Prison Gangs Essay, Research Paper

Prison Gangs

The battle for endurance within the United State? s prison system has created a subculture the strains racism, hatred, and force. About two and a half old ages ago, a immature adult male named William King was sentenced to decease by deadly injection for his engagement in the slaying of James Byrd Jr. James, a in-between elderly black adult male from Jasper County, Texas, was bound at the mortise joints and dragged behind a truck for three stat mis. His organic structure was ripped to scintillas as a ghastly show of the effects of prison subculture. What caused William King and his spouses Shawn Berry and Lawrence Brewer to perpetrate such a horrific offense? Was their behaviour a consequence of unconditioned nature or was it learned? Many agree that it was the clip spent in prison that caused William King to viciously slay James Byrd Jr.

Friends and household claim that William was a pleasant and quiet male child before he left for prison to function a twosome old ages for burglary. When he was released, his personality seemed irrational and violent and he was covered in racialist tattoos. Friends say he often spoke about white domination and was dying to develop his ain sliver white supremacist pack. King? s defence lawyer explained that it was the high rate of force in Texas? s Beto 1 Unit that caused William to turn toward pack activity as a agency of protection and security. Racist attitudes develop from hapless intervention from other inmates and a demand to beef up a common bond among gang members. William, the defence lawyer argued, was simply a victim of the consuming prison system in this state ( ) .

The world of prison packs can non be ignored. Victor Hassine wrote a book entitles Life Without Parole, in which he describes the hideous world of life behind bars. He writes, & # 8220 ; Once inside, I was walked through a quantlet of despairing work forces. Their hot odor in the muggy corridor was every bit disgusting as their visual aspect. None of them seemed to hold a full set of front dentitions. Many bore conspicuously displayed tattoos of skulls or devils. One could reason whether it was the expression of these work forces that led them to prison or whether it was the prison that gave them their expression. Merely looking at them made me fear my life & # 8221 ; ( Hassine, 7 ) . While the actions of William King can non be excused or rationalized, his narrative sheds insight on the jobs that face our correctional installations. Prison packs are everyplace, and consequence every inmate. When a new inmate is admitted he is viewed as & # 8220 ; fresh meat & # 8221 ; among the prison pack members and victimized to no terminal. Prison packs are a inmates means of endurance in an environment so starved of ethical motives that force, blame, and slaying are merely a day-to-day world.

While it is impossible to cognize the impact of prison packs on our street, experts dispute over the control and communicating between street and prison packs. Some argue that there is small connexion between street and prison packs and that operations of prison packs remain behind prison walls. Drug trafficking does be within prisons ; it is normally made possible through inmate? s friends and/or girlfriends ( Huff 248 ) . Still others feel rather different, and see prison packs control reach far beyond an inmates cell. Some speculate that a big per centum of drug covering in East Los Angeles is controlled from within prison walls by the Mexican Mafia. Joe? Pegleg? Morgan was in prison for 40 old ages, get downing with a strong belief of slaying at the age 16. He manage to derive so much power and control of drug trafficking, street offenses, force and money laundering that he rose to function as the Mexican Mafia? s Godfather in the ulterior half of his life ( Barker, 311 ) .

Prison packs tend to expose a distinguishable hierarchal construction. A individual inmate who best embodies the pack? s value ( Territo, 580 ) assumes the function of the leader. A leader clip in control is usually short, partly due to the prison system? s ability to relocate inmates. It is normally the strongest staying pack member that assumes leading or the pack? s elite advocates a determination. A member? s grade of influence flows down a standard of ranks, with the recruits holding no say in any facet of the pack? s way and map. Deriving higher place in the ranks normally involve violent Acts of the Apostless against opposing gang members. Each member takes an curse to keep trueness and obeisance to the pack ; any marks of rebelliousness or inability to stand for pack ideals would take to violent confrontation.

One of the ways Arizona has attempted to deter the care of prison packs is by behaving pack leaders to other installations across the state where hey might happen themselves in the racial minority ( ) . Because most inmates have tendency to fall in packs inside prison due to over exposure and the demand for protection, it is of import to calculate out ways to battle the force these packs encourage. By inmate exile, the section can guarantee that the inmate will be distressed to happen new racial confederations. For illustration, the province may put an Indo-european Brotherhood leader in a installation to a great extent populated with black inmates. Unfortunately, packs tend to be renewing in nature. There is ever person? following in line, ? and by behaving a leader, the prison may merely increase the pack? s choler toward the system, promoting farther force. Many other efforts have been made to control pack force in prison. Twenty-three hr lock down, and farther segregating steps have all been applied, but someway prison packs remain more prevailing and seeable than of all time ( ) .

While there are many splinter packs and outgrowths, functionaries are cognizant of about six major prison packs within the state: Neta, Mexican Mafia, La Nuestra Familia, Texas Syndicate, Aryan Brotherhood, and Black Guerrilla Family. Each one of these packs has historical significance refering the sociological deductions of society. The two provinces that experience the brunt of prison pack activity are Texas and California. Most of these packs are divided along rigorous racial lines doing a terrible grade of racism among inmates. Convicts like William King, are good illustrations of the hatred within prison walls.

Mexican-American inmates are said to be at a disadvantage doing the formation of packs indispensable. First off, they are faced with a linguistic communication barrier, and the inability to verbally pass on with other inmates frequently causes differences taking to force. Cultural differences are besides a concern. Mexican civilization depends on the? consistent presence of household members? For Mexican Americans it is of import to see relations on a regular basis face-to-face, to encompass, to touch, and to merely be with one another, sharing minor joys and sorrows of day-to-day life? ( Keefe 68 ) . Finding themselves in the progressively alienating American society, with no existent formal footings of communicating, the demand to develop packs becomes more predominate. Gangs replace the drawn-out household so cherished in Mexican society as a manner to emulating cultural values from their place state.

The pack Neta is a Puerto-Rican American/Hispanic pack. This group was established in 1970 in Rio Pedras Prison as a agency to halt force between inmates. Neta by and large has strong ties with street packs. They show strong nationalism believing in? independency for the Island. ? Members are expected green goods at least 20 position recruits and detect the semen together in observation of the fallen members on the thirtieth of each month. Their identifying Markss normally consist of ruddy, white, and blue ( sometimes black is substituted ) ink tattoos of two Puerto Rican flags piercing a bosom or the missive? N. ? Some members wear coloured beads to place gang association and rank, and others carry designation cards. Neta? s most baleful challengers are the Latin Kings and Los Solidos. Neta tends to be successful at maintaining a low profile, which makes them successful at drug trade, extortion, and? hits? on other types of force.

The Mexican Mafia is one of the dominant Mexican-American/Hispanic packs. It got its foundation from a urban Los Angeles street pack, and developed into a major prison pack in a vernal wrongdoer plan in California during the late 19 1950ss. One of the pack? s primary ends is keeping consistent drug traffic both in and out of prison. The Mexican Mafia uses the Mexican flag symbol of an bird of Jove with a serpent, the initial? EME, ? or a individual manus print, normally black in colour, as their identifying Markss. Their most overriding enemies are Black Guerrilla Family, Arizona? s New Mexican Mafia, and, most of all, La Nuestra Familia. The Mexican Mafia has allied itself with packs like Arizona? s Old Mexican Mafia, Mexikanemi, and New Mexico Syndicate. By manner of street packs, the Mexican Mafia tends to hold more influence and connexion than any other prison pack does. The members are arrested at more frequent rate than members of other Mexican packs ( Barker, 310 ) . The power of the Mexican Mafia extends deep into the streets of California by manner of drug vending and violent Acts of the Apostless. The married womans and girlfriends of Mexican Mafia pack members are held in hello

gh esteem amongst other member ; they are a portion of the household every bit good. The Mexican Mafia coined the term? Blood in, Blood out? which refers to the packs policy refering pack trueness. ? Blood in? relates to the blood spilled during induction, while? blood out? alludes to the effects of seeking to go from the pack. Concerned with drug trafficking, extortion, force per unit area rackets, and internal subject, the Mexican Mafia has been a long-time human dynamo amongst prison packs.

Another Mexican-American/Hispanic pack that sprung up in California during the center of the century was La Nuestra Familia. This pack was originally formed for protection intents against the Mexican Mafia because cultural and societal difference had created hatred between these two packs. La Nuestra Familia has different organisations for prison and street sections. Members typically wear ruddy furies and have initials like? NF, ? ? LNF, ? ? ENE, ? and? F? tattooed in assorted topographic points on their organic structures. Another common symbol among member? s tattoos is a Sombrero with a sticker. Their most outstanding challengers were Texas Syndicate, Mexikanemi, and Aryan Brotherhood, while they maintained working dealingss with the Black Guerrilla Family. They focused on similar agencies of productiveness, such as drug trafficking and extortion, as did most prison packs.

The Texas Syndicate came out of the Folsom prison in California during the early 19 1970ss. Its members were Mexican-American/Hispanic males who joined as a direct response to the turning world of force and colza by other prison pack? s member. The tattoos that were by and large located on the dorsum of the right forearm, were intricate designs that someplace adopted the initials? TS. ? An interesting feature of the Texas Syndicate which displays the being of hierarchal organisation, are the footings used by pack member? s to depict themselves, groups, and recruits. The term? Carnal? refers to any pack member, and the term? carnales? represents a group of members. They use the term? central? in mention to the recruits, and? president? in mention to the leader. Their enemies are the Aryan Brotherhood, La Nuestra Familia, Mexican Mafia, Mexikanemi, and Mandingo Warriors. The Texas Syndicate had the inclination to fall in disfavour, whether by pick or action, with most of the other prison packs. With no existent Alliess, Texas Syndicate has developed dealingss with the Texas Mafia and Dirty White Boys. The members carry with them a turning Latino and Latino domination political orientation and have said to be enrolling at a despairing rate.

The demand to contend back against to world of prison force is apparent in the beginning of most prison packs, and the development of white prison packs is a authoritative illustration. Being so racially outnumbered in an unfamiliar subculture, white inmates besides had to make a protection web. The William King closely relates to this construct, as his attitude toward race as radically changed from the clip he went in to the clip he was released. With colza and maltreatment common inside prisons, the agencies fight back is indispensable if one was to avoid being bought and sold to assorted gang member as a? bitch. ? Under such fortunes, remaining impersonal or claiming nil makes an inmate a premier victim for pack members. Unfortunately, fall ining a pack seaports racism and hatred that manifests itself violently.

The Aryan Brotherhood is a really good known prison pack dwelling of white males. This pack foremost made it visual aspect in California in 1967. Members are known to be covered in placing symbols such as Hakenkreuz, white clovers, dual lightening bolts, the initials? AB, ? and other neo-nazi symbols. They frequently use Celtic symbols as a manner of coding communicating. The Aryan Brotherhood has a all right working relationship with the Mexican Mafia. Although racial hatred tallies rampant, the Aryan Brotherhood utilizes black associates to sell drugs to the black prison population, along with loaning moral support to black groups that may do prison break. The Aryan Brotherhood? s enemies are the Crips, Bloods, El Rukns, and Black Guerrilla Family. Members engage in all kinds of prison activities such as contraband, distribution of drug, and interrupting installation regulations. They are a violent pack. Between the old ages of 1975 to 1985, Aryan Brotherhood members committed 40 homicides within the California prisons and local gaols, along with 13 homicides in the community. And between 1978 to 1992, member were involved in 26 homicides within the federal system, three of which had staff members as victims. Once out of prison, Aryan Brotherhood members are expect to? mark? for the members in prison. Possibly William King was? hiting? for some member staying in gaol.

The Black Guerrilla Family is the lone major black prison pack. A former Black Panther member founded this pack in 1967 at the San Quentin Sate Prison in California. The Black Guerrilla Family is by far the most politically oriented of the major prison packs, formed to eliminate racism, maintain self-respect, and subvert the United States authorities. Stricter than any other pack, the Black Guerrilla Family was a decease curse, necessitating all members to do a sincere life-long pledge. Should this pledge by broken, the member would be killed. Their most typical symbol is a black firedrake catching a prison tower. They besides tattooed the initials? BGF? and crossed sabres and scattergun as a mark of commitment. Their enemies consist of the Aryan Brotherhood, Texas Syndicate, and Mexican Mafia. The Black Guerrilla Family uses many of the black street packs and other Alliess include the Black Liberation Army, Symbionese Liberation Army, Weather Underground, and legion black street packs. Probably the biggest difference between the Black Guerrilla Family and the other prison packs, is their dedication to a cause. With other packs are concerned with power, luxury, and regard while in prison, the Black Guerrilla Family has a larger outlook. Their anti-government and anti-official beliefs cause a deeper, more serious menace to rectification installation and jurisprudence enforcement forces.

Each pack listed above had certain symbols and initials that were tattooed on their organic structure to demo commitment to their pack. Prison pack tattoos are really of import within the prison subculture. During the William King probe, King? s tattoos were brought in every bit piece if grounds refering the suspect? s extremist racial positions. King? s defence lawyer tried to convert the jury that the tattoos were simply protection devices during King? s stay in prison. William? s legion tattoos included, a black adult male hanging from a tree, all of which King acquired in prison. These tattoos non merely reflect the racist attitude King acquired in prison, but they besides reveal the packs values and ideals.

Inmates display their tattoos dauntlessly. They are a sense of authorization and a agency by which to boast. A tattoo tells person three typical things bout the inmate: who they are, what they? ve done, and where they? ve been. Many times the inmate will hold his moniker or street name tattooed someplace on his organic structure. Tattooing the name of a loved one is non uncommon either. Besides, symbols like Hakenkreuz and other racial markers help to give penetration on that inmates belief system. These can assist to decode who the inmate is. What the inmate has done can be seen in the different arms and the waies in which they point. For illustration, should the inmate have killed person with a specific arm, there may be a tattoo of his arm pointed outward. A teardrop located under the oculus used to be a strong deduction of a slaying committed, now it typically speaks of household or pack members that had died during the clip the inmate had spent in prison ( Lichtenstien ) . Where the inmate has been can be determined from specific landmarks tattooed on his organic structure. Specific gun towers or cell doors may be tattooed to bespeak the different prisons that inmate has stayed in. Some inmates get tattoos of specific countries of their & # 8216 ; place sod & # 8217 ; uncovering a pride toward his civilization and community.

Tattoo can be done in prison two different ways. The first is the free manus method in which the inmate gets ink and a needle and uses the original Polynesian arm. These tattoos tend to illegible and sloppy. If the inmate can get the right supplies, he can besides acquire a tattoo through the usage of a homemade machine. This consists of a simple motor, a hollowed out ball point pen, guitar twine, and a battery. Which fundamentally can be constructed in such a manner as to make a pivoting pen caput that needs to be continually dipped in ink. This method is more precise and by and large creates a better merchandise. Geting caught with a tattoo gun, our in the act of acquiring a tattoo consequences in a major disciplinary response. The inmate will free privileges, be moved to a more restrictive wing, and sometimes confront a disciplinary hearing. Due to the popular demand of tattoos, these regulations do little to deter the inmates from acquiring more tattoos. Within the prison subculture, a good tattoo creative person is held in high respect.