4.1 Prison Gangs
There is a challenge in the control and management of facilities where prison gangs operate. According to Sharon, prison gangs are groups of criminals that operate inside the prison system. Also, prison gangs are capable of perpetuating their criminal activities outside the confines of the prison. They normally act as a link between drug traffickers and street gangs. The membership to a prison gang is normally restrictive. Therefore, an oath to commit to the gang is taken during recruitment. The organization of prison gangs varies from a highly structured to a less formal structure. Prison administrators and other law enforcing agents prefer to call prison gangs “STG” (Security Threat Group). The rationale is to avoid the publicity that the word “gang” attracts when referring to individuals who constantly undermine the security system (13).
Prison gangs and street gangs are quite similar in …show more content…
Though called the Mexican Mafia, this prison gang is exclusively a United States criminal organization with no origin from Mexico (218). The inmates formed the Mexican Mafia in order to protect themselves from fellow prison gangs within that facility. The group has been active since 1957 to present and is involved in violence and criminal activities (Mallory 218). By 1961, violence within the prison had become so rampant that administrators at the Duel institution transferred some La Eme members to San Quentin. However, the violent behaviors did not stop. Many Mexican-American prisoners got angry with the violence propagated by La Eme and formed a gang called Nuestra family which later became the main rival of La Eme. For instance, in 1968 a battle called “shoe war” arose at San Quentin. One member of La Eme was killed and scores of Nuestra family members were stabbed (Mallory 219). This rivalry still exists to
There is a challenge in the control and management of facilities where prison gangs operate. According to Sharon, prison gangs are groups of criminals that operate inside the prison system. Also, prison gangs are capable of perpetuating their criminal activities outside the confines of the prison. They normally act as a link between drug traffickers and street gangs. The membership to a prison gang is normally restrictive. Therefore, an oath to commit to the gang is taken during recruitment. The organization of prison gangs varies from a highly structured to a less formal structure. Prison administrators and other law enforcing agents prefer to call prison gangs “STG” (Security Threat Group). The rationale is to avoid the publicity that the word “gang” attracts when referring to individuals who constantly undermine the security system (13).
Prison gangs and street gangs are quite similar in …show more content…
Though called the Mexican Mafia, this prison gang is exclusively a United States criminal organization with no origin from Mexico (218). The inmates formed the Mexican Mafia in order to protect themselves from fellow prison gangs within that facility. The group has been active since 1957 to present and is involved in violence and criminal activities (Mallory 218). By 1961, violence within the prison had become so rampant that administrators at the Duel institution transferred some La Eme members to San Quentin. However, the violent behaviors did not stop. Many Mexican-American prisoners got angry with the violence propagated by La Eme and formed a gang called Nuestra family which later became the main rival of La Eme. For instance, in 1968 a battle called “shoe war” arose at San Quentin. One member of La Eme was killed and scores of Nuestra family members were stabbed (Mallory 219). This rivalry still exists to