This course is not currently offered, please contact the school or faculty of your program.

Course description

NOT OFFERED 2010 The course will examine the spectrum of gang related behaviour, from youth subcultures, to criminalised organisations. Issues studied are related to group affiliation, motivation for membership, the levels of criminality, roles of males and females, and the symbols and rituals within gangs. State and community responses to gangs will be explored including prevention, suppression, enforcement and co-option. Thus students will develop their criminological knowledge through interdisciplinary perspectives of anthropology, psychology and sociology. Skills will be developed in in-depth research of current trends in criminology, the ability to access and manipulate relevant and current statistical data bases, writing professional and critical research papers, and critically analysing media representations of gangs in our society.