GANGLANDS

Written by Maureen McCarthy

Cultural tensions in Melbourne

The resident population from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds is increasing.

The cost of housing and living are increasing, this places additional stress and tension on low income households.

Net migration is rising often new migrants may struggle to find employment and to have qualifications recognised in Australia. This can create a feeling of inadequacy and hostility as they struggle to adjust.

These factors impact on the social ties and community structures which bind people together in a socially cohesive manner.

Four people were arrested and two police officers were allegedly assaulted in a mass-brawl between two youth gangs - said to be of Australian and Islander decent - from Craigieburn Secondary College.

Melbourne’s Underworld

• The majority of underworld crime figures and major incidents can be traced back to the Painters and Dockers Union that existed on Melbourne’s waterfront after the second world war.

• The Melbourne markets were seen as a natural distribution point for these illegal substances (they were just across the road from the docks area).

• By 1990 the local manufacture of amphetimes had increased to the point where the Police described Melbourne as the “amphetamine capital of Australia.

Different types of Gangs

• Organized criminal gangs

• Youth street gangs

• Wannabe gangs

Is street violence etched into the

national character? We sometimes forget that civilization, nearly all human

tribes and nations have gained the territory they occupy by conquest, either over other cultures or over nature.

Australia in particular has a cultural tradition that in large part is underpinned by aggressive opportunism.

We survived by being able to assert ourselves over weaker cultures and transform landscapes. To do that needed aggression, either outright or passive.

Last week, Victoria's new Deputy Police Commissioner, Ken Jones, talked about taking on the job of trying to win back the streets of Melbourne from violent, boozed-up teenagers and young adults. An amnesty was announced for knives and other weapons.

High Risk Youth

Many factors can influence someone’s decision to participate in a gang…

Behind Teen Violence

• Social difference [ethnic concentration; ethnic mix; emphasis on non-conformity; relative powerlessness; social marginalisaton]

• Moral panics and ethnic targeting [naming; media reports, variations depending upon time period, and which ethnic minority group depending upon city]

• Building a reputation [where you hang out; specific incidents]

• Importance of social identity [one’s place, resisting authority, masculinity & identity]

• Social difference as social deviance [marginalisation, criminalisation, vilification]

• Social transformation [search for meaning, dealing with oppressive conditions – potential for extreme violence]

Behind Teen Violence Continued…

Watch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuNJDcfXIxA