. Details: s.l.: Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN): 2019. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Briefing 13: Accessed February 25, 2019 at: https://blogs.sps.ed.ac.uk/aqmen/files/2019/01/S-Skott-Types-of-Homicide-28.1.19.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://blogs.sps.ed.ac.uk/aqmen/files/2019/01/S-Skott-Types-of-Homicide-28.1.19.pdf Shelf Number: 154768 Keywords: Crime DropGang ViolenceHomicidesKnife CrimeViolence PreventionViolent Crime |
Author: Chicago. Office of Inspector General Title: Review of the Chicago Police Department's "Gang Database" Summary: The Public Safety Section of the City of Chicago's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has concluded a review of the Chicago Police Department's gang-related data, commonly referred to by the public as the "gang database." OIG's review found that while the Chicago Police Department (CPD or the "Department") deploys a host of strategies, tactics, and technology in relation to gangs, it does not have a unified, stand-alone "gang database" as publicly perceived. Instead, the Department collects and stores information on individual and geographic gang involvement through a multitude of internal databases, forms, visualization tools, and repositories. CPD also receives gang-related data generated by external agencies. Therefore, any effort to address public concern over the purpose and practices associated with the Department's collection and use of gang information must begin with an accurate understanding of the various components and current technological limitations. OIG's review found that: 1) CPD lacks sufficient controls for generating, maintaining, and sharing gang-related data; 2) CPD's gang information practices lack procedural fairness protections; 3) CPD's gang designations raise significant data quality concerns; and 4) CPD's practices and lack of transparency regarding its gang designations strain police-community relations. OIG offers 30 recommendations on the utility, collection, maintenance, sharing, impacts, and data quality of CPD's gang designations. In response, CPD agreed with OIG's findings and largely concurred with many of OIG's recommendations and partially concurred or disagreed with others. Details: Chicago: Author, 2019. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2019 at: https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/OIG-CPD-Gang-Database-Review.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/OIG-CPD-Gang-Database-Review.pdf Shelf Number: 155367 Keywords: Criminal Justice DataGang ViolenceGangsInformation DatabasePolice-Community RelationsRacial BiasYouth Gangs |
Author: Children's Commissioner for England Title: Keeping kids safe: Improving safeguarding responses to gang violence and criminal exploitation Summary: This report draws on the following work undertaken by the Children's Commissioner and her team over the past 12 months: - An extensive programme of engagement with children, their families and the professionals working with them in a range of settings including schools and alternative provision, gang diversion programmes, youth custody and family support programmes. - A bespoke data collection from every Youth Offending Team (YOT) in England asking about the children they are working with and their characteristics. This information provides the biggest sample of known gang members in England currently available. - A statutory data request made to the Chair of Local Safeguarding Boards in 25 areas with high levels of suspected gang activity, asking about the information they hold in relation to children and gangs in their local areas. - A bespoke analysis of the ONS British Crime Survey enabling us to examine the characteristics of self-identifying gang members and those in close proximity to them. - Examination of data collected in relation to children's services, schools and education, policing and children's services relating to known or suspected gang activity. - Learning from the Serious Case Reviews conducted when a child has died as a result of gang violence. - Learning from existing research conducted into gangs and child exploitation including joint research from Ofsted, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP); as well as reports from the Early Intervention Foundation and the Local Government Association, cross-referenced with data collected as part of the Children's Commissioner's Vulnerability Framework to enable us to develop a detailed portrait of the children at risk of gangs in England. Details: London: Author, 2019. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/CCO-Gangs.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/CCO-Gangs.pdf Shelf Number: 155601 Keywords: Child ExploitationGang ViolenceGang-Related ViolenceGangsYouth Gangs |
Author: Blanchard, Daphne N. Title: .Immigration and National Security: An Empirical Assessment of Central American Immigration and Violent Crime in the United States Summary: Executive Summary - The arrival of the October 2018 Central American caravan became a flashpoint in the immigration debate between human rights and national security. Thousands of migrants traveled in a caravan from Central America's Northern Triangle to the United States in October of 2018. President Trump called on Mexico to stop the influx, sent troops to the U.S.-Mexican border, and threatened to cut aid to the Central American country. While several hundred returned on Honduran-sponsored busses and roughly 2,000 people applied for asylum in southern Mexico, the group totaled 6,500 migrants when they arrived at the wall lining the San Ysidro-Tijuana border. Conflicts between the migrants, Mexican police, citizens of Tijuana and U.S. protesters made national headlines. Meanwhile, international aid groups offered makeshift housing, basic necessities, and legal representation for the asylum seekers. Immigration was central to the November mid-term election debates. - Central American immigration has risen significantly over the last few decades. Presently 3.4 million people born in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are living in the United States, more than double the estimated 1.5 million people in 2000, with half of them undocumented. In the time period between 2011 and 2017, the number of Northern Triangle immigrants rose approximately 400,000 which indicated a growth of 0.1 percent of the foreign-born population. The number of Northern Triangle migrant arrivals nearly quadrupled in 2014, with the arrival of approximately 131,000 migrants. El Salvador is the largest sending country from the region, with 1.4 million immigrants in the United States, a 112- fold increase since 1970. Guatemala is second with 815,000, followed by Honduras with 623,000. - The number of unaccompanied minors (also known as UACs) crossing the U.S.- Mexico border has dramatically increased since 2008. Between 2008 and the first eight months of 2014, the number of unaccompanied minors that crossed the U.S. southern border each year jumped from about 8,000 to 52,000, prompting the U.S. Congress to request further research and a hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations. The year 2014 was dubbed the Central America migration crisis due to the 90 percent increase in UACs between 2013 and 2014. The composition of the recent caravans that arrived in April and October of 2018 suggest that child and family migration from the Northern Triangle is an enduring phenomenon. - The root causes of the flows are pervasive violence and systematic persecution in the Northern Triangle region. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are consistently ranked among the world's most violent countries not at war due to their exceptionally high rates of homicide, extortion, gang proliferation, narcotics trafficking, weak rule of law, and official corruption. Many migrants reported fleeing systematic persecution from authorities, pervasive violence from organized criminal organizations, and forced gang recruitment. - Northern Triangle migrants make up less than one percent of the U.S. population. To put the increases in immigrant population in perspective and understand the scope of Central American migration, it is important to note that in 2017 the Northern Triangle subset of immigrants constitute 0.9% of the share of overall population, of which by far the largest percentage is attributed to those with El Salvadoran origins. Asian foreign-born are the most prevalent with 4.3 percent of the share, which consists of Eastern, South Central, and South Eastern Asian immigrants. Those born in Mexico are second with 3.4 percent; while European and African foreign-born make up 1.2 and 0.7 percent respectively. - Public anxiety over Central American migrants stalls immigration reform. The tension at the U.S.-Mexico border due to Central American asylum seekers has reached a fever pitch, polarizing views on how to deal with ever increasing immigration. Although seven percent of Northern Triangle refugees were granted asylum the year after the 2014 surge in migration, compared to 24 percent of refugees from China, the continual flow of Central American migrants to the United States' southern border elicits anxiety, protests, and much public debate. As rhetoric from high-level politicians and news media make connections between violent crime and immigration, political parties' stances on immigration become more divergent -- leading to the inability to agree on comprehensive immigration reform. The difference in opinion between Democrats and Republicans has grown over time with 42 percent of Republicans, compared to 84 percent of Democrats, saying that immigrants strengthen the country, the largest partisan gap on openness to immigrants since 1994. Democrats triple the share of Republicans with the opinion that the nation has a responsibility to care for refugees. - The internet and social media have heightened the risk of mass manipulation and emotional decision-making in immigration policy. Although the Trump administration and news outlets of today are not the first to make a public connection between crime and immigration - the debate has been ongoing for decades - changes in media technology have exacerbated the issue. The internet and social media platforms have significantly increased the scope and reach of consumers at hyper speed without third-party filtering, fact-checking, or editorial judgement to add context to complex issues. This is evident in a Republican-sponsored political commercial that connected an undocumented Mexican cop-killer with the tagline: "Stop the caravan. Vote Republican." Although widely rejected by major television and news outlets on both sides of the aisle for being misleading, the ad was seen approximately 6.5 million times while featured atop Trump's Twitter page. Studies have shown how elite discourse shapes mass opinion and action on immigration policy without necessarily tying the rhetoric to empirical data of the actual threat posed by the group. - Studies show that as immigration levels have risen in the United States, overall violent crime rates have reduced. The relationship between immigration and crime in the United States has been studied at length by scholars whose findings convey a similar conclusion: that immigration does not increase crime and violence, in fact, in the first generation it seems to reduce it. Since 1970 to today, the share and number of immigrants in the United States have increased rapidly while violent crime has been trending in the opposite direction to a level below what it was in 1980. Even as the U.S. undocumented population doubled to 12 million between 1994 and 2005, the violent crime rate in the United States declined 34.2 percent. In addition, cities with large immigrant populations such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Miami also experienced declining crime rates during that period. - Evidence does not support the notion that increases in Central American immigrant populations lead to increases in violent crime rates. Although Northern Triangle immigration has surged over the past several years, the evidence does not support the claim that they are posing a U.S. national security threat. Not only did overall U.S. violent crime rates descend as Central American migration share rose; but the influx of these foreigners in 27 metro areas showed no correlation when compared to the violent crime rate changes of each one during 2012 to 2017. When compared to homicide rate changes, there is no correlation between the changes in the immigrant population from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras; in fact, the vast majority of cases demonstrate a reduction in crime. Not one of the 27 metros with high concentration of immigrants from that region is within the top ten of the most violent metros in the United States. The violence that Northern Triangle migrants are fleeing is not translating into more violence in American communities, as the public discourse seems to suggest. The Central American migration threat has been hyper-inflated in scope and potential for insecurity. - The scope of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang is narrow by comparison. According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), approximately ten thousand MS-13 members inhabit the United States, amounting to 0.3 percent of the overall U.S. population. By comparison, there are approximately 1.4 million gang members living in the United States that make up more than 33,000 gangs. Of the 45,400 UACs apprehended at the border in the five-year period of 2012 and 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) apprehended 159 UACs with confirmed or suspected gang affiliations, 56 of which were suspected or confirmed to be affiliated with MS-13. The Cato Institute reports that 0.1 percent of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol arrests were MS-13 gang members at the border midyear in 2018, similar to the statistics from prior years. - The brutality of MS-13 has the potential to disrupt neighborhoods, but not the United States as a whole. The threat of the MS-13 gang is far smaller in scope and reach than high-profile dialogue suggests, and it is given disproportionate attention in the public discourse considering the levels of crime. Of the 1.2 million violent crime offenses committed in the United States between 2012 and 2017, 345 were committed by members of the MS-13 gang. Although spread throughout cities in the United States and a legitimate concern for the communities which they inhabit, the members of this murderous gang do not demonstrate an ability to disrupt the stability and security of the entire nation and show no sign of expansion. Containing the threat of this violent criminal organization is best left to local authorities with local solutions. This research does not advocate ceasing to address the root causes of MS-13 criminal activity, only to keep the risk in perspective to reduce the negative consequences of fear-based decision-making. - The conflating of MS-13 with all immigrants in public discourse is unfounded and problematic. Connecting all immigrants with the violent acts of the few stalls progress on immigration reform, influences public opinion and immigration policy decisions without data to support the level of threat, creates an atmosphere of conflict surrounding those requesting asylum and settling in American neighborhoods, and is counterproductive to keeping Americans safe. Anxiety-inducing messaging from elite levels slows productive, compromise-driven dialogue that is necessary for immigration reform and effective allocation of finite resources. Details: San Diego: Justice in Mexico, Department of Political Science & International Relations, University of San Diego, 2019. 40p. Source: Internet Resource:JUSTICE IN MEXICO WORKING PAPER SERIES Volume 16, Number 1: Accessed May 9, 2019 at: https://justiceinmexico.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BLANCHARD_Immigration-and-National-Security.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://justiceinmexico.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BLANCHARD_Immigration-and-National-Security.pdf Shelf Number: 155705 Keywords: Asylum SeekersGang ViolenceImmigrants and CrimeImmigration and CrimeImmigration PolicyMS-13 - Mara SalvatruchaNational SecurityNorthern TriangleSocial MediaUnaccompanied MinorsUndocumented MigrantsViolent Crime |