CRIM20004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Making Money, Victimisation, Centrality

• School: University of Melbourne
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM20004
• Professor: Haines

Document Summary

No consensus in literature but focus on two key points: focus on expressive nature of loosely formed groups of youth members to gain status, e(cid:373)phasis o(cid:374) orga(cid:374)isatio(cid:374) (cid:374)ature a(cid:374)d role of leadership a(cid:374)d use of (cid:448)iole(cid:374)(cid:272)e. Importance of gangs: definitions have significant impact on our understandings of the size and nature of gaps, denial versus over-ide(cid:374)tifi(cid:272)atio(cid:374) (cid:373)a(cid:455) refle(cid:272)t (cid:373)oral pa(cid:374)i(cid:272)s, undermines comparative and empirical work. Construction of gangs: over-determined: defined by discourses and contemporary concerns with the presence of gangs. Symptomatic of the latest wave of gang concern. Sensational reports of criminal activities activate awareness of social problem: victimisation of some groups of youth, promotion of fear of some youth groups. Stereotyping gangs by ethnic group (e. g. ) police profiling as racial profiling: ra(cid:272)e a u(cid:374)if(cid:455)i(cid:374)g e(cid:454)perie(cid:374)(cid:272)e for ga(cid:374)g as outsider. Spatial and geographic location: poverty and marginalisation, availability; visibility and access; recruitment (e. g. ) family, prison or juvenile centres, friends, potential and actual gang involvement.