WHO'S IN CHARGE? CONTROL OF GANG VIOLENCE IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS (FROM CA. DEPT. OF CORR - REP ON COLLQ. ON CORR FACILITIES PLANNING NOVEMBER 3-4, 1977, BY NORA HARLOW - SEE NCJ-46915)

• NCJ Number: 46926
• Author(s): J P CONRAD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute; California State Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

IN SEVERAL CALIFORNIA PRISONS SUBSTANTIAL POWER OVER JOBS, HOUSING, AND PROTECTIVE CUSTODY HAS BEEN GAINED BY ETHNIC GANGS, WHO MAINTAIN POWER OVER FELLOW INMATES THROUGH VIOLENCE AND EVEN MURDER.

Abstract

THIS SITUATION APPEARS TO EXIST IN SOLEDAD, TRACY, FOLSOM, AND SAN QUENTIN PRISONS. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM IS UNDERSCORED BY THE FACT THAT 16 MURDERS HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND APRIL 1, 1978. THIS INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AMONG INMATES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED IN PART TO A BREAKDOWN IN PRISON AUTOCRACY WHICH DID NOT PERMIT CHALLENGES TO ITS AUTHORITY. INCREASED BUREAUCRATIZATION; CHALLENGES TO PRISON AUTHORITY FROM THE COURTS, THE INMATES, AND THE PUBLIC; AND FRAGMENTATION OF AUTHORITY BETWEEN TREATMENT AND CUSTODIAL ADMINISTRATION PERSONNEL HAVE ALL SERVED TO REDUCE THE POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO SUBVERSION. INTELLIGENCE PROCEDURES AIMED AT PRISON GANG CONTROL FAILED. THESE PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED BY AN ATTEMPT TO COOPT GANG LEADERS; THIS TOO HAS FAILED. A NEW POLICY OF VIOLENCE CONTROL HAS AIMED AT KEEPING GANGS, SUCH AS THE MEXICAN MAFIA AND THE BLACK GUERRILLA FAMILY, SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER THROUGH CLASSIFICATION AND TRANSFER PROCEDURES. WHILE THIS HAS PREVENTED SOME HOSTILITIES, IT HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE QUASI-LEGITIMIZATION OF PRISON GANG POWER AND RESULTED IN THE UNPRECEDENTED ACHIEVEMENT OF GANG CONTROL WITHIN THE PRISON FACILITIES AND INTO THE PRISONS. THEY FOLLOW THE SUBCULTURAL NORMS OF STREET GANGS; THEY ARE NOT MERELY ARTIFACTS OF THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT. SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS OF PRISON GANG VIOLENCE AND POWER ARE NOT SIMPLE. HOWEVER, THREE BASIC ACTION PRINCIPLES AND THREE AVOIDANCE PRINCIPLES MAY HELP BRING GREATER CONTROL BACK TO PRISON AUTHORITIES. INCREASING MEANINGFUL PRISON WORK AND ACTIVITIES AND REDUCING INMATE IDLENESS MAY HELP. REDUCTION OF PRISON UNIT SIZE TO 30 OR LESS IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR CONTROL DESIGNED TO PREVENT VIOLENCE. VIOLENCE IS STILL A FURTIVE ACTIVITY; INCREASES IN STAFF SIZE AND VISIBILITY WOULD REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GANG INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE. INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS UTILIZING SYMPATHETIC PRISON GUARDS WHO COULD BECOME INMATE CONFIDANTS ARE RECOMMENDED. EMPHASIS ON THE PRISON AS A LAWFUL COMMUNITY IN WHICH DEVIATIONS FROM THE LAW WILL BE LAWFULLY BUT RIGOROUSLY DEALT WITH IS ALSO ESSENTIAL. LEGITIMATE CHANNELS FOR INMATE LEADERSHIP SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. IN ADDITION, GANG LEADERSHIP OR AUTHORITY MUST NOT BE OVERTLY OR TACITLY RECOGNIZED BY PRISON MANAGEMENT, NO ADVANTAGE MUST BE ALLOWED TO ACCRUE FROM GANG MEMBERSHIP, AND THE UNAFFILIATED INMATE SHOULD BE ACCORDED A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION. FINALLY, IMPORTATION OF CONTRABAND SHOULD BE PREVENTED.