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Youth, Gangs and Gunsfor Montreal Interveners

Background information on Gangs in Montreal

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Background: Youth Gangs

There are no common definition of gangs, gang members and gang activities.

The SPVM describes youth gangs as “an organized group of adolescents and/or adults who rely on group intimidation and violence, and commit criminal acts in order to gain power and recognition and/or control certain areas of unlawful activity”

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Background:Youth Gangs

Not all youth gangs are criminalized Not all groups of young people are

really street “gangs” Different degrees of formality Youth may move in and out of

“gang” activities Individuals on periphery may facilitate

gang activity actively or passively

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Background: Montreal’s Youth Gangs (SPVM)

20 major street gangs Two distinct groups (Red and Blue) 300-500 members 30 emerging gangs Recruits of all ages: 20% 11-16 years

old, 60% 17-28, 20% 29-35 Cut across many ethnic, geographic,

socio-economic lines

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Background: Montreal’s Street Gangs (SPVM)

Objective is financial gains Look for opportunities to gain territory Activities largely involve drug and

weapons trafficking, juvenile prostitution, theft, loan-sharking, extortion and fencing stolen goods.

Belonging to street gang is attractive to some vulnerable youth as gang fulfils their needs

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Background: Montreal’s Street Gangs and Guns

In 2006, 3% of all crimes were related to gang activities

15% (120)of all guns recovered as of June 2007 were from gang members

In 2006 150 guns were recovered by Gang unit.

The guns recovered includes: rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, semi-automatics, etc.

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Background: Youth, Gangs and Gun Crime More crimes are gang-related Youth crime has increased More youth are using guns in assault,

robberies and homicides Violent youth victimize young friends or

acquaintances Gangs increases feeling of insecurity Consequences to gang activities eg. settling

of accounts or shooting of bystander.

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Background: Mtl Youth and Guns

2006 study of Montreal High School Students 14-17 years old: 2.2% of students say they have brought

a GUN to their school 4.7% say they have previously

threatened someone with a GUN 23.6% say they have a friend who carry

a weapon at school

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Background: Mtl Youth and Guns

Study of drop-out high school kids 14-17 years old: 38% say could buy a gun in one day 12% say could buy a gun - 1 hour 1/3 say friend or acquaintance could sell

them a gun 1/5 say could buy gun “in the street” 5% say could buy a gun legally even

though law forbids sale to minors.

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Background: Use of Guns by Gang Members

Self-protection, avoid harassment “Display”, demonstration and/or

enhancement of status Intimidation Commission of crimes (infrequent) Violence on criminal peers, law

enforcement community, general public (rare)

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Background: Glimpse at Statistics

Youths who commit violent crimes are more likely to use a gun than adults

2.8% of youth use a firearm to commit a crime.

In 2006, 3% of all crimes committed in Montreal were related to gang’s criminal activities

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Background: Guns and Gang Culture

“some carry a gun for self-defence, because they are afraid. Others believe that their best defence is to attack.”(transl.)- Montreal Community Worker

“The status of a member is directly linked to his capacity to subject to violence and to be subjected to it”- Chantale Fredette, Centre jeunesse de Montréal

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Background: Guns in Gang Culture

Guns are valued by youth beyond their usefulness as tools for crime

Guns have value as symbols for social status, self-worth, and personal power

Youth who have witnessed drive-by shootings, deaths of friends and family members, killings over personal slights more at risk to perceive gun violence as one of the few options available for resolving disputes

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Background: Lethality of Guns

Access to guns increases the risks that trivial disputes and minor confrontations be elevated in severity. “When we ask ‘Why did you shoot this guy?’

It’s ‘He bumped into me,’ ‘He looked at my girl the wrong way’. It’s not like they’re riding around doing drive-by shootings. It’s arguments- stupid arguments over stupid things.”- Gang Member in NY times

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Background: Canadian Gun Law

All gun owner must have a license 18 years or older except Minor Permits Screening includes questions on history

of violence, mental illness, etc. References Renewable every 5 years

All guns must be registered All guns must be safely stored

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Background: Canadian Gun Law All handgun owners must have a

license 18 years or older Must demonstrate membership to a gun

club (target shooter) or collector or in few cases for self-protection

All handguns must be registered All handguns must be safely stored All handguns require permits to travel

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Background: Where do they get their guns?

Most firearms recovered in crime are not traced, Montreal has not released data

In Toronto Handguns (40%) Most (70%) smuggled, also

theft and illegal sales Long guns (35%) From Canadian sources Replicas, airguns (25%) From Canadian

sources

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Background: Where do they get their guns?

Common practice for gang members to rent guns for specific period of time.

Some youth gang members are involved in the theft and re-sale of firearms.

Replica firearms are often seized by gangs. The Internet is a tool used for the sale of

illicit firearms.

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Background: Source of Guns Used in Crime

Little data available on source of guns Legal guns misused by their owners –

most often the case with domestic homicide, suicide and accidents The shooter at Dawson College was a legal

gun owner and member of a gun club. A young legal handgun owner shot a

bystander as he was walking home downtown Toronto in January 2008.

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Background: Source of Guns Used in Crime

Legal guns which are diverted to the illegal markets through theft or illegal sale improperly stored, and stolen or sold illegally as many as 3,000 firearms reported stolen in

Canada every years

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Background: Source of Guns Used in Crime

Smuggled guns originating from the US, typically acquired through theft, straw purchases, or gun shows These guns account for as many as 50% of

the handguns recovered in crime. The 2006 Toronto Police Initiative Project XXX

which targeted a specific street gang in the northern part of Toronto revealed multiple instances of firearms being smuggled in Canada from the United States.