Groups or Gangs: Early Identification of Gangs and Timely Intervention Dr. Lo Tit Wing Director Youth Studies Net, CityU

Groups or Gangs:Early Identification of Gangs and Timely Intervention

Dr. Lo Tit WingDirector

Youth Studies Net, CityU

Push & Pull ForcesPush & Pull Forces

• Law-abiding behaviour• Deviant behaviour

DeviancyDeviancy ConformityConformity

Linkage with

High Risk Groups Triad Society

Ordinary YouthGroup

Group withDeviant Youths

JuvenileGang

CriminalGang

Ordinary Youth Deviant Youth

Juvenile Gang Criminal Gang

Remaining as criminals

Go Straight

opportunity

opportunity

opportunityGrow out of delinquency

Grow out of delinquency

Becoming gangsters

Grow out of

gangsters Becoming criminals

Goals of Helping ProfessionalsGoals of Helping Professionals

Expand Conformity

Reduce Deviancy

DeviancyDeviancy ConformityConformity

Skills of Helping ProfessionalsSkills of Helping Professionals

Expand Expand ConformityConformity

Reduce Reduce DeviancyDeviancy

• Opportunity for Actualization

• Continued Encouragement

• Learn from Mistakes

• Reinforce Achievements

Successful Experiences & Role in Conventional World


Reduce DeviancyReduce Deviancy

• Naïve Point out risk

• Ambivalence Provide direction

• Group pressure Neutralize pressure

• Willingness Isolate & control


Reduce DeviancyReduce Deviancy

Requirements

• Go into gang territory

• Live with the gang

• Understand individuals

• Understand gang dynamics

• Understand triad relationship

Common Mistake 1Common Mistake 1



e.g. school social workers (traditional mode)

Small no. of outreach workers




e.g. centre-based workers (traditional mode)




e.g. some social workers, scholars

• Grow out of delinquency

• Radical non-intervention




e.g. some teachers


Reduce Reduce ConformityConformity

Expand Expand DeviancyDeviancy

Labelling Processe.g. some teachers some centre-based workers

標籤過程標籤過程（一）初步的偏差行為

（二）懲罰

（三）再度的偏差行為

（四）較嚴重的處罰和排斥

（五）更嚴重的偏差行為，並敵視處罰者

（六）正式的社會行動去懲罰他

（七）變本加厲的偏差行為，以對懲罰作出反應

（八）最後被迫接受壞孩子的形象和角色

Result of LabellingResult of Labelling

ConformityConformityDeviancyDeviancy ConformityConformityDeviancyDeviancy

Deviant Youth Groups

Juvenile Gangs




e.g. social workers

Diagnosis = Labelling

If Diagnosis = Labelling

All Social Workers = Labellers

Diagnosis Labelling

Care & Concern

Hatred

DiagnosisDiagnosis -- Targeting process

* identify the right subjects

* tailor-make services

LabellingLabelling -- Social interaction process

* punishment & discrimination

* reaction formation

DiagnosisDiagnosis

Ordinary

Youths

Deviant

Youths

Juvenile

Gangs

Criminal

Gangs

Tailor-made servicesDraw police

attention

Delabel them during tre

atment

Delabel them during tre

atment

Diagnosis Right Label

Treatment Delabel

Labelling = Diagnosis

No Diagnosis

Category 1 + 2 + 3 + 4

?

Misconception of Integration

TIMELY INTERVENTION

• Accurate Diagnosis: Deviant Youth Groups? or Juvenile Gangs?

How to Identify Juvenile GangsHow to Identify Juvenile Gangs

Public Housing Estate: the Breeding Public Housing Estate: the Breeding Ground for Youth GangsGround for Youth Gangs

• Densely populated

• Low-income working parents

• Ineffective supervision of children’s leisure activities

• Increase their risk of gang attachment

Triad Affiliation

The Structure of a Modern Triad SocietyThe Structure of a Modern Triad SocietyChairman(Cho Kun)

Treasurer(Cha So)

Incense Master(Heung Chu)

Area Boss(Red Pole)

‘49’Members &

Blue Lanterns

Area Boss(Red Pole)

‘49’Members &

Blue Lanterns

Area Boss(Red Pole)

‘49’Members &

Blue Lanterns

Leader(49 Members/Blue

Lanterns)

Youth/JuvenileGang Members


Lanterns)



Lanterns)


212019181716151413121110

Structure of a Triad Youth GangStructure of a Triad Youth GangAge

8195

41 898 9

37 15 45 16142312 6 24 5 2

19 35 31 26 18 10 28 46

22 42 30 2713 2944 1443 36 211001796

47 20 37 50100 83 101

11 38 82

** * * ** * ** * *** * * ** * *** ** *** * ** * ** ** * *** **** *** *** *** ** * ** ***

幫團內副組與年齡的關係幫團內副組與年齡的關係

22

1116

年齡

0 16

每週「蒲」的頻率

幫團內各類成員及年齡組合團幫團內各類成員及年齡組合團

16 12 8 4 0 4 8 12 16

12

14

16

18

20

22 核心成員支持成員邊際成員

年齡

每週「蒲」的頻率

TerritoryTerritory

Gang A’s Territory Gang B’s Territory

Group Norms in Youth GangsGroup Norms in Youth Gangs

1. Don’t join other gangs

2. No squealing

3. Do not report anything to the police

4. Obey triad leaders

5. Help gang members in fighting

6. Give financial help to gang members in times of trouble

7. Don’t be scared in committing crimes

8. No cheating on gang members

9. Do not speak ill of gang members behind their back

10. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth

Group Control in Youth GangsGroup Control in Youth Gangs

Negative Control|

|Positive Control

ViolenceHumiliation

RidiculeExpulsionOstracism

UrgingTogethernessHero-worship

ApplauseRapport

Individual Pressure

Group Pressure

Individual Pressure

Housing Estate A - Housing Estate A - Gang A’s TerritoryGang A’s Territory

Housing Estate B - Housing Estate B - Gang B’s TerritoryGang B’s Territory

School, Shopping Mall

Gang A’s member Gang B’s member

Conflict !

G a n g f i g h tG a n g f i g h t

Transmission of SubcultureTransmission of Subculture

• Territory

• Triad Line Relationship

Remember:

• Go into gang territory

• Live with the gang

• Understand individuals

• Understand gang dynamics

• Understand triad relationship

Powerpoint filecan be obtained at website:www.cityu.edu.hk/prj/YSNetwww.cityu.edu.hk/prj/YSNet

Documents

Groups or Gangs: Early Identification of Gangs and Timely Intervention Dr. Lo Tit Wing Director Youth Studies Net, CityU