Community perceptions of Indo-Canadian gang violence in the Lower Mainland

Over the past two decades, there have been approximately 100 murders attributed to Indo-Canadian gangs in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia: over 50% of these murders have occurred in public settings. The issue of Indo-Canadian gangs has received tremendous media attention. Community concerns have focused on the nature and extent of the recent gang violence and what should be done to respond and prevent it. Some observers have cautioned against overreacting to the involvement of Indo-Canadians, while others view it as a serious problem. Still others have debated whether the community should get involved or whether it is exclusively a police matter. Although limited studies have been conducted on Indo-Canadian gangs, even fewer have focused on what the Indo-Canadian community thinks about the issue. this study examined the perceptions of Indo-Canadians, how they viewed the issue, and what they felt should be done about it. In the present study, survey data from 157 Indo-Canadians residing in the Lower Mainland were examined. These finding cannot be generalized to the Indo-Canadian community at large due to the low response rate (13.6 per cent). Still, it was found that the overwhelming majority of respondents (87.2 per cent) felt gang violence was a problem in general and nearly two-thirds (61.7 per cent) felt that Indo-Canadian's were mostly responsible for the gang violence. Furthermore, family was viewed as most important in preventing gang violence, and a large majority of respondents (87.6 per cent) were willing to help address the issue of gang violence in their community. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that there is a division between perception and reality. Although Indo-Canadians engage in gang violence, the problem is often sensationalized in the media resulting in a variety of misconceptions. Indo-Canadian gang violence is not as entrenched or sophisticated compared to other crime groups in the Greater Vancouver Area. Therefore, gang violence is not just an Indo-Canadian issue, but rather a global issue affecting members of all ethnic groups. Ending gang violence requires a collaborated effort from various agencies and individuals. No one agency will be able to end gang violence on its own.