Security Threat Group (STG) Research Essay

Prison inmates create informal groups called Security Threat Groups (STG). (Gaston & Huebner, 2015). These people are distinct from other prisoners because they share certain traits and objectives. They are well known to be distinguishable by particular characteristics, such as having comparable tattoos on particular body parts and communicating with particular symbols and hues. Security Threat Groups are frequently categorized within correctional facilities based on their gang history, the likelihood that these specific gang crimes will occur, the structure, and makeup of the groups. (White, 2016).

The protection of their group members is frequently the main goal of STG formation. These groups engage in crimes of different magnitude that make them posse significant threat to the correctional agencies. Most of the threats are often in the form of organized crimes which include, drug trafficking, assaulted intimidation on their fellow inmates and staff and not limited to assaults and kidnapping. STG to some extent have significant influence over the street gangs found outside the prison periphery making it possible for them to engage in the abduction of prison staffs resulting in blackmail. Numerous cases of drug peddling among these groups have gotten recorded, and through their actions, they have posse health risks to the inmates whom they share the same correctional facility.

Considerable concern has gotten raised in controlling the influence of these groups regarding the threats that they expose the staff as well as the inmates. In solving these issues, the correctional agencies can resort to measures that would curb this gang menace. They include,

Suppression Strategy

Some of the measures that correctional institutions can adopt regarding the strategy include separation and isolation. The agencies need to initiate inmate moves whereby the gang leaders together with their members get concentrated in the same prison unit are randomly distributed in the system through this, the influence of the gang gets diluted. Separation can also involve sending the inmates to other states or BOP.

Increasing Staff Number

A successful gang management program requires correction agencies to have sufficient staff who are professionally trained to handle inmates. Increased numbers of staff will make it possible to efficiently monitor the conducts of every gang member hence reducing their illegal practices within and outside prison

Legislative Enhancements

Another measure that can be adopted is a legislative enhancement as well as imposing penalties to an individual who engages in gang-related behavior within the prison. Adopting this strategy would send the fear of getting punished for example extension of prison terms. The gang members will become therefore corporate with the correction agencies as a move to increase their chances of getting free.

Limiting Privileges

The influence of the STG gangs can get reduced when Prison institutions introduce policies which significantly reduce the number of benefits that these prisoners get. Stricter and controlled environment that ensures every individual follows a specific set routine should get introduced. The move will limit the amount of time the gang members get to interact and plan their crimes. Separate housing would equally restrict the interactions between the gang members thereby reducing their influence (Wu & Pyrooz, 2016).

Free-World Prosecution

The introduction of measures such as free-world prosecution would significantly reduce the amount of crime committed by Security Threat Groups (STG), the violence witnessed in the correctional facilities would drop.

Conclusion

Security Threats Groups have often been as a result of the unity prisoners have within the correctional facilities and their ambitions to achieve a common goal that suits their equal interests. Failure for correctional agencies to act swiftly by applying measures such as suppression, free-world prosecution, limiting the prisoners' privilege and not limited to increasing the staff number would see a significant growth in the influence of Security Threat Groups.

References

Gaston, S., & Huebner, B. M. (2015). Gangs in Correctional Institutions. The Handbook of Gangs, 328.

White, J. R. (2016). Terrorism and homeland security. Cengage Learning.

Wu, J., & Pyrooz, D. C. (2016). Uncovering the pathways between gang membership and violent victimization. Journal of quantitative criminology, 32(4), 531-559.