NCJ Number
214311
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2006 Pages: 33-46
Date Published
March 2006
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This survey questioned 134 jail administrators in 39 U.S. States about the prevalence of gang members in their facilities.
Abstract
Consistent with previous data on this topic, approximately 13 percent of jail populations were believed by jail administrators to be involved in gangs. Although there were no regional differences in these estimates, small jails reported having fewer inmates who were involved in gangs. When asked about the problems gang-related inmates caused in their jails, respondents indicated they were less disruptive than inmates with severe mental illnesses; however, most administrators reported that gang members challenged the operations of their facilities through illegal or disruptive behaviors and a greater involvement in violence; gang-related inmates were more likely to assault other inmates. When questioned about the use and effectiveness of 10 strategies for responding to gang-related inmates, most jail administrators rated the collection and dissemination of gang-related intelligence as the most effective intervention. Despite the fact that most inmates serve short terms of temporary incarceration, there are long-term jail populations that may be vulnerable to gang recruitment. The implications of these findings for gang research and jail managers are discussed. The surveys were mailed in June 2004. Of the 134 completed questionnaires returned, jails in large urban areas were overrepresented. Respondents' facilities had a rated capacity of 125,259 beds (19 percent of all jail inmates nationwide). 5 tables, 4 notes, and 53 references