Global CrimePub Date : 2020-01-02DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2020.1716520
David Bright, Russell Brewer
{"title":"Innovations in research on illicit networks","authors":"David Bright, Russell Brewer","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2020.1716520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2020.1716520","url":null,"abstract":"Research using social network analysis to study illicit networks has blossomed since publication of a seminal article by Sparrow. Nonetheless, it took about ten years before Sparrow’s call to arms gained traction, with some scepticism from the wider social science academy about the utility of social network analysis as a viable tool. Since those early days, we have witnessed a burgeoning interest in the field of illicit networks, and in particular, the use of social network analysis as an effective tool for criminologists and crime analysts. This interest has spawned a robust body of research that has pushed the field forward, through various technical reports, academic journal articles, books and conferences. The Illicit Networks Workshop (INW), in particular, has become a tentpole event where illicit network researchers and analysts converge to share their latest research in an effort to advance the field. In 2020, the workshop will be in its thirteenth year, and boasts an international membership, having been hosted by institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. This special issue brings together a sampling of the presentations from the 10th INW hosted in Adelaide, Australia in 2017and represents some of the latest developments in the field. The special issue presents four articles that utilise innovative methods to explore a variety of different illicit networks, including organised criminal groups, gangs, and the trafficking in counterfeit alcohol. The first article by Nakamura, Tita and Krackhardt explores the role of local structural conditions that can facilitate or hinder violence between enemies, by focusing on gun violence among street gangs. They find that balanced structures tend to involve less violence but that a gang will initiate violence in attempts to reinforce a dominant position. The paper demonstrates that a network perspective can reveal important characteristics of the dynamics of inter-gang violence. Next, Hughes, Chalmers and Bright explore interrelationships between drug trafficking and other forms of organised criminal activity. They demonstrate that almost one quarter of drug trafficking cases involved concurrent serious or organised crime charges such as firearms offences and corruption. The paper represents an innovative use of social network analysis to explore interconnections across a range of criminal activities undertaken by organised criminal groups. Diviak, Dijkstra and Snijders then present an analysis of a counterfeit alcohol distribution network using exponential random graph models (ERGMs). They found that the network structure was characterised by triadic closure, a negative tendency to concentrate ties, and the translation of pre-existing ties into operational ties. The results demonstrate the utility of social network analysis to not only describe the structure of organised criminal groups, but to reveal important characteristics of the social dynamics through ","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"21 1","pages":"1 - 2"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2020-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2020.1716520","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44314056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-12-31DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1709945
T. O'Brien
{"title":"Situational breakdowns: Understanding protest violence and other surprising outcomes","authors":"T. O'Brien","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1709945","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1709945","url":null,"abstract":"The eruption of violence at apparently peaceful protests is an important issue, as the effect of a loss of control can be significant and lasting. Presence of disruptive elements, such as the so-ca...","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"21 1","pages":"185 - 188"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1709945","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45177522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-10-12DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1697565
E. Bellotti
{"title":"Syndicate women. Gender and networks in Chicago organised crime","authors":"E. Bellotti","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1697565","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1697565","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"20 1","pages":"215 - 218"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1697565","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44278856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-09-16DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1662304
M. Fonoberova, I. Mezić, J. Mezic, James C. Hogg, J. Gravel
{"title":"Small-world networks and synchronisation in an agent-based model of civil violence","authors":"M. Fonoberova, I. Mezić, J. Mezic, James C. Hogg, J. Gravel","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1662304","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1662304","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The rapid evolution and current ubiquity of social media as a form of communication calls for a revision of many models of collective behaviour. In this paper, we modify a classic agent-based model of civil violence by Epstein (2002) consisting of citizen and law-enforcement agents by integrating a Watts-Strogatz small-world network (SWN). The SWN simulates non-local connections between citizens, enabling influence by both local and distant neighbours and providing an analogue to social media. The objective was to examine the influence of non-local connections on civil violence dynamics for varied law-enforcement concentration and network density. For lower law-enforcement concentrations, the SWN influence leads to more frequent large-scale violent outbursts, while for higher law-enforcement concentrations, outcomes depended most strongly on the number of local neighbours. The long-range coupling across the lattice due to the SWN provides a new mechanism for non-trivial dynamics and leads to a synchronisation effect.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"20 1","pages":"161 - 195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1662304","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43659432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-09-02DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1659139
Maxime Bérubé, Benjamin Ducol
{"title":"Radicalization in arms? Exploring armed violence capital in the context of Quebec’s civilian military simulation communities","authors":"Maxime Bérubé, Benjamin Ducol","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1659139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1659139","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Introducing the concept of ‘armed violence capital’, this paper intends to explore radicalisation leading to violence through the acquisition of knowledge and skills of violence without active ideological indoctrination. Using civilian communities practicing specific military simulations as a case study, it assesses how this type of training might be used for a deviant and extremist purpose. Based on a mixed-method approach of ethnographic observations, surveys, and interviews of civilian military simulation participants, it first describes this activity before explaining how such training can allow participants to acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards the use of violence. Showing the observed members of this community are not violent extremists, this study suggests that an ideological motivation is needed for the use of extreme violence, but that a violent radicalisation process can evolve without this ideological aspect.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"20 1","pages":"196 - 214"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1659139","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47343359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-07-02DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1627879
Kiminori Nakamura, George E. Tita, D. Krackhardt
{"title":"Violence in the “balance”: a structural analysis of how rivals, allies, and third-parties shape inter-gang violence","authors":"Kiminori Nakamura, George E. Tita, D. Krackhardt","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1627879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1627879","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper explores the role of local structural conditions that facilitate or hinder violence when enmity is present between parties, by examining shooting-involved violence among street gangs in Long Beach, California. Using structural balance theory, this paper investigates whether certain triadic structures in which two rival gangs i and j are related to a third gang is associated with the levels of violence that i will inflict upon j. Based on multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure to adjust for the dependent structure in the network, the results show that after controlling for individual and dyadic explanations, structural conditions are robust predictors of the levels and the directions of inter-gang violence. Structural imbalance indicates a lack of clear dominance in relations and predicts increased violence. Balanced structures tend to be much less violent; however, a gang will initiate violence if by doing so it expects to reinforce its dominant position.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"21 1","pages":"3 - 27"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1627879","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41570768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-06-04DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1614444
Benjamin Loveluck
{"title":"The many shades of digital vigilantism. A typology of online self-justice","authors":"Benjamin Loveluck","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1614444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1614444","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Digital vigilantism involves direct online actions of targeted surveillance, dissuasion or punishment, which tend to rely on public denunciation or on an excess of unsolicited attention, and are carried out in the name of justice, order or safety. Drawing on a diversity of case studies, this article seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of its manifestations, addressing both the social practices and digital media dynamics involved. It presents a typology which distinguishes between four ideal types of digital vigilantism: flagging, investigating, hounding and organised leaking.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"21 1","pages":"213 - 241"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1614444","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48976185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-05-05DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1596806
P. Stys, Judith Verweijen, Papy Muzuri, S. Muhindo, Christoph Vogel, J. Koskinen
{"title":"Brokering between (not so) overt and (not so) covert networks in conflict zones","authors":"P. Stys, Judith Verweijen, Papy Muzuri, S. Muhindo, Christoph Vogel, J. Koskinen","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1596806","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1596806","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT There is a tendency to consider covert networks as separate from overt networks. Drawing on data from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we demonstrate that this is not the case and identify how covert and overt networks are mutually constitutive. While most studies of African brokers have relied on network metaphors like ‘Big Men’ and ‘social membranes’, we consider the embeddedness of ‘covert’ networks in ‘overt’ networks explicitly. We perform two analyses on a large original dataset encompassing 396 partially overlapping ego-nets obtained from a hybrid link-tracing design. An ego-net analysis reveals a large degree of homophily and a deep embeddedness of the different networks. A multilevel exponential random graph model fitted to the reconstructed network of a 110-node subset shows that demobilised combatants are the actors likely to broker between armed groups, state forces, and civilian blocs, suggesting their capacity to broker peace or foment war.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"21 1","pages":"74 - 110"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1596806","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47280045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-04-03DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1645654
S. Stephenson
{"title":"Gangs and governance in Russia: the paradox of law and lawlessness","authors":"S. Stephenson","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1645654","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1645654","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The paper addresses the nature of gang governance. It questions the notion that gangs regulate social and economic transactions and create stable orders in certain territories. It shows that, while presenting themselves as upholders of the ‘law’ in their territory, the gangs also create a climate of uncertainty and fear. The gangs manipulate their own unwritten rules and set up traps for residents and businessmen. These traps are designed to deprive non-gang civilians of presumed rights and identities and extort their money. The paper uses Schmitt’s notion of ‘state of exception’ and Agamben’s idea of ‘bare life’ to explain how gangs function.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"20 1","pages":"115 - 133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1645654","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42741179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global CrimePub Date : 2019-04-03DOI: 10.1080/17440572.2019.1646131
Salvatore Giusto
{"title":"“One of us”: the neomelodic music industry as a Camorra-mediated space of subaltern publicity in contemporary Naples","authors":"Salvatore Giusto","doi":"10.1080/17440572.2019.1646131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2019.1646131","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The term ‘neomelodic’ defines a pop-folk music genre featuring the mediascape of Naples, Southern Italy, since the late 1980s. Neomelodic songs depict the experiences of lower-class Neapolitan subjects with a preference for those engaging with the Camorra, a powerful criminal organisation that is also a major investor in the local media industries. This article constitutes an exploration of the Camorra-mediated neomelodic milieu of cultural production vis-à-vis the political landscape of the current Neapolitan social peripheries. In so doing, it ethnographically shows how the neomelodic modalities of cultural production mediate and reify local forms of organised crime hegemony vis-à-vis the discursive power of the state. Accordingly, it also demonstrates how such modalities turn the neomelodic industry into a relational infrastructure of subaltern publicity, which engenders political dynamics of personal mobility and social identity construction amid its sponsors, performers, and publics.","PeriodicalId":12676,"journal":{"name":"Global Crime","volume":"20 1","pages":"134 - 155"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2019-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17440572.2019.1646131","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43185586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}