Rise in Prison Gangs in Canada
Rise in Prison Gangs Fueling Violence, Drug Trade – Canada – CBC News
The article presented on this paper reveals the problem of gangs and gang related violence in our nation’s institutions. Corrections Canada has seen a 44 per cent jump in gang members in federal prisons in the last five years, to 2,040 in 2012 from 1,421 in 2007, according to the documents obtained under access to information. The correctional service constructed a strategic framework for dealing with gangs in 2006, and implemented its gang management strategy in 2008, aiming to convince inmates to drop their affiliation and limit security risks. Gang numbers have continued to rise, according to one correctional service management document. It raises a number of concerns, such as: power and control issues through intimidation, extortion and violence, incompatibilities or rivalries between various individuals and groups, illicit or illegal activities, such as drug distribution within correctional facilities, potential for manipulation, intimidation and corruption of staff, population management pressures, illicit or illegal activities while on conditional release.
“There is a considerable workload for the security intelligence department which has intensified in the past year with the proliferation of gangs and more complex population dynamics caused by double-bunking.", a document regarding an executive committee conference call on a National Board of Investigation into the murder of an inmate has noted.
Some measures taken to combat the gang problem include more training, more intelligence officers, more collaboration with police and justice partners and a prohibition of gang colours and paraphernalia. Corrections Canada has also considered segregating certain gangs, for example a special unit in at the Edmonton Institution called STEP (Security Threat Elimination Program) was created to isolate game members from the general population. Gangs control the drug trade inside a large majority
The article presented on this paper reveals the problem of gangs and gang related violence in our nation’s institutions. Corrections Canada has seen a 44 per cent jump in gang members in federal prisons in the last five years, to 2,040 in 2012 from 1,421 in 2007, according to the documents obtained under access to information. The correctional service constructed a strategic framework for dealing with gangs in 2006, and implemented its gang management strategy in 2008, aiming to convince inmates to drop their affiliation and limit security risks. Gang numbers have continued to rise, according to one correctional service management document. It raises a number of concerns, such as: power and control issues through intimidation, extortion and violence, incompatibilities or rivalries between various individuals and groups, illicit or illegal activities, such as drug distribution within correctional facilities, potential for manipulation, intimidation and corruption of staff, population management pressures, illicit or illegal activities while on conditional release.
“There is a considerable workload for the security intelligence department which has intensified in the past year with the proliferation of gangs and more complex population dynamics caused by double-bunking.", a document regarding an executive committee conference call on a National Board of Investigation into the murder of an inmate has noted.
Some measures taken to combat the gang problem include more training, more intelligence officers, more collaboration with police and justice partners and a prohibition of gang colours and paraphernalia. Corrections Canada has also considered segregating certain gangs, for example a special unit in at the Edmonton Institution called STEP (Security Threat Elimination Program) was created to isolate game members from the general population. Gangs control the drug trade inside a large majority