FIGHTING
KNIFE CRIME
Workshop in Queens, NYC
Understanding Gang Culture Maria Arpa, MBE, Founder, Centre for Peaceful Solutions
U
nravelling the label ‘Gang’. What do we mean when we use labels to sum up humans? In my experience, using a label to define a person usually involves a stereotype in which the labelled experiences a loss of voice in society because the label gives rise to assumptions. In urban areas the word ‘gang’ is connected to crime and violence and, unfortunately, mostly attached to Black and Asian youth. So, before we start bandying a word like ‘gang’ around, it’s important to define what we mean. One thing I learned was how the meaning www.FightingKnifeCrime.London
attributed by the police and the meaning attributed by young people are different. For many young people, being part of a gang is a necessity that affords them protection from other gangs and provides a place of belonging. According to Victim Support, ‘The police define gangs as a group of people who may commit crimes or hurt people’. Of course, at the heart of some gangs there is organised crime which runs like a business and strives to protect its turf and its trade even if that means using weapons and inflicting violence. The stock in trade is usually drugs and weapons. And, there is 13
