County lines involving the exploitation of vulnerable children and young people by gangs have been described as a bigger threat than the exploitation exposed by the Rotherham scandal (The Times, 27 November 2017). The purpose of this paper is to explain the contingencies and drivers informing gang identities in the irregular economy of drugs and make some suggestions to address these.,The paper discusses the social reality (ontology) of UK gangs in the UK and the different theories of knowledge about gangs (epistemologies) that can both help and hamper gangs’ policy and practices. The paper is based on recent research and sets out strategic ideas for good community safety practice in order to develop multi-modal partnership interventions in gang-affected neighbourhoods. Recent policies are located within the broader political economy of crime, which raises questions of current policy direction to achieve safer neighbourhoods.,A critical realist approach to gangs (Pitts, 2016) assumes that unobservable structures (patterns of relations and roles) cause observable events (gang behaviour). This suggests a reality of gangs independent of theories about them. In this paradigm, the author’s theories about the world are historically, socially and culturally situated and always partial. Not only do gangs change in space and time, but also so do the author’s representations of them.,Arguably, at this moment, the authors’ best ideas about the underlying causal forces which precipitate gangs involve social structures which have push and pull factors acting in conjunction with culturally enmeshed individuals with limited choices. The pushes of social exclusionary factors such as institutional racism and unemployment act in consort with pull factors of excessive consumerism. However, the author’s ideas about gangs are partial and fallible, and this demands a methodological pluralism that involves a range of stakeholders when researching and formulating appropriate interventions.,To address the impact of gang violence at the micro or neighbourhood level, Andell and Pitts (2009, 2013, 2017) developed an interactive model of action research which is inclusive of the experiences and knowledge of stakeholders. This knowledge can be valuable not only to build multi-modal strategies in gang-affected neighbourhoods, but can also be useful as a reflexive spur to provide feedback and direction on what works to reduce community harms. Earlier research experience (Andell and Pitts 2009, 2013, 2017) informs ideas that that single agency or “siloed” approaches to problems associated with gangs and drug markets can cause confusion and mistrust for other stakeholders and that more integrated approaches are needed.,In order to assist young people to attain their potential with the assistance of institutions, both micro and macro changes need to take place. The social capital of community networks needs to be enhanced and the redistributive potential of economic policy needs to be enacted. Therefore, policy is needed which is founded on the belief that research is capable of understanding the mechanisms that produce material and cultural domination, and this analysis, in conjunction with stakeholder knowledge, could lead to a realistic program for collective actions in both the micro and macro spheres that reduce relative deprivation and curb the cultural mores for excess.,The paper suggests a critical realist approach to gangs (Pitts, 2016) and assumes that unobservable structures (patterns of relations and roles) cause observable events (gang behaviour). This imputes a reality of gangs independent of theories about them. In this paradigm, the author’s theories about the world are historical, socially and culturally situated and always partial. Not only do gangs change in space and time, but also so do the author’s representations of them.

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解决县界：实践社区安全从业人员

与团伙对弱势儿童和年轻人的剥削有关的县线被描述为比罗瑟勒姆丑闻暴露的剥削更大的威胁（《泰晤士报》，2017年11月27日）。本文的目的是解释在毒品非正规经济中告知帮派身份的偶然性和驱动因素，并提出解决这些问题的建议。本文讨论了英国英国帮派的社会现实（本体论）以及不同的理论。有关帮派（流行病学）的知识，可以帮助和阻碍帮派的政策和做法。本文基于最近的研究，并提出了良好社区安全实践的战略构想，以便在受帮派影响的社区中开发多模式伙伴关系干预措施。最近的政策位于更广泛的犯罪政治经济学中，这就提出了当前政策方向以实现更安全邻里的问题。，批判现实主义的帮派方法（Pitts，2016年）假设不可观察的结构（关系和角色的模式）会导致可观察的事件（帮派行为）。这表明了独立于有关他们的理论的帮派的现实。在这种范式中，作者关于世界的理论在历史，社会和文化上都存在并且始终是局部的。犯罪团伙不仅在时空上发生变化，而且作者的表示形式也发生了变化。可以说，目前，作者对促成犯罪团伙的潜在因果力的最佳观念涉及具有推动和拉动因素起作用的社会结构。以及选择有限的具有文化背景的个人。诸如制度种族主义和失业之类的社会排斥因素的推动与过度消费主义的拉动因素相辅相成。但是，作者关于帮派的思想是偏颇且容易犯错的，这要求在研究和制定适当的干预措施时涉及多种利益相关方的方法论多元化。为了解决帮派暴力在微观或邻里层面的影响，Andell和Pitts（ 2009、2013、2017）开发了一种互动的行动研究模型，其中包括利益相关者的经验和知识。这些知识不仅对于在受帮派影响的社区中建立多模式策略很有用，而且还可以作为反身性冲刺的有用工具，为减少社区危害的措施提供反馈和指导。较早的研究经验（Andell和Pitts 2009、2013、2017）表明，单一机构或“孤立”的方法解决与帮派和毒品市场有关的问题可能会引起其他利益相关者的困惑和不信任，因此需要更综合的方法。为了在机构的协助下帮助年轻人发挥其潜力，微观和宏观变革都需要发生。社区网络的社会资本需要增强，经济政策的重新分配潜力也需要制定。因此，需要基于以下信念的政策：研究能够理解产生物质和文化统治的机制，并结合利益相关者的知识进行这种分析，可能会导致在微观和宏观领域采取集体行动的现实方案，从而减少相对匮乏并遏制过剩的文化习俗。，本文提出了一种批判现实主义的帮派方法（Pitts，2016），并假设存在不可观察的结构（模式关系和角色）导致可观察到的事件（帮派行为）。这是独立于有关他们的理论的帮派的现实。在这种范式中，作者关于世界的理论是历史的，社会的和文化的，而且总是局部的。犯罪团伙不仅会改变时空，而且作者对他们的表述也会改变。2016），并假设不可观察的结构（关系和角色的模式）会导致可观察的事件（帮派行为）。这推论了一个独立于有关帮派理论的帮派的现实。在这种范式中，作者关于世界的理论是历史的，社会的和文化的，而且总是局部的。犯罪团伙不仅会改变时空，而且作者对他们的表述也会改变。2016）并假设不可观察的结构（关系和角色的模式）会导致可观察的事件（帮派行为）。这推论了一个独立于有关帮派理论的帮派的现实。在这种范式中，作者关于世界的理论是历史的，社会的和文化的，而且总是局部的。犯罪团伙不仅在时空上发生了变化，而且作者对它们的表述也发生了变化。