The 40 Members of the Toronto 18: Group Boundaries and the Analysis of Illicit Networks |
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Authors: | Marie Ouellet Martin Bouchard |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, United Statesmouellet@gsu.edu;3. Department of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada |
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Abstract: | Increases in studies on the network dynamics of crime groups and co-offending has led many scholars to reflect on potential measurement biases arising from a reliance on official data sources. A problem of official data is that it forces boundaries on criminal groups that are much more fluid and dynamic than they seem. Drawing from interviews with an individual embedded in a terrorist organization and court documents records, we apply longitudinal network methods to examine the extent to which official data influences assessments of a criminal group. Findings show that only a minority of participants interacting with the group were charged for a crime. Yet the majority had an impact on the evolution of the group. Ignoring non-criminal affiliates masks the full scope of covert groups and the variation that can assist in understanding how groups emerge and evolve. |
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Keywords: | Group boundaries illicit networks co-offending terrorist organizations |
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