Criminolgy Term Paper
Correctional facilities are experiencing the affect of gangs and their influence
on violence. Most of prison violence has been made up of folklore blaming guards.
Inmate to inmate assaults are calculated to 28 attacks per 1,000(Clear, Cole, Reisig
pg.281). These violent actions are directly related with gangs. Membership within
correctional institutions has nearly tripled since 1991.
Incarceration only has a minimal ability to disrupt violent activities related with gangs.
Affiliation of gangs increases the probability of violence and other forms of prison mis-
behavior. Prison gangs are defined as "An organization which operates within the prison
system as a self perpetuating criminally oriented entity, consisting of a select group of
inmates who have established an organized chain of command and are governed by an
established code of conduct(Peterson,pg.159). These gangs are also referred to as
security threat groups. These groups make it very difficult for staff to maintain a level of
control. Street wars come from the outside and filter their way inside institutions. Gangs
are ahead of an institution's drugs, gambling, loan-sharking and other violations of prison
rules(Walker,Katz 86)
Most prison violence is a normal part of coping with the status hierarchies and gangs in
prison. Estimates are around 26,000 serious assaults occur each year(Lane & Meeker
pg.515). Prison gangs usually have tighter "blood in and blood out" rituals as compared
to street gangs. These gangs contain tighter loyalties, and are able to arrange a meeting
for the killing of someone in or outside of the prison fences. These killings can be
ordered between different...
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