GANGSTERISM ON THE DECLINE
Channel: A Singaporean
Date: 2021-01-19

GANGSTERISM ON THE DECLINE

A Fall in Gangsterism

The number of gangsters arrested has fallen from about 1000 per year in 2012 and 2013, to about 700 per year in 2018 and 2019.  The figures in 2020 were even lower due to Covid-19 movement restrictions.

In addition, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provision) Act (CLTPA) allows for detention without trial, and 95 people are currently still being held under the act for secret society activities. The number of gang members detained under the CLTPA has also plummeted from about 200 in 2010 to about 100 in 2020.

This indicates that gangsterism is on the decline, with the problem gradually getting under control.

Gangsterism still not gone

However, this does not mean that we can rest on our laurels. While secret societies have shrunk in size, they still have not disappeared.

As recent as 2010, 19-year-old Darren Ng was slashed by gangsters in Downtown East. The 12 youths who attacked Darren as well as Darren's friends were found to be members of secret societies.

In December 2020 alone, there were several incidents involving rioting with deadly weapons that resulted in serious injuries, with 151 people arrested for their secret society ties.

Furthermore, secret societies are constantly evolving and posing new law and order threats and security threats.

Secret societies are now changing their operations to alter public perception of themselves, with some gangsters acting as runners of overseas remote gambling portals, operators of online scams and club enforcers for gang-owned nightspots.

Singapore's situation

Singapore's secret societies tend to collaborate with each other, with even rival gangs agreeing to jointly run brothels, pubs and loan shark activities.

Singapore's secret societies also often engage in unsophisticated "traditional vice" activities such as prostitution, drug pedaling, illegal betting and petty scams. This is in contrast to overseas organised crime syndicates that mostly conduct transnational crimes like arms smuggling, human trafficking and manufacture of illicit drugs instead.

Measures used to tackle gangsterism

Laws like the aforementioned CLTPA empower the police to address the issue of gangsterism.

The police also cooperates with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, the Ministry of Education and the Singapore Prison Service to develop and conduct preventive and rehabilitative programmes. Such programmes include anti-gang talks at schools, the Reformative Training Regime, the Singapore Boys' Home, counseling for "at-risk" youth and teaching parents how to spot warning signs of gangsterism.

Youth offenders will also be placed under the compulsory Enhanced Streetwise Programme before their court cases are heard. Under the programme, the youths must report regularly to the Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department, have their work or school attendance monitored, and are prohibited from going to popular secret society meeting places. Those who successfully complete the programme will not be prosecuted for their crimes, and will instead receive a stern warning.

More than 1700 inmates have participated in the Singapore Prison Service Gang Renunciation Programme as of December 2019.