Assessing Gang Enforcement Detail Officer Attitudes towards Gangs and Gang Members

Lourdes R. MoralesUndergraduate Research Opportunities Program

University of California, IrvineMay 16, 2009

Faculty Mentor Dr. Elliott Currie

I. IntroductionII. Statement of the ProblemIII. Research QuestionsIV. Literature ReviewV. MethodsVI. FindingsVII. Policy RecommendationsVIII. AcknowledgementsIX. Questions

Impact of Gangso Prevalent in many different communities

o Participate in criminal activities

o Destabilize communities

Gangs and gang violence are pervasive in Los Angeles, California. o 720 identified gangso 39,000 gang members

oDecrease in serious crime, but 14% increase in gang related crime

oSouth Los Angeles saw a 25% increase in gang related violence (Gang Reduction Strategy, 2008)

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?

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

Site ◦LAPD 77th Street Division◦South L.A., California◦11.9 square mile area◦175,000 residents

Participants ◦Gang Enforcement

Detail (GED) Officers

Research Design ◦Qualitative case study

Procedure◦ Interview n=12◦Observation n=3

Data Analysis ◦Recurring themes and trends

What is the nature of the relationship between GED officers and gang members?

◦Surveillance and intelligence Intervention and rehabilitation Arrest: “Catch the big fish”

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

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

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

LAPD’s 77th Street Division GED Officers

Dr. Elliott Currie

Dr. Kristen Day

UROP