Since the 1960’s organized gangs in the American Justice System have been a growing problem. Drug trafficking, continued violence, and overrunning prisons are a few of the main challenges that the justice system faces when trying to control these gangs. Based usually on race, these gangs are believed to be some of the most dangerous in the world and are only getting larger. Even though measures are being taken to try and prevent these gangs from growing in size, most attempts fail as the gangs are becoming too prominent and too powerful.
Prison gangs by definition are criminal organizations that originated within the penal system and they have continued to operate within correctional facilities throughout the United States. They[Prison gangs] are also considered 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 of inmates who have an organized hierarchy and who are governed by an established code of conduct. These gangs vary in both organization and composition, from highly structured gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood and Nuestra Familia to gangs with less formalized structure such as the Mexican Mafia. Prison gangs are usually more powerful within state correctional facilities compared to the federal penal system (Trusty). The first recognized prison gang was originated at the Duel Vocational Institution in Tracy, California. It was originally founded by thirteen inmates who were active Latino street gang members from different neighborhoods around Los Angeles. These thirteen men banded together in prison to protect themselves from other gang members, inmates and prison guards. It was this perceived need for protection from another group that acted as a catalyst for the gang’s formation. Once the Mexican Mafia formed victims of its illegal