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Organized Crime: In The Eyes Of A Convict
Anonymous Depiction
Student: Shawn ShouseProfessor: Lyman4/28/2014
Camden County College
Abstract: Prison gangs are criminal organizations that originated within the penal system and they have continued to operate within correctional facilities throughout the United States. Prison gangs are also self-perpetuating criminal entities that can continue their operations outside the confines of the penal system. Typically, a prison gang consists of a select group on inmates who have an organized hierarchy and who are governed by an established code of conduct. 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). Prison gangs generally have fewer members than street gangs and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) and are structured along racial or ethnic lines. Nationally, prison gangs pose a threat because of their role in the transportation and distribution of narcotics. Prison gangs are also an important link between drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs), street gangs and OMGs, often brokering the transfer of drugs from DTOs to gangs in many regions. Prison gangs typically are more powerful within state correctional facilities rather than within the federal penal system. |

Synopsis: On April 15, 2014 I conducted an interview with a family friend who wishes to remain anonymous, about what he has witnessed in his time at Rahway State Prison, in eastern New Jersey. In this paper, I called my anonymous friend John Doe. My goal was to get a detailed description of everyday life in prison. What this individual witnessed observed and experienced in his 15 year stent at Rahway State Prison this is how my interview went.
Me: How did you end up at Rahway State Prison?
John Doe: On December 17th 1995 me and two of my blood family to which we called ourselves GHB which stood for “Go Hard Boys” decided to hold a guy by the name of Joe Smith’s wife Sherri for ransom. Joe owed us money from the flip we made he was the middle man and he was supposed to deliver the 14 kilos’ of cocaine “soft white” to my main man. Two days went by and we hear no word from Joe. How we handled situations on the street was simple, if you take something from us we take everything from you. So we didn’t know exactly where Joe was so we had foot soldiers go out and look for him and they could not find him anywhere. I asked blood on the block did they see Joe and they said, I heard he took his stuff and went to North Carolina, he just left. So we took something that meant the world to him, his wife and his kids and held them up for ransom. We sent him the message and we got what we wanted which was $245,000. See back then one kilo was worth about 23,000 at the time in 95’ the block was hot. Cops were watching our every move so we only got 17,500 for it.
Me: So how did you end up here?
John Doe: That snitch *bleep coward ratted on us! He worked with the pigs and tried to bring our entire *bleep down, the judge sentenced the two bloods 45 years to life and gave me 15.
Me: Now Joe people will wonder how you would get 15 years and the others got 45 that make no sense.
John Doe: I know because I took a plea-deal so in the hood and also in the pin I was considered a rat and I was PC which stand for, Protective Custody I was in there for a minute that essentially meant that I could not be in general population you follow me? But I did not snitch, I am not a snitch I had no previous record and at the end of the day we caused no physical harm to the family but how the *bleep was I going to explain that? They’re not trying to hear that *bleep in prison or in the street. So I had to develop my stain in prison.
Me: What’s stain?
John Doe: That’s rep kid, I was labeled a snitch and in prison that’s the worst label you can garner so I had to work my way the ranks to garner the bloods respect again. I started from the bottom, I was a foot soldier, that means whatever higher authority said I was to adhere by or else I’d be dead. Since I was trying to relinquish my position as a snitch I willing to do anything it took, homie I was down for whatever. I was blood until the death of me.
Me: So what exactly did you do? Explain Organized Crime in Prison?
John Doe: From extortion, to rape, to killing, to controlling drugs man I did any and everything I was a test dummy, looking back on it now. Me and the other foot soldiers were the ones putting in all the work and we didn’t get a thing from it and to be perfectly honest we were in so deep and so caught up in it, we didn’t want anything but fear and respect. We were on a mission to run the prison, we were head honcho of all the gangs up in there, so everything we did we planned, sought out and attacked.
Me: Elaborate
John Doe: We were labeled a maximum security threat group in prison, not a street gang per say. The gang deals with murder, conspiracy, credit card fraud, extortion, prostitution, and drug trafficking. Despite the stigma of violence, our founding blood honcho Omar Porte started the gang for the sole purpose of “brothers getting together, people getting together, fighting oppression” and not to advocate violence and killing, but that changed. Omar was the head honcho whatever was sent down from the top followed because to us, Omar is God we ran that *bleep but of course it was almost impossible for the mere fact that we were still outnumbered by the other gangs in prison.
Me: What were some of the other gangs, and what was they’re purpose?
John Doe: Well, you had the Aryan Brotherhood also known as the AB’s. They were only white members, some AB members were white supremacists, some would associate with blacks (but not admit them to membership) when they are needed for drug and extortion transactions. Before gaining membership, a recruit must prove his dedication by carrying out a murder of a person targeted for death by the AB.
Me: Yeah we learned that in class isn’t it called making your bones?
John Doe: Yes but, it is also known as “blood in blood out.” Membership is considered to be for life; the only way out of the AB like most gangs in prison is death. Death can either come natural or by the hands of another AB member. They got in the way because I’ll say about 30% of the prison was white and it affected us because that was our main buyers but the Aryan Nation would strike fear in the way of thinking to the white members who *bleeped with us, sometimes even kick they’re asses to a pulp, and in other instances, force them into membership.
John Doe: You had the crips who were obviously our biggest rival, we did not bang with them dudes anyone caught associating with them instantaneously had a bounty put on their head. We’d kill them, torture them, hold them for ransom and get any answers we wanted out of them. Although you had your Hell’s Angels, Mexican Mafia, KKK, Ching Wans which was really rare the gangs run prison do not get it twisted whatever we want we get do not let TV fool you. We run the Correctional Officers, the money, drugs, we had plenty of sex. Female CO’s work say 8 hour to 12 hours a day with all dudes you are still human it’ll be at least one dude in there she will want. It wasn’t easy getting them but once you got them they’d fall in love with you they’d sneak in basically whatever you desired.
Me: How did your gang operate from an Organized crime stand-point?
John Doe: Like I said it could be one of us just getting comfortable with one of the female CO’s know what I mean? I remember one day I finally got a female CO’s attention and when I made her mine it was like whatever I wanted I got. Whatever I got I had to let the other bloods know first before I spent any money, got any drugs, or even had sex with any girl I had to clock in first.
Me: So what drugs did you get?
John Doe: I got anything from weed,coke,Xanax,opium,herion,amphetimines,methamphetimines, X or ecstasy, rohypnol, PCP, inhalants and a hot commodity in prison is steroids I was even shocked by that but we can get anything pass the system.
Me: Wow, what type of money was being made and what particularly was corrupt?
John Doe: Well everything was corrupt the CO’s knew everything that was going on and we made “real money” in prison some dudes lived as kings believe it or not. We would pay off CO’s c’mon kid they made what 9.25 to $11 an hour so of course they could use a little more money.
Me: Well what did the CO’s do that was corrupt?
John Doe: The CO’s were our security, the CO’s were there to make sure no outsider *bleeped up our enterprise. See my man, virtually everything in the prison system is corrupt it is almost easier to make money in prison than in the streets. For one reason, in the streets we had to worry about the Feds and in prison if you wanted to label the CO’s feds we ran them. The warden was probably the only person that wasn’t necessarily corrupt, but technically he was because I’ve witnessed on numerous occasions the warden over steeping his boundaries. The warden would allow the CO’s to get away with anything and that hurt us systematically because although we ran things everyone did not follow protocol. Dumping drugs was the toughest when things got hot because that was a main source of income. Everything in life has guidelines and even in prison but it also has prison guidelines that outweigh anything else. Those guidelines are the norms we are to adhere by. Everyone knows the illegal *bleep that goes on in prison that’s why organized crime in prison can even exist.
I’ve learned that street gangs have been a part of society for centuries so it’s inevitable that gangs would also be present inside jails and prisons. Gangs date back as far as biblical times and consist of a group of individuals that have similar ideas and are working toward a certain outcome. Individuals in gangs inside and outside of jails have caused many social problems that range from drug dealing and using, gambling, murders, and human trafficking. Gangs work and are established like society in general. There are the leaders of the gang and then the people who follow them. “The Conflict Theory can be applied to prison gangs because of the distribution of power not only within the group, but also within all the other prisoners and also the prison employees”.(Riddley3) Conflict theory is based on the idea that the role a person or group plays on a certain group of people and the influence or control they have over others. It states that a society or an organization who has control over a group function so that each person in the group struggles in some way. “Different groups will struggle in conflict over what they think is right, what the norms are, and their ideologies”.(Thomas 83-84)
Gangs in prison are usually started based on the race of the prisoner. Each gang thinks they are the dominate gang in jail and will fight to stay that way. Just like street gangs, prisons gangs are usually led by a dominate figure. This person has the first and last word, and members of the gang follow their orders. “They often tell the group they are there to protect them, but in reality, are only there to benefit themselves.”(Bresslinp102) In our prison systems today, many different gangs pose a threat to our correctional staff and other inmates. In the United States, gangs exist in forty of the fifty states. “These gangs bring violence, drug trafficking and racial unrest to our correctional system”(Roberts12) but first we must know that the problem isn’t with the prisoners it is with the institution.
Works Cited
Breslin, Jimmy. The Good Rat: A True Story. 1st ed. Vol. 1. New York: Ecco, 2008. Print. Ser. 11.
Riddley, Alexandria. "Punishment for Organized Crime." Crime Library:. Crime Library, 14 Jan. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Roberts, CJ. Captive in the Dark. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. S.I.: Neurotica, 2011. Print. Ser. 2004.
Thomas, Edward L. "Engaging in Organized Crime." San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer. Newletter.org, 11 July 2004. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.sacrimelaw.com/Criminal-Defense/Engaging-in-Organized-Crime.aspx>.