Contrasting Forces: Unveiling Distinctive Traits of Prison Gangs and Street Gangs

• What are the differences between prison gangs and street gangs?
• What factors contribute to the proliferation of gangs in prisons?
• Why is it challenging to combat prison gangs
• Explain how your colleague’s position has changed your perception or understanding

There are several factors that set street gangs and prison gangs apart from each other. For example, prison gangs tend to operate more covertly, are heavily involved and organized in drug trafficking, and their loyalty to the gang is absolute. Whereas within street gangs their behavior tends to be more overt in nature, they have weaker bonds and therefore less loyal, and their involvement in drug trafficking varies and is mostly unorganized. Pyrooz, Decker, & Fleisher. (2011). Additionally, there are several factors that contribute to the proliferation of gangs in prison. Like street gangs prison gangs tend to be comprised mostly of similar ages, races, and ethnicities they tend to be easily identifiable, and because of this newer inmates easily recognize where they may or may not fit in and initially depend on the gang for protection. Then subsequently become involved in other activities adding another member and continuing the cycle while others are released. Furthermore, as noted by (Wymore, D., & Raber, T. (2022) “Gangs in prison, much like those on the street, are difficult to eliminate because they have come to serve a purpose – they are functional. They provide their members with protection, security, power, status, income, and association with others of their own kind.” Lastly, prison gangs are difficult to combat largely due to their leadership already being incarcerated, as well as the fact that because of the nature of the prison environment, they are more capable of organization.

Resources

David C. Pyrooz, Scott H. Decker, & Mark Fleisher. (2011). From the street to the prison, from the prison to the street: Understanding and responding to prison gangs. Journal of Aggression, Conflict, and Peace Research. 3. 12-24. 10.5042/jacpr.2011.0018.

Wymore, D., & Raber, T. (2022, December 27). 3.3: Managing gangs in a prison setting. Workforce LibreTexts. https://workforce.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Corrections/Introduction_to_Corrections_(Wymore_and_Raber)/03%3A_Correctional_Clients/3.3%3A_Managing_Gangs_in_a_Prison_SettingLinks to an external site.