NCJ Number
141165
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 71 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall-Winter 1991), 15-22
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Information from adult State correctional institutions in the United States and Puerto Rico was used to examine the reactions of correctional personnel to inmate gangs and the strategies used to try to suppress institutional gang activities.
Abstract
The research used a 6-page questionnaire sent to all adult State correctional institutions in the jurisdictions studied. By April 1992, a total of 316 institutions from all 50 States and Puerto Rico had returned valid instruments. Findings revealed that the problem of denial, which has previously been reported in the literature, was evident in the responses of some correctional administrators. Most prison officials reported that they faced gang problems. However, some responded that gangs did not exist or were no problem in their institutions, although all reported policies and methods used to control gangs. A total of 27.7 percent said that inmate gangs had significantly affected their correctional environment, and 45.4 percent reported that staff received some formal training for dealing with the gang problem. About one-third stated that the gang problem had been present from 5-10 years or more, and one- tenth reported that gang members were a problem in terms of assaults on prison staff. Gang control strategies included transferring members to different facilities, balancing the number of rival gang members in work assignments and cellhouses, using informers, and isolating leaders. No evaluation research currently exists regarding the effectiveness of various techniques, however. Table, notes, and 24 references