Bandemiljøets rekrutteringsproces i insider perspektiv

Abstract

Based on qualitative interviews and field conversations with ten former Danish gang members, this article examines how gang recruitment is described from the inside. The analysis shows that recruitment is a strategic, phased and tightly controlled process in which leading actors actively identify, attract, test and deploy potential members in line with organisational needs. Recruitment is therefore not random, but closely linked to gang survival, division of labour and power tructures. Four phases are identified: ‘The First Net’ (Selection), ‘The Pitch’ (Seduction), ‘A Pawn in the Game’ (Positioning), ‘The Milking’ (Exploitation), alongside three overarching recruitment strategies individual, collective and instrumental which are applied flexibly and in parallel depending on context and purpose. A central finding is the decisive role of signs and signals across all phases, that are  usedsystematically to assess credibility, loyalty and suitability. Against the backdrop of crime policy ambitions to weaken gang recruitment pipe lines, the article contends that effective prevention depends on a nuanced understanding of gangs’ internal recruitment logics. Repressive measures and criminalisation may produce unintended signalling effects that can increase gang appeal among young people. The article therefore highlights the need for differentiated preventive interventions rather than onesided punitive approaches. Overall, the study contributes new empirical insight into gang recruitment in a Danish context and proposes an analytical framework relevant for both research and practice.