Gangs are common in the society and in the prison system. More often than not, these gangs enter the correctional systems and pose similar challenges to the correctional systems as they pose to the wider society. Law enforcers have taken steps to remove the threats of gangs and other negative gang related challenges. The Security Threat Groups (STGs) form one of the organized groups in the facilities. The Security Threat Group is formal and sometimes informal, but they are representatives of the normal gangs that exist in the society. Conversely, STGS pose a number of threats the overall security system that exists in these correctional facilities. Despite the changes in the names to these gangs, correctional services continue to battle the negative role that gangs play in the correctional systems.
The more common STGs in the correctional system include the popular and well-structured gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, or the less popular Texas Mafia. Persons who enter the prison systems find a well organized gang based and persons who are not affiliated with one or more of these groups will find that they become outcasts and have to contend with beatings, rapes and other forms of injustice in the system. While these gangs may be different in their purpose and ideals, these gangs operate on similar levels of trying to ensure that their particular gangs maintain dominance in the system. The groups may meet formally or informally and possess common characteristics, goals, interests, but ultimately they pose a threat to the system in the prisons.
These groups are characterized by their purpose, history, the level of violence they are responsible for, their involvement in illegal activities in the prisons, and their composition and structure. The legal ramifications of these gangs include their contribution to the illegal activities within the facilities. Interesting these activities include the distribution of controlled substances and other illegal activities. One may question the gang`s ability to carry out these activities while they are in prison, but inmates who were not a part of the gang system on the outside will gravitate towards the gangs in prisons as a means of helping to reduce the risk or the threat to their lives. The reality is that these inmates face a number of threats in correctional facilities become a part of these gangs because the “STGs are primarily formed to protect its gang members” (Security Threat Groups: Law and Legal Definition 2016). In addition, the STGs continue to “control and influence over street gangs outside the prison boundaries” (Security Threat Groups: Law and Legal Definition 2016) and in turn protect the families and friends of the convicted inmates on the outside.
The gangs will continue to increase in these prisons because the crime and violence that continues to exist in the prison facilities. They continue to impact the security of the prisons and despite the steps taken to reduce or eliminate the security threat groups in the prisons, the numbers continue to increase as the number of new inmates continues to enter the correctional facilities. Therefore, correctional officers need to increase the training and preparedness that allows the staff to deal with the challenges that the gangs present (Campbell 2013). The harsh reality is that these gangs reflect the society and the inequality in the society will continue to cause challenges in the society and in turn cause challenges in the prison system. In addition, the training that these prison official receive will help the warders to effectively monitor activities of the groups and alert the officials to the possible challenges that may surface fro m the gang related groups.
References:
Campbell, T., (2013) Gangs and Security Threat Groups, School of Public Safety, Retrieved
Security Threat Groups (STGs): Law and legal Definition, (2016) US Legal, Retrieved from
http://definitions.uslegal.com/s/security-threat-group-stg/ 17 Mar 2016
