PRISON GANG AND SECURITY THREAT GROUPS

Prison Gang and Security Threat Groups

Definition

A very wide spectrum of people use the term gang to describe varied assemblies with a wide range of characteristics. Academicians, police examiners, politicians, researchers, and inhabitants of crime-ridden neighborhoods all have a mental picture founded on their familiarity of what constitutes a gang. To some, a gang is a loose confederation of neighborhood youths committed in delinquent activity. Other people mention to gangs as highly organised drug-dealing organizations, and still other ones pattern mental images of outlaw motorcycle clubs when they believe of gangs. A security threat group (S.T.G.) can be defined as any group of offenders who pose a threat to the security and physical safety of the institution.( Alder 1984)

History, Origin and Evolution of Prison and Security Threat Groups

Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, prison gangs focused primarily on joining inmates for self defence and the monopolization of illegal prison undertakings for monetary gain. Security threat groups are mostly divided along racial lines and practice some sort of defiance towards authority. Security threat groups use a kind of hand signals, letters ciphers, tattoos, and distinct kinds of gang terminology. Gangs characteristically have rivals and make an coalition with other gangs. The criminal activity of Security threat groups does not only exist inside the confines of the prison walls, but has flowed to the outside world. (Alder 1984) Prostitution, extortion, drug selling, gambling, loan sharking such activities are invariably operated by prison gangs. The Texas Prison System consists of eleven classified security threat groups; Texas chooses to classify a gang as Security threat groups, when they become involved in violent activity. Prison gangs live in the institutions of forty states and also in the government system. ( Alder 1984)

It is hard to accept as true that it has been almost thirty years since the first “formal” Gang understanding flats were formed. Through the years, Gang understanding flats have developed the knowledge, abilities, and abilities to organise Security Threat assemblies within correctional organisations. ( Alder 1984)

As the leverage of 'formal' prison gangs and other groups became clear to correctional professionals, they initiated gang administration techniques. They profited gang understanding and disseminated it to the administration and line employees; they supervised lodgings and employed assignments of gang constituents; and, they recognised and validated gang constituents and managers. ( Alder 1984)

It was the Gang understanding Units that “coined” the term “Security risk Groups.” It became clear to the Gang Intelligence flats that more than the customary prison gangs were threatening the security of the institutions. There were white supremacy groups who were religious founded as well as racist; there were constituents of coordinated misdeed groups; there was an influx of coordinated road gang constituents, and household terrorists; and, there were members of the major motorcycle gangs. ( Alder 1984)

Yet, for more than a decade, Gang Intelligence flats have been able, for the most part, to disrupting the activities of the Security risk assemblies within correctional ...