Gangs in Asia: China and India

The problem of gang crimes dates back to the first cities founded thousands of years ago. Its traces can be even discerned in the draconian Hammurabi code of ancient Mesopotamia. To various extents and in many different forms, including muggings, pickpocketing, prostitution and turf wars, it has also plagued ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman cities, giving ruling classes nightmares and heavily curbing the frequency of their evening walks. Today’s cities across the world continue to be afflicted by them. Although today’s gangs differ, in the increasingly globalized and interconnected world, they also share many characteristics, which have been explored in great depth and with a particular focus on the ‘Western’ culture. This relatively short review will cover the issue of gang crime in the rising superpowers of China and India. Given the scarcity of available data, it will be limited, but it is hoped that it will inspire further focus on these places that tend to be undeservingly ignored in the academic discourse of the West.