Gangs in Prison

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Introduction Prison gangs are originally formed by inmates as a way of protecting themselves from the other inmates. These gangs have turned out to be violent and thus posing a threat to security. This paper will have a look at the different gangs in prisons, their history, beliefs and missions, and the differences and similarities in these gangs. The Aryan Brotherhood The Aryan Brotherhood started in 1964 was founded by Tyler Bingham and Barry Mills who were white supremacists and Irish American bikers. It started at the San Quentin state prison. The prison group was created to protect white prisoners from the black inmates. The cause changed into revenue when the group gained power. This gang is the most violent white supremacists group, and over one hundred murders have been attributed to this gang during its existence. The gang has been listed for assaults and brutal murders on police officials. It is one of the largest prison gangs in United States with branches in Nevada, California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Georgia, Mississippi, Colorado, Kansas, and Ohio. It has formed an alliance with the Mexico Mafia. The Aryan Brothers have around 30,000 members. The prison gang has a structure of presidents, vice presidents, majors, captains and lieutenants. It has a committee of members of a council that govern its branches across the United States. Its official symbol is a three-leaf clover. In order to join the gang one has to assault or kill another prisoner, and if one tries to leave the gang he is killed by the members. This gang is known for extortion, organized crime, drug trafficking, inmate prostitution and murder. They live by the motto ‘in for life and out by death’. They strongly believe ... ... middle of paper ... ...ad the running of these gangs. These groups have a common identification which is the use of symbols. These symbols are used to differentiate the various gangs and also act as a sign of identity. References Bartollas, C. F. (2002). Invitation to Corrections. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Chris, B. (2008). The Black Hand: The Bloody Rise and Redemption of "Boxer". New York: HarperCollins. Miller, J., & Rush, P (1996). In Gangs: A Criminal Justice Approach. Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Co. Samaha, J. (2005). Criminal Justice. Michigan: Cengage Learning. Urban Dictionary. (n.d). The Folk Nation. Retrieved on 30/04/2011. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=folk%20nation&page=4 Rollins, J. (2010). International Terrorism and Transnational Crime: Security Threats, U.S Policy, and Considerations for Congress. New York: Diane Publishers.

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