1. Street Gangs, Terrorists and Outlaw Bikers:
Smith, C.F. & Harms, J.
Middle Tennessee
State University
Examining the community threat of organized crime groups
with military trained gang members (MTGMs)
Summary
Introduction
Previous knowledge impact on perception of threat.
Perceived threat consistent.
More reported: gangs using military weapons and tactics; committing home invasions/armed robberies; current/past military experience.
Ample evidence to claim MTGM’s pose real/serious threat to communities.
Street gangs, domestic terrorists, outlaw motorcycle gangs negatively affect communities
Presence increases violence
Military personnel with gang membership/affiliation in each branch
get away from lifestyle
get military training, weapons, sensitive information
Problem/Purpose: growing presence of MTGMs in civilian communities/determine perceived presence in jails and community corrections.
Mixed results whether military service increases likelihood of criminal record (Albaek et al, 2013; Galiani et al, 2009; Teachman and Tedrow, 2015).
Boucai (2007) suggested active recruitment of criminals.
recruitment pool for military
disciplinary foundation for individual
Since 2013, gang members in jurisdictions applied for positions in military, law enforcement, corrections, judiciary (NGIC 2015).
Military most common
FY2012 GEATA (Army CID, 2013)
31 soldier subjects – street gangs
8 in OMGs, 7 DEs.
Methodology
Index measures perceived threat of MTGMs. Range 0 to 34.
Modified Military Gang Perception Questionnaire (Smith, 2011)
274 members, N = 242.
95% confidence, 2.16% error margin.
96.3% corrections. 81% no military.
Questioned use of military-type weapons, explosives, equipment, tactics, currently/previously served in military, if military advised when discharged.
Future Research
Other state/national participants.
Larger police departments adjacent to/distant from military installation.
Cities with varying gang experiences, geographically diverse.
States/cities with different history of gangs, states outside of SE U.S.
How many are MTGMs?
Bivariate Analysis
Most (49.7%) reported 1-10%.
Some (20%) estimated over 11%, many (30.6%) reported none (0%).
Four variables influenced perceptions. Bivariate analysis was conducted using both independent sample t-tests and a one-way between groups ANOVA.
References
Perceived threat of MTGMs
Albaek, K. and Leth-Petersen, S., le Maire, D. and Tranaes, T., Does Peacetime Military Service Affect Crime?
Boucai, M. (2007). “Balancing your strengths against your felonies”: Considerations for military recruitment of ex-offenders. 61 U. Miami L. Rev. 997.
Galiani, S., Rossi, M.A., and Schargrodsky, E. (2009). The effects of peacetime and wartime conscription on criminal activity.
National Gang Intelligence Center [NGIC]. (2013). National gang report Washington, DC: National Gang Intelligence Center.
National Gang Intelligence Center [NGIC]. (2015). National gang report Washington, DC: National Gang Intelligence Center.
Smith, C. F. (2011). Documenting the pilot: The military gang perception questionnaire (MGPQ). Journal of Gang Research, 18(4) 1-17
Teachman, J. & Tedrow, L. Military Service and Desistance from Contact with the Criminal Justice System. (2015). Unpublished paper. Population Association of America, 2015 Annual Meeting.
U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command. (2013). Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12) Gang and Domestic Extremist Activity Threat Assessment (GDEATA).
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Test Used
Value
Military service
Perceived threat
T-test
.353
Previous knowledge of MTGM’s
3.282**
CJ function
(law enforcement or corrections)
.324
Level of government
ANOVA
1.520
**p<=.01
Perceived severity of the threat of MTGMs
Mean
16.82
Median 17
Mode 20 SD
4.28
Variance
18.316
Min 7
Max 30 N 96