Gang Violence & Volatility

This increase in homicides and staff assaults within the corrections department has spiraled out of control. First, in the beginning of this administration there were simple assaults best known for biting, pushing, kicking and shoving employees as a means of showing non-compliance or trying to run away from possessing contraband. Today, we have much more escalated behaviors that are clearly defined felonies as employees are stabbed, slashed, sexually assaulted and maimed in the eyes as well as head trauma (brain injuries) and broken ribs, noses, and wrists. It would appear a declaration of war has been declared but the agency hasn’t gotten that message yet.

Violence effects everybody whether they are the witness, victim or target.  Witnesses or participants in the containment and control of such acts. It is clear now that the prison system has lost control of these gangs and other disruptive groups. We are not just talking about validated Security Threat Group (STG) gang members and memberships but common nonaffiliated thugs or non-members that are demonstrating and acting out the type of behaviors well associated with gangs and blatantly demonstrating their general influences on the populations. Some causes for gang involvement includes but is not limited to:

·         Provides them a sense of security and protection they are unable to do on their own as an individual.

·         Experienced personal failures in life whether it be social, educational or vocational in nature.

·         Possess undeveloped skills to cope with anger, rage or other emotional discerned behaviors.

·         They lack hope and see no alternatives to change thus live in fear and frustrations of failures for change.

·         Think they need to attain survival techniques as they believe being in a gang gives them protection.

·         Attain a special feeling of importance and gain respect and wealth making opportunities as they may not possess any job skills or educational abilities for good paying jobs.

Gangs whether organized or not, affects the prison population deeply. It creates a ripple in the ability to control and manage disruptive behaviors and makes everything more complicated to resolve especially their influence on others for recruitment and other gang like activities connected to thefts, extortions, gambling debt and protection money. For sure there is no peace or safety and calmness is nearly impossible as congruence in actions and politics among races and colors are disrupted by taking attachments counter acting enforcement of gang rules and traditions.

Gangs infect and affect the minds of those exposed to it either with force, manipulation or intimidation. Their means of influence distracts from a sound operational ambience and is likely creating either an increased interest in joining the gangs or a curiosity how it feels to be a member of a gang. Since prison gangs operate on the principle of dominance and are primarily divided by race there is a minimum chance that they can all share the same territory or property where they live or housed creating daily conflicts and struggles to keep the peace.

Gangs vandalize personal and state property. They damage or tamper with locking devices, cameras, doors. Storage areas and other mechanical devices that are designed to keep housing units and other areas safe and in a working condition. They take anything they can find, secure and manufacture into weapons or facilitate instruments for brewing alcohol or other intoxicating drinks. They use a large amount of energy to sabotage the normal schedule of those normal activities provided so staff are pre-occupied to be dealing with those issues rather than with their gang like activities. It takes a huge amount of energy and effort to catch them in the act and maintain the right resources available to perform reasonable levels of vigilance and proactive intervention and prevention techniques in a practical timely approach. ‘

Gangs drive up the needs for protective custody and create special needs populations as these victims ask for segregation and protection in order to do their time without being harmed or killed. It makes other inmates cautious and nervous about hanging out with others and creates a divided population filled with fear and mistrust that can be capitalized by the gang leaders promising protection from others.

On the other end inmates request protective custody merely on the reason of being on a yard and feeling incompatible to those around them without prior justifications but with feelings of paranoia and fear of being harmed before actual reasons exist. In short, it keeps most things from being safe and orderly as designed without the gang influences.

Gangs drive up the use of drug and associated substance abuse as well as addictions. They discourage others from seeking help or treatment by peer pressure and in doing so, create a disruptive environment in vocational and educational classes that are designed for self-help but often interfered with by tampering with the will to study and complete their programs as well as paying attention and listening to what is being said.

General guidelines for remedies to reduce gang related violence and volatility within the prison population –

·         The administration should prioritize and maximize their use of gang intelligence gathering methods and assign specialized gang trained task force members (the Unit)  e.g. STG units, criminal investigation unit officers, special security units, etc. to every complex under the supervision of the chief of security and STG administrator.

·         The Unit should create proactive strategies and tactics to gang prevention and intervention techniques. These strategies should be employed with maximum confidentiality and effectiveness by striking when intelligence shows their most vulnerability and active criminal activities identifying names, area (cell, work, visits, recreation, programming etc.) time and targeted contraband or security concerns.

·         These employees should be trained and educated in recognizing & spotting signs of gang associations and how to identify membership, ranking and organizational layouts.

·         Staging areas should be concealed and out of sight of all not involved in the task force or Unit deployment. The Unit should be divided between searchers, escort, recording and inventory staff.  All items seized should be tagged and bagged to assure ownership and maintain the integrity of the evidence or item seized.

·         The Unit should be prioritized searches for gang paraphernalia, weapons, contraband and cell phones using their spotting techniques to target these searches. In addition, they should include inspection of items e.g. electronics, televisions, personal property to detect theft or wrongful ownership of such items.

·         Unit deputy wardens and chief of security should re-instate drug interdiction procedures, schedule random mass searches, control ingress & egress, visitors and contract staff searches. Searches should be unannounced and done when staff have identified likely suspects or targets to be in a vulnerable position to violate policies or rules of law.

·          Electronic detection devices should be used to detect possession or use or cellular phones and K 9 units should conduct random screens of staff, visitors and contract staff entering premises..

·         Gang Intervention is a very big part of reducing gang involvement. Logistics, classification, alternative programs for intervention linked programs must be set up so those wishing to leave the gangs may have an opportunity to detach from them and quit being involved in gang activities.

·         Enforcement is the focus used by most agencies. The Gang Unit is responsible for securing criminal and civil injunctions against targeted gangs and members and enforcing them by means of civil (administrative) and criminal (felony) sanctions.

·         The Unit is also responsible for the prosecution of cases involving gang members’ violence, extortion and other felony crimes.  

·         Correctional officers - III program staff, teachers, substance abuse counselors, mental health and other multidisciplinary staff may assist in gang prevention and detection methods by observing behaviors in self-studies, cellblock, school, work and religious areas. They may monitor and track attendance, improvements or failures, participation, associations and skill sets so that a reasonable assessment may be made to provide either educational, vocational or spiritual opportunities on an individual basis.

As it was first expressed in the opening paragraph on the violence and dangers of gangs, we know they are very staff intense, dangerous and expensive problem. The process to identify, support, separate and motivate these individuals from leaving the gangs is very important and are mandatory steps as these programs are managed by focusing on prevention, intervention and enforcement.