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Assessing Impact of Specialized Gang Units

Assessing Impact of Specialized Gang Units. Evidence From Indianapolis & San Diego. Gang prevalence increased in 1980s & 1990s Increased incursions into suburban & small town areas Decreased overall crime rates BUT high-profile gang crimes led to skewed public perception.

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Assessing Impact of Specialized Gang Units

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  1. Assessing Impact of Specialized Gang Units Evidence From Indianapolis & San Diego

  2. Gang prevalence increased in 1980s & 1990s Increased incursions into suburban & small town areas Decreased overall crime rates BUT high-profile gang crimes led to skewed public perception Primary purpose of this research Determine range of functional activities of specialized gang units Secondary purpose Examine ways the activities of these units compared to stated goals and the linkage to measured outcomes Gang Prevalence

  3. Prevalence of Specialized Police Units • National surveys suggest nearly 50% of all larger police dept.s have specialized gang unit • In 1997, 56% of dept.s reported having specialized gang unit with full-time personnel • In 1993, 76% of dept.s reported operating specialized units • Why the difference?

  4. Research Questions & Different Results • Why the difference between the 1993 study and the 1997 results? • The number of units may have decreased from 1993 to 1997 • Personnel could have switched duties to different assignments • The 1997 survey asked about specialized gang units with 1 or more full-time employee • The 1993 survey asked about ANY personnel

  5. Rationale for Specialized Police Units • To respond to new problems emerging in communities • To increase accountability for specific problems • To provide organizational flexibility in personnel assignments • To focus training and develop specialized skills • To offer symbolic evidence of organizational attention to specific problems

  6. Public & Political Frenzy • Huff (1990) reported that most gang units formed following high-profile gang related event • “frenzied social and political context” • Public & police administrators can inflate gang numbers to obtain funding – exaggerate problem • McCorkle & Miethe (2002) argue that the media & police “deliberately exaggerated and distorted” gang info to make citizens more fearful

  7. Pop. 1.2 million 1900 sworn officers Crime rate 40 per 1000 Community policing adopted mid-1980s Have routinely tracked gangs Drop in homicides 1990 to 1998 Gang unit created in 1972 Gangs have existed since early 1940s 85 gangs 5000 members Gang unit operates within dept. San Diego

  8. Pop. 388,000 1300 sworn officers Crime rate 53 per 1000 Community policing adopted in 1992 Gangs emerged in mid-1980s 210 gangs 2200 members Juvenile unit precursor to gang unit Gang unit part of FBI Safe Streets Task Force Gang unit operates from remote location Indianapolis

  9. Number of Gangs Number of Gang Members

  10. San Diego Goals • Reduce gang violence % number of active gang members • Increase surveillance, contacts, arrest of gang members • Form partnerships with patrol field commands • Form partnerships with community groups

  11. San Diego Goals Cont. • Suppress gang violence thru enforcement directed at identified targets • Obtain intelligence information from various sources • Maintain accurate & up to date intelligence database

  12. San Diego Tactics • Monthly incident reports to track gang related crime • Estimated 60% of gang cases cleared • Prosecution aimed at more serious cases • CalGANG – statewide database • Collaboration with other jurisdictions • Variety of measures to determine goal advancement

  13. Indianapolis Goals • Identify violent street gang organizations & members, scope, finances, criminal activities, and geographic dimensions • Assess all violent street gang organizations, identify 5 most violent • Gather criminal intelligence to assist in developing potential targets, documenting the scope of a gang’s criminal activities & vulnerabilities

  14. Indianapolis Goals Cont. • Initiate a Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organization (RICO) investigation • Indict hierarchy of New Breed street gang for drug trafficking and remove the instruments of those criminal activities (guns) • Collaborate and share intelligence with other law enforcement agencies • Enhance the skills of gang unit personnel assigned to analytic responsibilities

  15. BOTH Shared vision about antigang efforts Little emphasis on traditional measures San Diego Strengths Appreciation of symbolic nature of gangs Educate community Tracked gang related crime More responsive to public Comparison

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