May 12, 2015 · Though usually smaller than street gangs, prison gangs present a very real danger to correctional staff. Staying aware of members in your facility can not only keep you safe but help you in your day-to-day dealings with inmates.

Feb 2, 2016 · For gang members, prison is a harsh training ground ... Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is a 300-acre (120 ha) Californian state prison located 5 miles north of Soledad, in Monterey County, California.

The California prison gangs originated inside the prisons and have used the prison base to engage in criminal activity on the outside. They have long run traditional prison rackets in narcotics, gambling, extortion, and male prostitution.

Prison gangs continue to control some of California’s criminal street gangs. Despite incarceration, prison gang members influence and direct some criminal street gang activities including assault, weapons and drug trafficking, extortion, intimidation and murder.

Nov 15, 2023 · Prison gangs vary in both organization and composition, from highly structured gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood and Nuestra Familia to gangs with a less formalized structure such as the Mexican Mafia (La Eme).

Sep 17, 2014 · Most of the inmates belong to one of California’s six main prison gangs: Nuestra Familia, the Mexican Mafia, the Aryan Brotherhood, the Black Guerrilla Family, the...

Dec 21, 2023 · “The Aryan Brotherhood hides behind prison walls while they direct criminal activities and brutal crimes of violence. In this case, Brant Daniel murdered an individual in cold blood to maintain his status and prove allegiance to the prison gang,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark.

Criminal street gangs operate in all but a few of the communities of the state. Prison gangs not only attempt to rule California’s correctional institution inmate populations, but also control vast criminal activities outside the prisons.

The major prison gangs, both in influence and propensity for violence, are the Aryan Brotherhood, Mexican Mafia, Nuestra Familia, and Black Guerrilla Family. These gangs formed in California prisons in the 1950's and 1960's.

In prison, gang members engage in a variety of illegal activities including assaults on fellow inmates and correctional staff; extortion; robbery; illegal gambling; racketeering; and the smuggling of contraband, such as weapons and narcotics.