NCJ Number
213887
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 68 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 54,55,58,59
Date Published
April 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the definition, identification, and countering of "security threat groups" (STGs) in correctional facilities, the establishment of a security intelligence unit, and the equipment for such a unit.
Abstract
The author advises that an STG can be "any group, gang, or inmate organization that has been determined to be acting in concert to pose a threat to the safety, security, and orderly operation of the correctional facility, to its staff, to inmates, and/or the public." Because STGs that develop in prisons may evolve into full-blown gangs that continue in the community after release, early intervention to counter a STG is important. This is facilitated by the identification of STGs in a facility and in the communities from which inmates come. This should be done by an individual or a small staff group. Such a Security Intelligence Group (SIG) consists of any staff member who is responsible for collecting, analyzing, evaluating, collating, and disseminating intelligence related to STGs and their members and affiliates. Among the investigative techniques used by such a unit are document examination, graffiti analysis, and the monitoring of visitation records and phone calls of suspected STG members. Intelligence analyses should be shared with facility managers as input for security and management decisions in countering STGs. The classification officer should be the primary liaison between the SIG and the classification staff. The classification officer is in a position to ask all entering inmates about any affiliation with known STG groups. Ideally, a SIG should have a secured computer to keep track of the data and information; a filing system would be adequate if security considerations are addressed. Other useful SIG equipment includes a digital camera, a quality printer, and a fax machine.