13.12 Gangs
For this census, a change has occurred in the method of collection of gang data. In previous years, gang membership data was collected on census day. A questionnaire completed by prison officers required the officer to state whether the inmate was a known gang member or affiliate. The current census uses data extracted from the IOMS database, much of which was obtained and entered at each inmate’s reception interview.
In addition, the earlier questionnaire required the officer to determine whether the inmate was a “patch” (or full) member or an “associate” (some-one who is closely affiliated, perhaps in process of gaining full membership). This distinction is not present in the reception interview / IOMS, as a result this census reports only gang “members”.
On this basis, the proportion of male sentenced inmates who were identified as members of gangs has decreased, from 20 percent in 1991 to 11 percent in 2003.
Table 13-21 Total gang membership of sentenced males (percent)
|
Affiliation |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
“Patched” member |
9.8 |
8.8 |
8.0 |
7.1 |
8.0 |
4.2 |
|
|
Associate |
10.6 |
6.9 |
7.8 |
8.9 |
8.3 |
8.4 |
|
|
Subtotal (members) |
(20.4) |
(15.7) |
(15.8) |
(16.1) |
(16.3) |
(12.6) |
11.1 |
|
No affiliation |
79.6 |
84.3 |
84.28 |
83.9 |
83.7 |
88.9 |
88.9 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
Table 13-22 Gang membership of sentenced males (percent)
|
Patch ||| membership |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
None |
90.2 |
91.3 |
92.0 |
92.9 |
92.0 |
95.8 |
88.9 |
|
Black Power |
3.6 |
3.21 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
2.6 |
1.5 |
3.7 |
|
Mongrel Mob |
4.0 |
3.2 |
2.7 |
2.3 |
2.8 |
1.7 |
3.8 |
|
Other gangs |
2.2 |
2.3 |
1.9 |
2.2 |
2.6 |
1.1 |
3.6 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |