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Management Strategies in Disturbances and With Gangs/ Disruptive Groups

NCJ Number
136184
Date Published
1991
Length
52 pages
Annotation
This manual presents management principles directly related to the control of prison gangs and disruptive groups as well as the prevention of disturbances; techniques are presented for responding to the disturbances if they do occur.
Abstract
In discussing the management of prison gangs and disruptive groups, the manual advises that the strategy should be to respond to the specific nature of the problem. Where gang activity is rare and a gang culture is not in place, the transfer of gang members out of State may be an effective preventive mechanism. Where gang membership is large, but is only a small proportion of the inmate population, effective control may be achieved by housing known gang members in separate facilities. Where gangs are already entrenched in the institutional culture, prisons must find strategies, such as gang intelligence programs and prosecutorial units, to lessen the impact of gang activities on the nongang inmate population and to reduce gang influence. In examining institutional disturbances, the manual addresses the causes of disturbances, stages in the development of a major disturbance, early warning systems, the management of institutional disturbances, specialized resources for institutional control, and a return to normalcy. A section on staff training discusses general legal considerations in training, the role of the training academy versus the role of the institution, training exercises, and training for special units. Other sections of the manual address post-disturbance activities, case studies, and legal aspects of the management of prison gangs and disturbances.