Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Law Reform

Chapter five, “Form, Function and Management of the Police Gang Unit,” analyzes the police response to gangs by examining the structure, functions and management of

Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) is a contemporary issue that engulfs Australian society. What makes prosecution of such gangs so complex is the strong foothold that gangs have in organised crime and the façade that is worn in order to evade the eyes of the law. Various responses have been implemented in order to cease all violence and more importantly disenfranchise organised crime and prosecute those within the illegal syndicates. Legal responses put into act are: task forces and intelligence and lastly, targeting the organisation and membership. The non-legal responses on the other hand are, the media and the formation of political parties.

Gang crime is one of the most intriguing social phenomena’s across the world, as defining the deviancy has been difficult due to a broad range of definitions (Wood & Alleyne, 2010, pg. 101). One definition is given by David Curry and

Throughout recent years legal actions have been taken on behalf of the Australian States and Territories, in an attempt to decrease the amount of organised crimes committed by Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs). The introduction of organised crime legislations in South Australia, New South Whales and Queensland have all caused controversy within the legal profession, as many argue that existing crime legislations and specialised police task forces are sufficient enough. Both legal and non-legal actions have been taken against this issue, however the question still stands whether or not these legislations are effective.

Organized crime in Canada can be identified as a multi-layered issue throughout the country. Posing a significant threat to the safety of Canadian citizens, it would prove beneficial to seek further information on crime networks in relation to how and why organized crime networks occur and how they can be/are being controlled. Illegal acts such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, prostitution and theft undoubtedly catalyze adverse effects on the communities in which they operate in and around, and should therefore be analyzed more in depth in an effort to keep Canadians safe. This paper will be discussing the description and function of organized crime networks in Canada, as well as how these networks relate to street gangs, drug trafficking

Valley Metro Gang Taskforce, to help tackle the gang violence problem in the Boise area, known

Defining gangs have been compared to packs, teams, and groups. Participants of gangs do not necessarily commit violent acts or commence in illegal matters. The National Gang Center has come to a consensus on defining gangs with the commonalities of three or more members between the ages of 12 through 24, shared identity, recognized by others as a gang or crew, has levels of organization, and usually involved in criminal activities (Shelden, Tracy, Brown, 2013). Some gangs are excluded from this definition due to not proportionate with their usual activities. Overall, we can consider gangs to be founded when members share similar characteristics and establish a symbol to represent their livelihood.

Gangs have been around for many years; the founders of some of the original gangs in the United States will be discussed. The statistics of youth gangs in Canada will be presented followed by an in depth discussion about why young adults can be persuade into

“Gangs have morphed from social organizations into full-fledged criminal enterprises” (Thomas, 2009, para 5). Gangs are highly sophisticated and more dangerous then ever. The number one reason to join a gang is money; and 95 percent of gangs profit comes from drug dealing

The article presented on this paper reveals the problem of gangs and gang related violence in our nation’s institutions. Corrections Canada has seen a 44 per cent jump in gang members in federal prisons in the last five years, to 2,040 in 2012 from 1,421 in 2007, according to the documents obtained under access to information. The correctional service constructed a strategic framework for dealing with gangs in 2006, and implemented its gang management strategy in 2008, aiming to convince inmates to drop their affiliation and limit security risks. Gang numbers have continued to rise, according to one correctional service management document. It raises a number of

Gangs are becoming prevalent in today’s society and within our schools. More and more young people are turning to gangs in an attempt to escape their everyday lives and the future, which they perceive as dismal and bleak. They are initially attracted to the prestige and cash flow, which is glamorized by the street gang. Many gangs are actively involved in criminal misconduct, such as drug and gun trafficking, burglaries and homicides. However, street gangs are not just a criminal justice issue, but a social problem, which is triggered by poverty, peer pressure, boredom, despair and lacking a sense of belonging.

Street gangs in this country can probably be traced back to the first wave of Europeans who migrated to the colonies for a better life for themselves and their families. Many of the first gangs were formed as a means of self protection, with the thinking that there is simply strength in numbers. The missions of gangs in today’s society have grown and emerged to include many violent criminal avenues, including drug trafficking, prostitution, money laundering, and extortion but the original thinking that there is strength in numbers remains true. Criminology experts believe that the number of teens involved in gangs or gang activity may be as high as 1 in every 5 people in most urban areas. Those number jump to 1 in every 3 people in

Abstract: This review studies in depth research done on street gangs. Social issues have social scientists turning away from including this in their research around this time. Sociological views have been changed dramatically in the past 40 years due to gender and racial studies. Also, women have started to join gangs since America has been changed with woman equality laws passing.

Classification approaches towards gangs are generally carried out according to the structure of the gang, their respective membership, and even on the basis of their ethnicity. Pyrooz & Decker, (2011) have identified three forms of gangs which are named as; street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs and prison gangs. In this method of classification, local street gangs are termed as the ones which occur most frequently at the community level. These are the forms of gangs which engage in drug related crimes and violence.

Gang membership has accounted for the increase in the number of youth and street gangs since the 1950’s. The development of gangs globally, especially in New Zealand, exhibits the fact that there are significant influences pushing people towards becoming a gang member. There is a range of social and psychological factors that underpin the dynamics of a gang’s structure in which they help outsiders gain insight into how gang involvement is evoked. Research has established that there are push and pull factors to what we associate with the theory of ‘multiple marginality.’ This theory tackles how groups feel after being left on the boundaries of society, an action that consequently encourages them to become involved in deviant behavior. The growth in gangs, predominantly those with a heavy Maori influence -such as the Mongrel Mob and Black Power - has caused controversy as to whether ‘multiple marginality’ impacts and is solely responsible for this issue. There may be no single reason behind a spike in gang membership however; having the ability to understand the role of social and psychological factors is needed if we seek to address this concern. This alone is a key aspect in addressing the development of present gangs and why they are becoming more dominant in society.