NCJ Number
147287
Date Published
1992
Length
218 pages
Annotation
This study found that most gang members in Texas prisons were Hispanic, usually between 26 and 35 years of age, and raised in families with only one natural parent.
Abstract
The research was conducted to evaluate personal and criminal characteristics of prison gang members and to identify differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic gang members. Most information on gang members was obtained by reviewing Texas Department of Criminal Justice files. These files provided information on the family histories, prior criminal records, and prison disciplinary infractions of 888 gang members. Additional information on gang members was provided by the Texas Department of Corrections. Of the gang members in Texas prisons, 72 percent were Hispanic; 45 percent had family members who had been incarcerated. Hispanic gang members were violent and considered to be habitual criminals since they averaged over 13 prior arrests each. Gang members in general committed a large number of disciplinary infractions while incarcerated and were responsible for about 90 percent of prison homicides over the last 8 years. Hispanic gang members were no more violent than non-Hispanic inmates; the two groups had similar prior criminal records and differed only slightly on the offenses they had committed. Non-Hispanic gang members were serving significantly longer prison sentences than Hispanic gang members. Hispanic gang members committed slightly fewer disciplinary offenses than non-Hispanic gang members, although non-Hispanic gang members committed more minor disciplinary infractions than Hispanic gang members. Non- Hispanic gang members also threatened officers, struck officers, attempted escapes, and possessed weapons at a higher rate than their Hispanic counterparts. Supplemental information on gangs in Texas prisons is appended. 44 references, 15 tables, and 15 figures