TRANSGANG white paper: gang policies and mediation in the context of overlapping crises

Abstract

TRANSGANG is a study of transnational gangs as agents of mediation in the 21st century. It aims to respond to the persistence of youth street groups (the so-called 'gangs') and the social discourses that often represent them as “problematic”. We are interested in studying the 'transnationalization' process of these groups from two directions: 'from above' (imaginaries, symbols, criminal and police policies to deal with them) and 'from below' (imagined and practiced communities of mutual aid, through migratory processes and virtual interactions). This document explores public policies and gang prevention strategies as well as processes of community mediation and resistance in the twelve cities of the three TRANSGANG regions: Southern Europe (Barcelona, Madrid, Marseille, Milan), North Africa (Rabat-Salé, Algiers, Djendel, Tunis) and The Americas (Medellin, San Salvador, Santiago de Cuba, Chicago). The White Paper ends with a Decalogue about public policy recommendations on gangs and mediation based on the research outcomes.

TRANSGANG es un estudio de las bandas transnacionales como agentes de mediación en el siglo XXI. Su objetivo es responder a la persistencia de los grupos callejeros juveniles (las llamadas 'bandas') y los discursos sociales que a menudo los representan como 'problemáticos'. Nos interesa estudiar el proceso de 'transnacionalización' de estos grupos desde dos direcciones: 'desde arriba' (imaginarios, símbolos, políticas criminales y policiales para enfrentarlos) y 'desde abajo' (comunidades imaginadas y practicadas de ayuda mutua, a través de procesos migratorios e interacciones virtuales). Este documento explora políticas públicas y estrategias de prevención sobre bandas, así como procesos de mediación y resistencia comunitaria en las doce ciudades de las tres regiones de TRANSGANG: Sur de Europa (Barcelona, Madrid, Marsella, Milán), norte de África (Rabat-Salé, Argel, Djendel, Túnez) y las Américas (Medellín, San Salvador, Santiago de Cuba, Chicago). El Libro Blanco termina con un decálogo sobre recomendaciones de políticas públicas sobre bandas y mediación basadas en los resultados de la investigación.

TRANSGANG is a study of transnational gangs as agents of mediation in the 21st century. It aims to respond to the persistence of youth street groups (the so-called 'gangs') and the social discourses that often represent them as “problematic”. We are interested in studying the 'transnationalization' process of these groups from two directions: 'from above' (imaginaries, symbols, criminal and police policies to deal with them) and 'from below' (imagined and practiced communities of mutual aid, through migratory processes and virtual interactions). This document explores public policies and gang prevention strategies as well as processes of community mediation and resistance in the twelve cities of the three TRANSGANG regions: Southern Europe (Barcelona, Madrid, Marseille, Milan), North Africa (Rabat-Salé, Algiers, Djendel, Tunis) and The Americas (Medellin, San Salvador, Santiago de Cuba, Chicago). The White Paper ends with a Decalogue about public policy recommendations on gangs and mediation based on the research outcomes.