Career criminals, security threat groups, and prison gangs an interrelated threat. (Perspective).

Just after midnight, a young police officer stopped a vehicle unaware that the driver was a gang member recently released from prison, strung out on crystal meth, and resolved not to return to jail. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer first noticed a female passenger and then saw the driver, wearing a trench coat, quickly exit the vehicle. The officer instinctively knew that something was wrong. He immediately searched the driver and found a .45caliber handgun in a shoulder holster. A fight ensued during which the driver shouted to the female, "Shoot him, shoot him!" As the officer turned toward the vehicle, he saw the woman in a crouched position, pointing a weapon at him. He immediately drew his service weapon and fired, terminating the threat and the life of this accomplice.

Such incidents occur, sometimes daily, involving individuals who belong to criminal gangs and have served time in prison. Who are these individuals, these "career criminals," who seemingly have chosen crime as a way of life? What are some characteristics that law enforcement officers can learn to assist in identifying them? And, most important, what can officers do to protect themselves and the citizens they serve from such threatening individuals? (1)

Defining the Threat

A broad spectrum of people use the term gang to describe diverse groups with a wide range of characteristics. Academicians, police investigators, politicians, researchers, and residents of crime-ridden neighborhoods all have a mental picture based on their experiences of what constitutes a gang. To some, a gang is a loose confederation of neighborhood youths engaged in delinquent activity. Other people refer to gangs as highly structured drug-dealing organizations, and still others form mental images of outlaw motorcycle clubs when they think of gangs.

This brief sketch shows the necessity for, and the difficulty of, achieving a consensus for the definition of the term gang. (2) The authors, however, have employed the s definition of a criminal street gang: "A group of people who form an allegiance based on various social needs and engage in acts injurious to public health and morals. Members of street gangs engage in (or have engaged in) gang-focused criminal activity either individually or collectively; they create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation within the community." (3)

When criminal street gangs engage in violence or large-scale illegal pursuits, they threaten the communities where they exist. Criminal street gangs, or sets, operate in neighborhoods throughout the United States. Some are small, whereas others have many members or associates, and all vary greatly in organizational sophistication.

Correctional officers have special concerns when it comes to identifying criminal gang members. To maintain order in the facilities, they must know which groups are in conflict with each other and what threats these sets pose an officer working in the institution. A number of states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have determined that when an identifiable collection of individuals poses a hazard to order inside their penal systems, they will label these subjects a security threat group (STG). The same situation exists with criminal sets living in open society. For example, the term community threat group has emerged as a way to provide a clearer understanding of the hazards these groups represent to American communities. (4)

Individuals labeled as criminal gang or STG members are not "kids" drawn unknowingly into a dangerous situation. Rather, these people pose a viable threat to the safety and security of communities throughout the country. Such individuals, or "career criminals," have chosen to make crime a way of life and seldom worry about the consequences of their actions until after their apprehension. Then, they tend to put all of their efforts into rationalizing or minimizing their crimes in an attempt to manipulate the judicial system.

Examining Career Criminals

The career criminal personality may vary broadly and is best left to the clinicians to analyze. The authors, however, have learned that career criminals often demonstrate certain types of behavior, and law enforcement professionals may find this information useful as a predicator to what these criminals are capable of and what to expect when interacting with them. If, indeed, experience is the best teacher, then the authors submit the results of their education as an overview of some of the behaviors exhibited by the career criminals they have encountered. (5)

* Career criminals have no boundaries; they reside in every state. They migrate to communities that afford them opportunities to pursue their criminal activities. They learn of these criminal ventures from other like-minded criminals, or they travel to a new location to avoid police scrutiny, attempting to blend into a new environment.

* Career criminals disdain authority. They often show their contempt through aggressive behavior or words. They can react violently over the slightest perceived provocation, especially when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. They also have a propensity for sudden physical violence, especially those who have worked their way through the prison system. However, when preparing for or committing crimes, they can be deliberate, calculating, and rational in their actions.

* Career criminals have an acute awareness of their surroundings and possess many survival skills, learned traits during incarceration. They know how to size up a situation quickly to pursue criminal objectives or scam their way out of a situation.

* Career criminals rarely stick to one type of crime. Revolving in and out of county jails and other prisons, they learn how to pursue a multitude of different types of criminal activities.

* Career criminals view themselves with an inflated ego. They even may have contempt for fellow inmates and scorn law-abiding people and authority. They know and use the psychological tactics of fear and intimidation and can switch quickly into this mind-set. While committing a crime, they may have a false sense of invincibility, making them all the more dangerous. Moreover, they continue their criminal enterprises even while incarcerated.

Understanding Security Threat Groups

The authors have observed that during periods of incarceration, career criminals often align themselves with groups or cliques that control illegal activities through force or cunning. They set out to distinguish themselves from the mainstream inmate population. This explains why STGs are a magnet for career criminals.

Corrections practitioners who have identified STGs within their systems know that the groups' criminal activities extend beyond prison walls. Their success inside a corrections facility largely depends on an infrastructure on the outside to further their criminal enterprises, providing financial assistance and communication (i.e., intelligence). The overriding trait of these like-minded career criminals who comprise these groups is commitment. Upon release from prison, most of these offenders will continue to prey upon the community or those who dare to oppose them.

Recognizing Prison Gangs

Criminal gangs may participate in a wide range of illegal activities. Profits from unlawful actions, like drug dealing, can prove important to the cohesion of a street gang. To realize the desired profits, small, disorganized groups need a reliable drug source or a buyer for large amounts of stolen property. Bigger criminal enterprises, such as prison gangs, may provide the resources sought by a street crew. Managing the source of the illegal profits allows the larger gang to exert influence over street-level operations. Control is further strengthened when the upper-tier gang pays a street-level crew to perform tasks, such as assault or murder. As the connection between the groups solidifies, reputation and rumor can make a prison gang even more powerful, drawing other street-level crews into their sphere of influence.

A hierarchy exists in the criminal gang world. (6) Gangsters typically start out in a street crew, usually in a neighborhood or crowd where they have connections. These associations often will be rooted in family ties or friendship because gangs need both to trust partners in their criminal enterprises and to fraternize with during their social functions. At some point in their lives, criminal gang members eventually may be incarcerated in a local jail and then in a longer-term state or federal facility. If they have a reputation among their peers that indicates their desirability as a candidate for induction into an STG, members inside the facility will approach them. Inmates may remain an associate of an STG or may earn a chance to become a full member. Either way, they will fulfill assignments given to them by the prison gang.

The motivation driving the prison gang member is complex. While many sources have cited the need for protection from predatory inmates, other factors enter in, including the human need to seek acceptance, increased status, and financial profit from gang activities. When gang members are released from custody, they often return to their neighborhoods and renew old associations. They then may reenter the gang subculture, which led to their incarceration. If they return to criminal activity, the contacts made in the prison system will become more important. The prison gang will allow the gangster on the outside to network with other criminals or provide regular secure sources for illegal products, such as drugs. The STG also will serve as protection for others in the gangster's crew when they are incarcerated. The STG even may provide income to the street gang with compensation for missions it assigns.

Because other street gangs will have similar situations, the prison gang can use the same methods to gain influence over a multitude of street crews. STGs will pick which sets they hope to influence and build a coalition. To control the street, a prison gang may withhold the desired product from an uncooperative set while ensuring that a competitor gets ample amounts. A more direct approach might occur, whereby an incarcerated member of an uncooperative gang may suffer an assault orchestrated by the STG. Or, a powerful group may order a cooperative street gang to use violence to force a reluctant clique to conform to the rules as formulated by the STG. In exchange for the protection and profit associated with cooperation, the street crews will continue to do the bidding of the prison gang. Over time, the relationship may grow strong, but rarely will the prison gang allow a street gang to "patch over" and become members of the STG. For this reason, many more criminal street gangs than prison gangs exist. Crimi nal street gangsters accepted into an STG normally return to their original gang upon release from prison. Street gang members inducted into an STG will have increased status due to the connections made in prison. Unless they have committed some infraction against the STG, the gangsters will be accepted back into the prison gang during any subsequent incarcerations.

Prison gangs communicate with persons on the outside in a variety of ways. Although corruption is sometimes an issue, the majority of communication methods are legal. Persons unfamiliar with the gang subculture tend to underestimate gangsters. They are not stupid or slow, even though, for the most part, they do poorly in structured educational settings. Criminal gang members have chosen an alternate lifestyle that often engages in illegal activity. Gang members in general, but prison gangsters especially, study and train to improve their crime-related skills. The authors have found that a review of security videos or literature confiscated from gang members can provide evidence of the enormous amount of effort that they put into being gangsters. The literature from most gang members includes some type of coded alphabet, often based upon a foreign language that members must master. For example, some Hispanic gangs use the Aztec language to code their documents. Although learning this language expresses pride i n a common heritage, it becomes sinister when used to shield illegal acts from appropriate law enforcement scrutiny.

Responding to the Threat

Generally, when criminal justice professionals attempt to assess STGs and prison gangs, they typically focus on group behavior as opposed to the commonalties of individual members. Yet, understanding career criminals, their perceptions, characteristics, and traits as individuals should rank among the most paramount objectives of improving officer safety. This proves especially important when deciding to employ undercover personnel or conduct search warrant application. It also is useful in assessing criminal activity trends or modus operandi patterns within a jurisdiction.

Similarly, during police contacts or in corrections settings, officers must realize that career criminals constantly scrutinize them. The authors have found that these criminals think that they are smarter than criminal justice professionals and attempt to use techniques to take control or manipulate situations. A favorite is the "stare down," an intimidation tactic used to see if an officer will break eye contact and, if so, is seen as a sign of weakness. Also, career criminals may be smooth talking or manipulative in one instant and verbally abusive the next. They may test officers to gauge reaction or see how much they can get away with. Regardless of the tactic employed, officers must remain aware of such techniques and immediately inform subjects of their knowledge and intolerance of such actions.

Corrections officers should know the career criminals in their units and housing locations. Because career criminals have been through the criminal justice system extensively, they become aware of the nuances in corrections settings. They look for security breaches; examine the relationship between staff members and administrators; take into account any staff shortages; and seek ways to access materials, people, or contraband. Career criminals also tend to gravitate to leadership positions within the inmate population or STGs. Therefore, officers should review the institutional files on such inmates to gain insight into their backgrounds. How extensive are their criminal histories? Are there prior charges or convictions for escape or assaulting officers? What does the psychological profile say about high manipulation or violence potential? Are there any past incarcerations in other state or federal prisons? Corrections officers should find out as much as possible about the criminals they face daily.

Likewise, law enforcement officers should apply these same techniques. If career criminals reside within the community, officers should know who they are and what kind of danger they present. This illustrates the importance of maintaining liaison with parole divisions, departments of corrections, and county jail facilities. These institutions can share important information about such criminals. Are they involved in multiple criminal activities, such as narcotics, armed robbery, and burglary? Are they spontaneous or methodical in their criminal activities? Do they have a history of high violence potential? Were they members of an STG while in prison? Answers to these types of questions can mean the difference between life and death for officers responding to calls for service, executing search warrants, or making traffic stops or other contacts, as illustrated dramatically by the opening scenario of this article.

In short, to effectively curtail the activities of career criminals and the groups to which they often belong, criminal justice professionals must learn the mind-sets, traits, and characteristics of these offenders. Officers must know how and where to obtain information on these individuals. To this end, communicating this type of information between corrections and law enforcement personnel becomes paramount for the safety of both professional entities, as well as the communities they serve.

Conclusion

A growing trend seems to be developing among prison gangs to organize criminal street crews to facilitate the drug trade. The enormous profits available to those willing to take the risks inherent in this and other lucrative illegal enterprises are leading to a change in the way gangs do business. Other indications exist that imply increasing cooperation among criminal gangs.

Current gang trends, while disturbing, are not unexpected when considering the history of gangs in America and in other countries. Historically, gang activity has flourished during those periods of time when sources of illegal profit were readily available and social conditions encouraged the existence of gangs. The entire criminal justice system needs to educate itself to combat this most recent form of organized criminal behavior and profit. The first important step in this process rests with an exchange of information between the law enforcement and corrections communities that will allow for the tracking of criminals as they increasingly migrate around the country. As the flow of information increases so will the effectiveness of combating such criminal activities. Although the criminal justice system never will stop all criminal activity, gang enforcement is an area where police and corrections, with increased intelligence information sharing, can make a major impact in reducing the interrelated threat posed by career criminals, security threat groups, and prison gangs.

Endnotes

(1.) The authors based this article on a research project they participated in that compiled information about gangs obtained from personal interviews with local, state, and federal police officers, as well as officers working in local, state, and federal correctional institutions.

(2.) For additional information, see Mike Langston, "Addressing the Need for a Uniform Definition of Gang-Involved crime," FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February 2003, 7-11.

(3.) U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, An Introduction to Violent Street Gangs in the United States, 2nd edition, 1999.

(4.) FBI analyst, Safe Streets Gang Unit.

(5.) The authors' education results from their personal interactions with career criminals, security threat groups, and gang members during their many years of working in the criminal justice system.

(6.) For additional information on gang structure, see David M. Allender, "Gangs in Middle America: Are They a Threat?" FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, December 2001, 1-9.

Captain Allender serves with the Indianapolis, Indiana, Police Department.

Mr. Marcell is an executive board member of the National Major Gang Task Force and a jail intelligence supervisor with the Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff's Department.