Race, Gender, and Social Control

Question 1

What was the methodology used in Robert J Duran’s study?

Answer 1

• participation observation, direct observation and semi-structured interviews
• participants included gang members, associates, loose affiliates and non-gang members
• use of POP (people observing police for objectivity

Question 2

What were the three main key findings?

Answer 2

1. legitimate profiling
2. interacting with suspected gang members s
3. coercive intelligence-gathering tactics
4. serious forms of police misconduct

Question 3

Legitimate Profiling

Answer 3

• most crimes and gang-related activities are invisible
• police became obsessed with revealing these invisible crimes by making random stops based on legal justification and reasonable suspicion and probable cause

However,
the police stopped these individuals based on seven main reasons
1. clothing
2. out late
3. matched description (Mexican youth)
4. report of shots fired
5. moving together
6. looking suspicious
7. minor traffic violations

According to POP
- THE MAIN reason for stopping these individuals was that they had to be a youth of Mexican descent
- not based on reasonable doubt but typical behaviour of young people

Question 4

Interacting with suspected gang members

Answer 4

• tense relationship because the police officers lacker reason to stop Mexican youths
• incite provocation to justify their mean s

Question 5

Coercive Intelligence Gathering Tactics

Answer 5

• repeatedly asking questions
• accuse deniers of lying
• fishing expedition

-police feel an overwhelming sense to serve and protect
- however, most gang-related activities are minor in nature and not criminal
- police ignore the social forces that led to gangs forming