Gang crackdown: Why anti-patch policies backfire – and what would actually work

The New Zealand Government is continuing its crackdown on gangs, with a new specialist National Gang Unit and a ban on wearing gang patches in public among measures set out in planned legislation; but Auckland University of Technology Associate Professor Antje Deckert, and University of Melbourne Professor Juan Tauri, argue the proposals ignore research evidence that such policies are likely to backfire.

“ The Government promises banning gang patches and giving police more dispersal powers will ‘restore law and order’ and reduce crime. But there is no research evidence to support these claims.

Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in last month’s mammoth Royal Commission abuse-in care report, the Government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on crime” policies.Since taking office last year, the coalition has moved quickly to make good on its election promises. As well as reintroducing boot camps and bringing back the three-strikes sentencing policy, its crackdown on gangs is well underway.The Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill seeks to make gang membership an aggravating factor in sentencing, ban gang patches from public spaces, and restrict gang members’ right to congregate in public or communicate with each other. A specialised National Gang Unit will focus on enforcing those policies.All of this will cost money. When a new offence (such as violating the patch ban or a non-consorting order) is added to the Crimes Act, more must be spent on policing, courts and prisons.Taxpayers may approve of such additional government spending if the policies work. But the research evidence suggests these costly anti-gang measures may well have the opposite of the desired effect.Lees verder via policinginsight.com

Meer leren van Janine Janssen over de samenhang tussen huiselijk geweld en zware criminaliteit? En over de bevoegdheden van de burgemeester bij demonstraties en online gebiedsverboden? En over radicalisering, white-collar crime, jeugdcriminaliteit en verwarde personen? Kom naar de HCB Seminars ‘Topsprekers in Veiligheid 2024’ op 9 oktober en 6 november met Janine Berton, Bram Sizoo, Janine Janssen, Bob Hoogenboom, André van der Laan en Jan van der Grinten.