NCJ Number
48708
Journal
Police Magazine Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 19,21-22,26-29
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
RIVALRY AMONG YOUTH GANGS OF CHINESE-AMERICANS SHOWING ELEMENTS OF AN ORGANIZED CRIME INVOLVEMENT, COUPLED WITH THE RESERVE OF NONCRIMINAL CHINESE-AMERICAN RESIDENTS PRESENTS PROBLEMS FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO (CALIF.) POLICE.
Abstract
THE KILLING OF 5 PERSONS AND THE WOUNDING OF 11 OTHERS IN THE GOLDEN DRAGON RESTAURANT HAB BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF GANG-RELATED MURDERS TO 37 SINCE 1969. ONLY EIGHT SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED IN THESE CASES, AND POLICE ARE BLAMING THE INVESTIGATIVE IMPASSE ON A SUBCULTURE OF FEAR IN THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY AND NONCOOPERATION FROM COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. CHINESE-AMERICANS COUNTER WITH ASSERTIONS OF POLICE NEGLECT AND RACISM. SAN FRANCISCO IS ONE AMONG A NUMBER OF CITIES WITH SIZEABLE CHINESE COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING GANG PROBLEMS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIFFICULTIES. THE EXPLOSION OF YOUTH VIOLENCE IS FORCING POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND INSULAR CHINESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES TOGETHER IN A TENSE CONFRONTATION POSING UNIQUE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND INVESTIGATIVE PROBLEMS. SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK CITY, AND LOS ANGELES, CALIF., ARE EACH TRYING DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THESE PROBLEMS, BUT IN NONE HAS THE YOUTH GANG PROBLEM BEEN RESOLVED. THE GANG RIVALRIES TEND TO FOLLOW A PATTERN OF CHINATOWN INSIDERS FIGHTING OUTSIDERS, SUPPORTED BY THE PRESENCE OF ADULT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS SEEKING TO PROTECT THEIR OWN TURF. KNOWN MEMBERS RANGE BETWEEN 12 AND 26 YEARS OLD, AND MANY ARE IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG. IN NEW YORK, FOR INSTANCE, YOUTH GANGS HAVE QUASI-MILITARY STRUCTURE, STRONG INTERSTATE CONNECTIONS, AND ACCESS TO ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE THEM EXTREMELY MOBILE. MUCH OF THE POLICE SPECULATION ABOUT ORGANIZED CRIME IN CHINATOWN CENTERS AROUND THE TONGS, TIGHTLY KNIT PROTECTIVE FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS WHICH EMERGED IN THE LAST CENTURY. THE INSULAR NATURE OF THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY COUPLED WITH COMMUNITY ATTITUDES THAT THE POLICE ARE A PART OF THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN A SOLUTION MAKES INVESTIGATION ARDUOUS. THE PREVIOUS APPARENT CONDONING OF GAMBLING BY POLICE AND COMMUNITY, AND ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC, AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POLICE AND RESIDENTS ALSO HINDER RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A LONG TRADITION OF THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN PROBLEMS, THE TIGHT COMMUNITY NECESSARY TO SUCH A SYSTEM BEGAN TO DISINTEGRATE AFTER WORLD WAR II. COMMUNITY ELDERS ATTEMPTED TO COOPT NEW IMMIGRANTS, BUT WITH LITTLE SUCCESS, AND IT SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT THE GANGS WERE A PROBLEM THEY COULD NOT HANDLE ALONE. PHOTOGRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE REPORT. (JAP)