Asian street gangs have cultural differences among gangs with ethnic
ties to China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and other Asian countries. These cultural
differences are important
and should be examined in depth in order to note some common trends.
For
example, Asian street gang members tend not to dress in a distinctive manner,
display colors, bear tattoos
۩(with the exception of the Japanese Yakuza), or
adopt other visible indicia of gang membership, and they are not inclined to
claim gang affiliation when questioned by law enforcement.
Law enforcement
agencies consider Asian gangs particularly difficult to investigate for other
reasons that include language barriers, a lack of Asian investigators, a limited
understanding of Asian cultures and Asian gang formation, a poor or distant
relationship with Asian communities in general, and the mobility of Asian gang
members across State and national lines.
At the most basic level of investigation, the many languages and dialects spoken
by Asian gang members represent a formidable obstacle, making electronic
surveillance more time consuming and costly. Infiltration by undercover officers
is virtually impossible unless the officers thoroughly understand the nuances of
the language, dialect, and culture. Even when this obstacle is removed, initiation
rituals that require commission of a crime are likely to block undercover
infiltration.
As a rule, Asian gangs are more profit motivated than turf oriented. Violence to
protect territory per se is not common. When violence does erupt, it is more
likely for defense of profitable criminal activity in a locality, not an expression of
a proprietary claim to a neighborhood. Asian gangs can be highly mobile,
especially Vietnamese and other Indochinese gangs. Often described as
criminally sophisticated and violent, Indochinese gangs tend to be familiar with
States' extradition laws and sometimes use this knowledge to select areas for
criminal activity. Such mobility and criminal expertise support the development
of tactics based on interregional cooperation and coordination among agencies.
The types of crimes associated with Asian gangs have obvious implications for
suppression tactics. These crimes include hit-and-run home invasions, drug
trafficking (often involving large quantities), extortion of merchants and other
business owners, auto theft, and insurance fraud. Victims are likely to be
members of the Asian community who often do not report crimes because of
intimidation, a culturally based distrust of law enforcement, or an acceptance of
some forms of victimization (for example, Chinese and other Asian business owners who regard
extortion as a customary way of doing business).
