The 40 members of the Toronto 18 Group boundaries and the analysis of illicit networks

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 document 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.

Marie Ouellet

Assistant Professor, School of Criminology

My research focuses on the role of networks in shaping offending patterns, criminal mobility, and group evolution.