Lecture 3 Mediums

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PSYCHOLOGY CRIME
Week 8 Friday 14th March
Gangs Co-offending
Ciarán OKeeffe Room GLA014 Office Hours
Tuesday 11-12, Friday 11-12 Telephone ext.
3639 E-mail okeefec_at_hope.ac.uk
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Lecture Content

• Gangs
• Working example - Ram Raiding
• Definitions
• Types Examples
• Studies
• Triads

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Ram Raiding

• Definition
• Group commercial burglary
• Legal Definition
• A person is a burglar if, having entered any
  building or part of a building as a trespasser he
  steals or attempts to steal anything in the
  building
• Ram Raiding behaviourally distinct
• Professional crime, well-planned overall
  requires a high level of skill experience

4
Ram Raiding

• Description
• Numbers 3 - 5 offenders
• Arrive at target premises in one or more stolen
  high performance vehicles
• Vehicle or tools (e.g sledge hammers, crowbars)
  used to effect entry
• Driver remains in vehicle whilst others load
  goods
• Often one member  stands guard 

5
Ram Raiding

• Preconvictions
• TWOC Drug possession
• Theft Possessing offensive weapon
• Handling stolen goods Robbery
• Burglary non-dwelling Actual bodily harm
• TFMV Assault on police
• Criminal damage Reckless Driving
• Disqualified driving Public order
• Going euipped to steal GBH
• Burglary dwelling Deception
• Indecent assault

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Ram Raiding

• Example
• 5 group members
• What would their roles be?
• What would their precons be?

• 5 Specialisations
• Leader
• Heavy
• Driver
• Extra
• Apprentice

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Ram Raiding

• Example
• Table

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Key Aspects of Group

• Role Differentiation
• Hierarchy Leadership
• External Context
• Operate within wider social or organisational
  context
• External social relationships - Connections
• E.g handlers, information, legitimate links

9
Gangs

• Definition
• A group is a gang when it exists for or benefits
  substantially from the continuing criminal
  activity of its members
• Some element of crime must exist as a definitive
  feature of the organisation for it to be
  classified as a gang
• Not necessarily income-producing (e.g. Aryan
  Brotherhood, KKK)

10
Gangs

• Studies Examples
• Thrasher (1927)
• Etiology of gangs
• 1313 Chicago gangs
• Examples
• Latin Kings
• Crips