Alex Shang Huan Chung

DPhil student

Alex Shang Huan Chung came to the Centre in 2005 to read for the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice. His dissertation was entitled ?The Impact of Mandatory Minimum Sentences on the Volume of Firearm-related Serious Crime in Canada.? Alex transferred to the MPhil in Criminology in 2006, and upon completion of the thesis the subsequent year, he returned to the Centre to begin his DPhil under the supervision of Professor Federico Varese. Building upon his MPhil study, his doctoral thesis examines the activities and structure of ethnic-Chinese criminals known as the ?Big Circle Boys?. Based mainly on first-hand data derived from court documents and interviews with relevant parties, his thesis addresses three issues in relation to the Big Circle Boys: their typological classification according to analytic definitions of criminal entities; the extent to which their reputation is maintained as a socially constructed label; and how organisational and operational changes have occurred over time and what these represent. Alex holds a BSc (Hons) in Physical Anthropology from the University of Toronto as well as an MSc in Forensic Archaeology from Bournemouth University. His research interests include the following areas: organised crime, Asian/ Chinese criminal groups, triads, mafias.