"Once inside, I was walked through a gauntlet of desperate men. Their
hot smell in the muggy corridor was as foul as their appearance. None of them
seemed to have a full set of front teeth. Many bore prominently displayed tattoos
of skulls or demons. One could argue whether it was the look of these men that
led them to prison or whether it was the prison that gave them their look. Just
looking at them made me fear for my life" (Hassine, 7). Most inmates in
correctional facilities felt the way that Victor Hassine felt on his first day in a
correctional facility in Pennsylvania called Graterford State Prison. New inmates
are seen as "fresh meat". They fear their life. Most of these inmates find
Inmates join gangs for protection. Gangs in correctional facilities are more
of a necessity, unlike street gangs. People don't need a gang to survive in the
street because there are other ways one can find help, a family, protection,
belongingness, etc. But in correctional facilities one's outlets are limited. One's
preoccupation in jail is survival which leads inmates to change their habits,
personality, and even their values. Living in an environment where "an
unexpected smile could mean trouble, a man in uniform is not a friend, being
kind is a weakness, and eye contact is a threat" doesn't leave one much of a
There are numerous gangs in correctional facilities but among the most
common are the Latin Kings, Five Percent Nation, and the Netas. Some gangs in
these facilities are extensions of neighborhood street gangs. Their names are
based on their urban location, like the 21st and Norris Gang, the 60th and
Market Gang, and the 10th Street Gang in Philadelphia. There are also less
common prison gangs like Los Solidos, Latin Locos, G27, Nation, Brotherhood,
Elm City Boys, 20 Luv, and Esses. White gangs almost always originate in prison
and are a minority. They are not well-structured or well e...