#1ARIZONA STATE UniversiTY Diagnosing Trinidad & Tobago's Gang Problem Charles M. Katz David Choate Arizona State University Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety School of Criminology & Criminal Justice Citation: Katz, Charles M. and David Choate. Diagnosing Trinidad & Tobago's Gang Problem. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Los Angeles, California. Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#2ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Methodological Approach ⚫ TT Gang Expert Survey - - Replication of Eurogang Research Program Expert Survey. Surveyed gang experts in all TT station districts (n=52), 100% response rate. Besson Street Gang Intelligence, Criminal History Project - Non-gang sample (n=878) - - Gang sample (n=368) Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#3ARIZONA STATE UniversITY Methodological Approach, Cont. Trinidad Arrestee Project Survey (TAPS) - Based on DUF/ADAM Interviewed 421 recently booked adult arrestees Trinidad Detention Survey (TDS) Interviewed about 60 adult detainees Trinidad and Tobago Youth Survey (TTYS) Measures risk & protective factors, including gangs, among school youth Adapted from the Social Development Research Group/Six state Consortium and the TT Peace Programme. Surveyed approximately 4,000 students, Forms 4 thru 6, (i.e., USA comparison grades 8th, 10th, and 12th). Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#4ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Number of youth gangs and gang members in Trinidad & Tobago National Total Gangs Gang Members n 95 1.269 Year formed Before 2000 8.4 25.8 2000-2006 24.2 74.2 Missing 67.4 |N= 95 31 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#5ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Composition of Gangs in TT, Cont. • About 83% are African, 13% are East Indian • No female dominated gangs • About 87% are comprised of adults • Two-thirds of gangs are comprised of 6 to 50 members 95% of gang are comprised of citizens of TT Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#6ARIZONA STATE UniversiTY • • • Organizational characteristics of gangs in TT 86% have group name 61% refer to themselves as a gang, 26% crew, 4.2% Clip/Unit 88% claim turf & 75% defend their turf 85% do NOT have symbols (i.e., physical identifiers, signs, other) 99% illegal activity is accepted by group Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#7ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Criminal involvement of TT gangs • Frequent use of alcohol, drug use, and drug sales • Two-thirds involved in fights with rival groups Experts emphasized that gang most frequently involved in Drug sales, robbery and firearms activity Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#8ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Organizational description of gangs in Trinidad and Tobago Classical Neo-Classical Compressed Collective Specialty None Missing N= Percent Valid Percent 8.4 8.5 4.2 4.3 13.7 13.8 21.1 21.3 48.4 48.9 3.2 3.2 1.1 95 94 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#9ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Top five station districts for number of gangs and number of gang members Number of Number of Gangs Gang Five station districts with the most Besson Street 19 385 San Juan 8 130 Sangre Grande 8 90 St. Joseph 7 55 Belmont 6 165 Five station districts with the most Besson Street 19 385 Belmont 6 165 San Juan 8 130 Carenage 4 100 Sangre Grande 8 90 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#10ARIZONA STATE UniversiTY Number of Gangs by Jurisdiction N Legend 0 Gangs 1-4 Gangs 4-10 Gangs 10-15 Gangs 15-19 Gangs Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#11ARIZONA STATE UniversiTY Number of Gang Members by Jurisdiction Legend 0 Gang Members. 1-50 Gang Members 50-125 Gang Members 125-250 Gang Members 250-385 Gang Members. Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#12ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Besson Street Gang Intelligence, Criminal History Project Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#13ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Sample characteristics Non-Gang Gang Member Total Characteristic Valid Percent Percent Percent Valid Percent Valid Percent Percent Age distribution 17 or Younger 4.6 5.7 3.8 5.3 4.3 5.6 18 to 21 18.6 23.3 18.8 26.1 18.6 24.1 22 to 25 21.4 26.9 18.2 25.4 20.5 26.5 26 to 35 23.0 28.9 24.2 33.7 23.4 30.2 36 to 45 8.7 10.9 5.7 8.0 7.8 10.1 46 to 55 1.9 2.4 1.1 1.5 1.7 2.2 56 or Older 1.6 2.0 28.3 1.1 1.5 Missing 20.3 22.6 N= 878 700 368 264 1,246 964 sig. ** Note: Age was computed from date of birth (where known) until August 15, 2005 (date of data extraction). * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .05 ** Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .01 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#14ARIZONA STATE UniversiTY Sample characteristics, continued Non-Gang Gang Member Total Characteristic Percent Valid Percent Percent Valid Percent Valid Percent Percent Ethnicity African 57.1 81.6 87.5 96.7 66.1 86.9 Indian 3.5 5.0 0.8 0.9 2.7 3.6 Mixed/Biracial 7.6 10.9 1.9 2.1 5.9 7.8 Spanish 1.4 2.0 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.4 Caucasian 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 Missing 30.1 9.5 24.0 N= 878 877 368 333 1,246 1,236 ** ** Gender sig. Male 92.8 92.9 92.9 95.3 92.9 93.6 Female 7.1 7.1 4.6 4.7 6.3 6.4 Missing 0.1 2.4 0.8 N= 878 613 368 359 1,246 943 sig. ** Note: Age was computed from date of birth (where known) until August 15, 2005 (date of data extraction). * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p ≤.05 ** Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p ≤.01 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#15ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Sample characteristics, continued Characteristic Non-Gang Valid Percent Gang Member Total Valid Valid Percent Percent Ever Arrested Percent 20.2 51.4 29.4 |N= 878 368 1,246 sig. ** Number of arrests Mean 0.68 2.09 1.10 SD 1.82 3.52 2.53 |N= 878 368 1,246 sig. ** Note: Age was computed from date of birth (where known) until August 15, 20 * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p <.05 * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p <.01 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#16ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Incidence and prevalence of crime by gang membership Arrest Offense Category Non-Gang (n=878) Gang Member (n=368) Total (n=1,246) sig. n Percent n Percent n Percent Ever Arrested 177 20.2 ** 189 51.4 366 29.4 Ever arrested by crime type Violent Offense 91 10.4 ** 116 31.5 207 16.6 Firearm Related 76 8.7 ** 95 25.8 171 13.7 Drug Sales 28 3.2 ** 56 15.2 84 6.7 Drug Use/Possession 70 8.0 ** 86 23.4 156 12.5 Property Offense 67 7.6 ** 51 13.9 118 9.5 Sex Crime 16 1.8 10 2.7 26 2.1 Other 50 5.7 ** 46 12.5 96 7.7 * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .05 ** Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .01 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#17ARIZONA STATE UniversitY Incidence and prevalence of crime by gang membership, continued Arrest Offense Category Non-Gang (n=878) sig. Gang Member (n=368) Total (n=1,246) Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Number of Arrests 0.68 1.82 ** 2.09 3.52 1.10 2.53 Number of arrests by crime type Violent Offense 0.33 1.38 ** 0.81 1.59 0.48 1.46 Firearm Related 0.22 1.04 ** 0.45 0.91 0.29 1.01 Drug Sales 0.05 0.28 ** 0.24 0.65 0.10 0.43 Drug Use/Possession 0.12 0.46 ** 0.32 0.64 0.18 0.53 Property Offense 0.17 0.84 ** 0.36 1.62 0.23 1.13 Sex Crime 0.03 0.30 0.03 0.19 0.03 0.27 Other 0.16 0.91 0.20 0.60 0.17 0.83 * Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .05 ** Indicates significant difference between gang and non-gang at p < .01 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#18ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Gang members who are chronic offenders and their contribution to crime (n=372) Chronic offenders Other offenders % of Total Arrests % of n Sample Total Arrests 24 6.4 298 38.7 348 93.6 472 61.3 Chronically violent offenders 27 7.2 149 50.0 Other offenders 345 92.3 149 50.0 Chronic drug traffickers 9 2.4 29 33.3 Other offenders 363 97.6 58 66.7 Chronic gun/ammo possession 18 4.8 62 38.3 offenders Other offenders 354 95.2 100 61.7 Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#19ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Member of Known Gang Member of Unknown Gang Gang Affiliation Unknown Non-Gang Member Gang H Police or Prison Official Affiliation? Gang O Gang D Affiliation? Gang K Gang F Gang M- Gang A Non-Gang Non-Gang Affiliation? 'Non-Gang Affiliation? Gang N Gang? Gang S Affiliation? Gang J Affiliation? Gang E Non-Gang "Police/Prison Gang? Non-Gang Gang? Gang T Gang L Affiliation? Gang? Gang U Affiliation? Affiliation? Non-Gang Gang C Police/Prison Gang G Gang P Non-Gang Gang Affiliation? Affiliation? Affiliation? Non-Gang Gang Q Gang B Affiliation? "Non-Gang Affiliation? Affiliation? Affiliation? Gang R Affiliation? Gang? Gang V Affiliation? Affiliation? Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#20ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Gang Involved Homicides in the Besson Street Station District by Known Victim and Suspect Affiliation (1/1/05-1/26/06) Number Homicide Number Homicide % of Gang Homicides in Gang Suspects Victimizations Total District Gang 1 2 8 10 12.35% Gang 2 6 CO 3 9 11.11% Gang 3 7 1 8 9.88% Gang 4 6 CO 1 7 8.64% Gang 5 3 3 6 7.41% Gang 6 4 2 6 7.41% Gang 7 6 0 6 7.41% Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#21ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY HPWG Gang/ROP Subcommittee Gang/ROP Task Force Staffed with 1 supervisor & 10 officers from Intelligence, Homicide, OCNU, IATF, Besson CID, plus 1 prosecutor Gang/ROP Intelligence Detail Staffed with 2 officers: one from Intelligence & one from Criminal History Records Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU#22ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Create Besson Street Gang/ROP Task Force 1. Identify gangs, gang members, and other chronic offenders to be targeted for enforcement 2. Target suspected chronic offenders for surveillance and arrest 3. Arrest chronic offenders who have outstanding warrants, and 4. Provide prosecutors with full information about the criminal histories of chronic offenders and working with prosecutors to arrest and prosecute chronic offenders to the full extent of the law. Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety ASU