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From bikers to savvy criminals. Outlaw motorcycle gangs in Australia: implications for legislators and law enforcement

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Abstract

This article will examine outlaw motorcycle gang criminality in Australia and the difficulties faced by legislators and law enforcement agencies in responding to this concern. Adding further complication to the issue for the state is addressing the trepidation and disdain toward outlaw motorcycle gang behaviour that is commonplace in contemporary society. Beyond traditional criminal gang enterprise such as episodic inter-gang or more widespread violence and drug manufacture or distribution, a shift in sophistication by outlaw motorcycle gangs toward more diversified criminal enterprise has emerged. These ventures include money laundering and tactical collaboration with other crime groups and engagement with external expertise for example. Further, an expansion of legitimate business activity by outlaw motorcycle gangs which often enables other crime operations creates a more difficult landscape for legislators and law enforcement agencies to address outlaw motorcycle gang criminality. This has resulted in the emergence of populace anti-gang or anti-association type legal scaffolding to address these agents in the Australian criminal justice setting. However, the success or otherwise of these controversial legislative developments remains unclear as does the impact of law enforcement on domestic outlaw motorcycle gang criminality.

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Notes

  1. Inchoate culpability refers to liability for incomplete or preparatory criminal offences.

  2. In essence, human rights are essential freedoms and protections that individuals are entitled to irrespective of race, gender, nationality, ethnicity or ability, and are both inherent through birth and universal to all. See Australian Human Rights Commission [1] What do I need to know? From https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/human-rights-what-do-i-need-know-2008#Heading58.

  3. See International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, opened for signature 21 December 1965, 660 UNTS 195 (entered into force 4 January 1969). The ICERD was ratified by Australia on 30 September 1975, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, opened for signature 19 December 1966, 999 UNTS 171 (entered into force 23 March 1976). The ICCPR was ratified by Australia on 13 August 1980.

  4. Due process and natural justice refer to common law rules and expectations which necessitate unbiased and equitable judicial and administrative decision-making and include the right to be heard and to receive notice of hearings whether personally or through legal representation.

  5. Essentially, freedom of association protects the right to form associations in pursuit of common goals.

  6. The separation of powers doctrine provides that the governmental power be divided between the legislature (law making), executive (administration) and judiciary (enforcement) in order to prevent corruption and abuses of power.

  7. The separation of powers principle refers to the notion that governance is to be shared between the Parliament, Judiciary and Administration in order to prevent one branch having an excess of power.

  8. Chapter III of the Australian Constitution provides for judicial power of the Commonwealth, appointment of judges and jurisdictional issues amongst other functions.

  9. Note also that in Germany OMCG organisations can also be considered criminal under § 129 Strafgesetzbuch (Criminal Code). See [16]. Preventing organised crime originating from outlaw motorcycle clubs. Trends in Organized Crime, 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12117-017-9322-7.

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  1. Department of Business Law, Curtin University Law School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia

    Stephen Monterosso

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Monterosso, S. From bikers to savvy criminals. Outlaw motorcycle gangs in Australia: implications for legislators and law enforcement. Crime Law Soc Change 69, 681–701 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-018-9771-1

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