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Assessing Gang Enforcement Detail Officer Attitudes towards Gangs and Gang Members

Assessing Gang Enforcement Detail Officer Attitudes towards Gangs and Gang Members . Lourdes R. Morales Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program University of California, Irvine May 16, 2009 Faculty Mentor Dr. Elliott Currie . Outline . Introduction Statement of the Problem

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Assessing Gang Enforcement Detail Officer Attitudes towards Gangs and Gang Members

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  1. Assessing Gang Enforcement Detail Officer Attitudes towards Gangs and Gang Members Lourdes R. Morales Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program University of California, Irvine May 16, 2009 Faculty Mentor Dr. Elliott Currie

  2. Outline • Introduction • Statement of the Problem • Research Questions • Literature Review • Methods • Findings • Policy Recommendations • Acknowledgements • Questions

  3. Introduction

  4. Introduction • Impact of Gangs • Prevalent in many different communities • Participate in criminal activities • Destabilize communities

  5. Statement of the Problem

  6. Statement of the Problem • Gangs and gang violence are pervasive in Los Angeles, California. • 720 identified gangs • 39,000 gang members • Decrease in serious crime, but 14% increase in gang related crime • South Los Angeles saw a 25% increase in gang related violence (Gang Reduction Strategy, 2008)

  7. Research Questions

  8. Research Questions • What is the nature of the relationship between GED officers and gang members? • How do GED officers interact with gang members? What role does the behavior and/or demeanor of the gang member play?

  9. Literature Review

  10. Literature Review • Discretion • Officer’s use of discretion is not arbitrary but rather a result of well defined, yet informal, rules (Stroshine, Alpert, & Dunham, 2008) • The code of science • Intended to elicit feelings of loyalty and comradery among officers, but can also serve to insulate officers and facilitate the use of excessive force (Skolnick, 2008) • The role of morality • Officer disposition is largely based on officers’ discretionary evaluation of juveniles’ commitment to deviant behavior (Piliavin & Briar, 1964) • Gaps in literature

  11. Methods

  12. Methods • Site • LAPD 77th Street Division • South L.A., California • 11.9 square mile area • 175,000 residents • Participants • Gang Enforcement Detail (GED) Officers

  13. Methods • Research Design • Qualitative case study • Procedure • Interview n=12 • Observation n=3 • Data Analysis • Recurring themes and trends

  14. Findings

  15. Findings RQ1 • What is the nature of the relationship between GED officers and gang members? • Surveillance and intelligence • Intervention and rehabilitation • Arrest: “Catch the big fish”

  16. Findings RQ2 • How do GED officers interact with gang members? What role does the behavior and/or demeanor of the gang member play? • Discretion • Cooperative gang members • Uncooperative gang members “I think tax payers money is better spent if I’m looking for the crook instead of dealing with a few guys drinking on the street.” -GED Officer

  17. Findings RQ2 Continued • How do GED officers interact with gang members? What role does the behavior and/or demeanor of the gang member play? • Differing perspectives on the role of GED • Public safety • Community outreach “I know when [a gang member] gets out [of jail] he’ll be right back on the streets, but at least for those months he wasn’t out committing crimes… When he does something again, we’ll get him.” -GED Officer

  18. Policy Recommendations

  19. Policy Recommendations • Use of surveillance and intelligence information for intervention and rehabilitation • Collaboration between the police department, education system, and social services • Cultivate greater support in community outreach

  20. Acknowledgments

  21. Acknowledgments • LAPD’s 77th Street Division GED Officers • Dr. Elliott Currie • Dr. Kristen Day • UROP

  22. Questions?

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