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This spotlight provides some background and insight into street gangs and serves to position the topic within the overall context of organized crime. Some distinguishing characteristics are examined as well as the capabilities and range of activities of these criminal groups. It is clear that a better understanding of street gangs increases the potential of identifying the harm and threat these criminal groups represent and aids in the development of anti-gang strategies. This analysis also supports law enforcement agencies in developing initiatives and conducting investigations according to conditions and circumstances that are unique to each province and region.

Since 2006 there has been an increase in the number of street gangs identified by law enforcement agencies across Canada. This increase may be due to new gangs forming but it may also be attributable to a combination of other factors. Some of these include higher-level organized crime groups being identified as street gangs, cells from larger gangs being identified as new entities, street gangs splintering into smaller criminal groups, or gangs changing names.

There has been extensive media coverage over the past number of years relating to the topic of street gangs, specifically shootings and the use of violence in public settings. Gang-related violence is often attributed to street gang expansion or territorial conflict and can also be opportunistic and appear to be spontaneous. The degree of violence and intimidation varies by region and gang. These acts of public violence are of significant concern for law enforcement, the government and especially for the communities that are directly affected.

Within the broader context of criminal organizations in Canada, street gangs represent lower-level organized crime threats in terms of sophistication. Compared to some criminal groups that operate at a more clandestine level or take precautions to mask their illicit activities in legitimate business, street gangs are largely active at the retail end (street level) of organized crime and, subsequently, are inclined to be more visible to the communities in which they operate. Street gangs can have a significant negative effect on the communities in which they are based, particularly through violence and intimidation, but their criminal activities generally do not extend beyond their territory. In contrast, non-street gang organized criminal groups involved in large-scale fraud, may have less-visible but far-reaching economic consequences that affect thousands of Canadians, such as the recent series of securities frauds that occurred across Canada.

The vast majority of street gangs operate at a local level with limited reach or mobility beyond a defined area of operation. A small number of street gangs extend their illicit activities at a provincial level as well as inter-provincially. Some street gangs in Canada have borrowed or copied the name of well-known international gangs, such as the U.S. ‘Crips’ or ‘Bloods’, but no known international affiliation actually exists.

Street gangs in Canada continue to be involved in numerous criminal activities, the most prominent being the trafficking of illicit drugs such as crack cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, and marihuana. Some other criminal activities include the facilitation of street-level prostitution, theft, robbery, fraud and weapons off ences. The capabilities of street gangs differ and bear some influence on the nature and scope of their respective operations. Some street gangs work on behalf of other organized crime groups but typically they buy and sell illicit goods and services from other criminal groups and operate at the retail (street) level. For example, vehicles stolen by street gang members may be sold to service providers who are involved in a more elaborate network that can involve stripping the vehicles’ identification numbers (VIN) and preparing false documentation for illegal exportation. The importation or large-scale production of illicit drugs also requires a more sophisticated network of associates that are not typically within the capabilities of street gangs in Canada.

Trends continue to show that some street gangs are leveraging technology to conceal their criminal activity and to conduct criminal activities, such as payment card fraud. Social networking sites, for example, are used to advertise gang activities and to connect with potential recruits. As technology and markets develop and grow, it is expected that the nature and scope of criminal groups, including street gangs, will also adapt and evolve accordingly.

Street gang criminality is a common occurrence that demands a constant allocation of police resources in many jurisdictions. In response to the threat that street gangs represent, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police convened in September 2009 and recommended the development of a national strategy to combat street gangs in Canada. Criminal Intelligence Service Canada’s role in this strategy is intended to strengthen the network of analysts and intelligence officers who collect and share criminal intelligence specifically relating to street gangs across Canada. The objective would be to identify best practices, support street gang experts and produce intelligence products that focus on the threat and risk levels of particular street gangs and identify new trends.