National Institute of Corrections Library

This series of articles provide a general primer about gangs on the street and in prisons. Topics discussed include what a gang is, gang violence, reasons juveniles join gangs, the gang leader, gang protectiveness, and recruiting of new members. Information is then provided for the Bloods, Crips, Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings), Neta Association, Mara Sakvatrucha (MA, MS-13), Folk Nation, Mexican Mafia, Juggalo, and skinheads. SOURCE: corrections.com (Scituate, MA). Authored by Osterstuck, Greg.

“The purpose of this Department Order is to minimize the threat that inmate gang or gang like activity poses to the safe, secure and efficient operation of institutions … Minimizing gang or gang like activity shall be accomplished by the identification, certification and validation of prison gangs and gang members, the debriefing and segregation of inmates who disavow gang membership, and a step-down process for gang members who participate in programming, shun gang activity and affiliation, and remain disciplinary free” (p. 2). Procedures cover: group certification and annual review; suspect identification and monitoring; individual validation; validation hearings; appeals; STG member debriefing; classification and management; STG Step-Down Program procedure; completion of the STG Step-Down Program at the Browning Unit; step-down transition to general population and monitoring; removal and termination from the STG Step-Down Program; record repository; and return to custody. SOURCE: Arizona Dept. of Corrections (Phoenix, AZ).

Issues related to security threat groups (STGs) in Ohio prisons are covered. Sections of this brief are: what a security threat group is; what they do; what the largest STGs are in Ohio prisons; STG statistics; STG management; STG identification; number of inmates identified as STG members by institution; and STG members by percent of institution population. SOURCE: Correctional Institution Inspection Committee (Columbus, OH).

“The purpose of this document is to establish updated policies and procedures for the identification of criminal gangs and their affiliates. Further, this proposal establishes a uniform process for the management of these groups and other individuals within the CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation] … [and] creates a graduated privilege process associated with individual offender behaviors” (p. 10). This document is comprised of nine sections: background; definitions; purpose and scope; roles and responsibility; certification process; validation process; security threat group management; debriefing; and implementation process. SOURCE: California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Sacramento, CA).