The National Center for Victims of Crime released a study this week called, "Snitches Get Stitches: Youth, Gangs, and Witness Intimidation in Massachusetts" (PDF). According to Stephanie Barry’s article in today’s Republican about the report and its local relevance, "The study covered police relationships with inner-city residents, gang activity and witness advocacy in the criminal justice system." An April 10 press release (PDF) claims the report shows that "criminal justice authorities and communities can do more to prevent and respond to the intimidation of youth witnesses to gang-related crimes."
“The criminal justice system can do far more to help youth and their parents feel safer about reporting crime and cooperating with the authorities,” said Mary Lou Leary, NCVC executive director. “We must find better ways to keep witnesses safe and discourage the witness intimidation that permits gangs to terrorize entire neighborhoods.”
Barry quoted Police Commissioner Edward Flynn, "Young folks can literally prevent homicides. Many shootings are based on long-standing feuds they know about. It’s less about solving crimes than preventing them."
The report cites a high rate of known gang affiliations among Springfield youth. I’m aware of at least one city elementary student—someone you’d think is too young for gang influence—who gets called out of class for wearing gang colors on a semi-regular basis. The student may not even realize what the colors mean; a lot of the student’s peers don’t seem to know; but the principal sure does. More from the release:
The study, which was funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety, found, among other things:
1) Community norms against “snitching” are strong, but youth are still willing to report crime under certain circumstances.
2) Youth are more likely to report crime to police officers or other authority figures whom they have an existing relationship with.
3) Youth have hope and practical suggestions for making crime reporting safer.
4) Improved coordination and focus on witness intimidation within the criminal justice system could help keep witnesses safe and invested through the trial and conviction of violent offenders.
Study findings are based on online surveys of 641 Massachusetts youth, in-person interviews with 39 youth (recruited through Boys & Girls Clubs of Holyoke, Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, Roxbury, Springfield, and Worcester), and interviews with criminal justice officials.
News of this study was also published in an article in the Boston Globe yesterday.
