Assessing the Impacts of Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Concentration in the Greater Melbourne Region

This thesis examines the clustering of outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) crime in Melbourne, Australia, and seeks to understand how the occurrence of OMCG crime incidents influences residents’ perceptions of community life. First, an analysis of OMCG and non-OMCG crime incidents is conducted to assess the clustering of OMCG incidents in Greater Melbourne. Second, a case study is conducted in one suburb with an OMCG presence to explore residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards OMCGs and how they influence community cohesion and fear. The thesis found that OMCG crime within Melbourne was clustered in areas of high disadvantage and residential instability. The presence of OMCG incidents was shown to have little impact on residents with respect to fear and cohesion as they were more concerned about crimes that impacted them directly.