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The dragon breathes fire: Chinese organized crime in New York City

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Abstract

Although it is widely acknowledged that Chinese businesses are victims of extortion by Asian youth gangs, there is no reliable information to examine the patterns and social processes of the problem. This paper explores the structure of extortion and other forms of victimization based on surveys of (N=603) Chinese-owned businesses in three Chinatown neighborhoods in New York City. It focuses on the nature of Chinese crime groups, social contexts of gang extortion, social processes of victimization, and merchants' compliance or resistance to gang demands. Finally, the paper discusses the problems and prospects of Chinese criminality in America.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brooklyn College and The Graduate School, City University of New York, 11 710, Bellmore, NY, USA

    Robert J. Kelly

  2. Rutgers University, University Heights, Newark, NJ, USA

    Ko-lin Chin & Jeffrey A. Fagan

Authors
  1. Robert J. Kelly
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  2. Ko-lin Chin
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  3. Jeffrey A. Fagan
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Additional information

Support for this research was provided by Grant 89-IJ-CX-0021 from the National Institute of Justice. The opinions are those of the authors and do not reflect the policies or views of the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Kelly, R.J., Chin, Kl. & Fagan, J.A. The dragon breathes fire: Chinese organized crime in New York City. Crime Law Soc Change 19, 245–269 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01844061

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