Reducing Prison Gang Influence in Arizona Through Policy, Rehabilitation, and Technology
Introduction
As an active social activist from Arizona, I am going to discuss an issue that is affecting Arizona’s prison correctional system: prison gangs. Considering that the state has been grappling with the problem of prison gangs for several years now. It is critical to advocate for policies and practices that can help address this issue.
Description of the Topic
Prison gangs are defined as specialized groups of incarcerated individuals who conduct criminal activity within the prison system. These gangs often have a structured hierarchy and a set of rules that their participants are expected to follow. According to a report by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC), there were a total of 6,637 gang elements imprisoned in Arizona prisons in 2020. This represents about 20% of the total inmate prison population in the state (Howell & Griffiths, 2018, p. 34). In Arizona, prison gangs have been implicated in several violent incidents, including attacks on officers and other inmates. They are also responsible for drug trafficking, extortion, and other criminal behavior both within and outside the prison environment.
Advancing Arguments
Hence, promoting policies and practices that mitigate the influence of prison gangs within Arizona’s correctional system is essential. Specifically, the following steps should be proposed to address the issue. First, a specialized team should be set up to track and investigate prison gangs.
Arizona should develop a specialized unit within the prison system to handle the investigation and monitoring of prison gangs. This unit should have the required resources and training to identify and monitor gang activity (Roth, 2020). This team can collaborate with local law enforcement to exchange information and coordinate actions against gang activities both inside and outside the prison.
Second, imposing harsher sentences for prisoners involved in gang activity. Arizona should explore the feasibility of imposing harsher penalties for prisoners who participate in gang activity. This could include extended periods of solitary confinement, loss of benefits, and longer prison sentences. Such sanctions can serve as a deterrent to prisoners who may consider joining a gang or participating in gang activity (Roth, 2020).
Third, educational and rehabilitation support programs for prisoners should be provided. Many prisoners join gangs because they have no education, no job opportunities, and no sense of identity. Therefore, Arizona needs to provide education and rehabilitation programs for prisoners to ensure they acquire the necessary skills to succeed upon release. Such programs could include job training, anger management, and drug rehabilitation programs.
Fourth, technology should be used to monitor gang activity (Gundur & Trammell, 2022). Arizona should consider investing in technology to help monitor and prevent gang activity in the prison system. This could include the use of surveillance cameras, biometric identification systems, and monitoring software. Such technologies can help identify and track gang activity, making it easier to prevent and respond to incidents.
Furthermore, the implementation of the above policies and practices can have a considerable influence on reducing the impact of prison gangs in the Arizona prison population. According to a recent report by the Arizona Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family Services, the cost of gang-related crime in the state is expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars per year (Pyrooz & Decker, 2019). The following are some of the causes why these measures are required and how they can be effective.
The creation of a specialized department to investigate and monitor prison gangs can be useful in detecting and tracking gang operations. Such a unit can also identify prisoners who may join a gang and intervene before they become involved (Gundur & Trammell, 2022). Additionally, the unit can collaborate with local law enforcement to share information and coordinate efforts to address gang activity both outside and within the prison.
Moreover, applying stricter penalties to prison gang participants can provide a disincentive to other detainees. Also, such penalties may remove key prison gang leaders from the prison population, making it more challenging for the group to operate (Pyrooz & Decker, 2019). Increased periods of solitary confinement, loss of benefits, and longer sentences can also serve as a disincentive for prisoners who may contemplate joining a gang or becoming involved in gang-related crime.
Meanwhile, the provision of educational and rehabilitation programs for prisoners is extremely significant. This is because providing education and rehabilitation services to prisoners can help reduce the likelihood that they will join a criminal gang or engage in criminal behavior. By providing prisoners with the necessary coping skills to succeed upon release, they are less likely to return to a life of crime (Pyrooz, 2022). Additionally, such programs can help reduce tensions within the prison system and enhance its overall security.
Furthermore, investments in gang surveillance and prevention technology within the prison system can help detect and track gang activity, making the management and response to incidents simpler. Surveillance cameras can be strategically positioned throughout the prison system to monitor areas where gang activity is particularly likely to occur. Biometric identification systems can help identify gang members, enabling the tracking of their progress through the prison system (Pyrooz, 2022). Monitoring software can help to detect and analyze gang activity, facilitating the prediction and prevention of violent incidents.
Conclusion
In conclusion, promoting policies and practices that curb the influence of prison gangs in Arizona’s prisons is vital. The creation of a specialized unit to investigate and monitor prison gangs and the introduction of harsher penalties for prisoners involved in gang activity are opportunities to diminish gang behavior. In addition, providing training and rehabilitation services for prisoners, as well as using technology to monitor gang activity, can play a significant role in tackling this challenge.
The reduction of the influence of prison gangs in the Arizona prison system is critical not only for the safety of staff and inmates within the prison system but also for the security of society as a whole. Prisoners who are involved in gang activity in prison are more inclined to continue such activities after their release, posing a threat to the societies to which they return. Measures must be taken to resolve this issue, and it is essential to consider implementing the policies and practices I have proposed.
References
Gundur, R. V., & Trammell, R. (2022). When prison gangs become organized crime: Studying protection arrangements and their consequences. Trends in Organized Crime, 25, 1-13. Web.
Howell, J. C., & Griffiths, E. (2018). Gangs in America’s communities. Sage Publications.
Pyrooz, D. C., & Decker, S. H. (2019). Competing for control: Gangs and the social order of prisons. Cambridge University Press.
Pyrooz, D. C. (2022). The prison and the gang. Crime and Justice, 51(1), 1-10. Web.
Roth, M. P. (2020). Power on the inside: A global history of prison gangs. Reaktion Books.