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| STG Update: It ain't Disney World |
| By Richard Hough , Criminal Justice Program Coordinator |
| Published: 07/16/2007 |
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Editor’s note: New regular contributor, Richard Hough, will share his insight on security threat groups each quarter. In his first article this summer, Hough gives us an idea of how Florida is handling its share of gangs  STG Update: It ain't Disney Worldby Richard Hough For many states and local communities, growth is a positive phenomenon. It can lead to decreased unemployment, rising wages, attracting amenities to prospering cities. The double-edged sword of growth, especially fast growth, can include increased crime and criminals among undesirable but predictable consequences. And for law enforcement and corrections agencies, this can be an unplanned for draw on resources. Experienced administrators are aware that legislative or local agency funding rarely keeps pace with the indicators of growth. In this article we will get a glimpse of the gang experience in Florida. With the demographic swell in a state or region, an increase in gangs or security threat groups are of particular concern for criminal justice agencies. This is not to say that gang members and activities are not encountered in more suburban and even rural areas. They are, along with a significant number of domestic extremist groups; at least seventy such groups operate in Florida. This quarter’s column focuses on some of the concerns for corrections officers at the county jail, state or federal prison, and juvenile detention center settings. It’s not Disney World While so many tourists visit, and other citizens migrate to, Florida for its climate and vacation destination ambiance, these folks do not come to the Sunshine State to be victims. While some care in travel and in selecting an area to move into will keep most people out of the path of gang members in general, criminal justice personnel do not enjoy this luxury. Law enforcement officers encounter formal or informal groups that comprise criminal street gangs. To effectively police communities and to maintain officer safety one needs to know about gangs and their common activities. While Florida law enforcement and corrections agencies have a long history of dealing with biker gangs, drug gangs, ethnic or racially motivated gangs and others, the Florida Department of Corrections (FLDOC) has been keenly focused on gang activity within its facilities since 1992. The Department’s component dealing with inmate threat assessment and management is the Security Threat Intelligence Unit (STIU), based at the DOC’s Tallahassee headquarters. An important tool in managing inmates identified as threat group members is a certification process such as that used by Florida’s corrections system. Point values are assigned to common identifiers like tattoos, graffiti, behavior, affiliation, and other intelligence. Once a specified point total is reached, that offender is certified as an STG member. Groups posing potential threats to the secure operations of any facility can be designated as security threat groups by the FLDOC’s Threat Assessment Review Committee (TARC). Characteristics of Gangs As in all parts of the U.S., gang and STG membership is overwhelmingly male. They typically range in age from early teens to their early twenties. Just as with most other criminal categories there is a tendency for gang members to “age-out” of crime and gang involvement. While many members become and remain lifers, this is not the case with many or most, contrary to the general public’s perception. Another consistent finding among members is their background; they come from broken homes, have lived in poor economic circumstances, and try to avoid dysfunctional family circumstances. While STGs inside corrections facilities are composed of membership based largely on ethnic or racial sameness, groups form alliances and affiliations following a corporate model of what benefits or grows the organization. This poses an increased intelligence gathering challenge as agencies work to identify linkages and update what is known about the various groups. While the U.S. Department of Justice reports that overall gang member numbers have trended down somewhat in recent years, the number of gangs has increased; this means more, smaller gangs and groups, and a more difficult task for criminal justice agencies. While there are several known gangs that are predominantly prison-based, the majority have fluid ties with their street counterparts and members. This presents another challenge for corrections as those in society use various strategies to furnish their incarcerated peers with contraband. A coordinated effort is also made to direct gang activities and recruit new members. Inside facilities a recruitment drive is on that rivals the efforts of many corrections agencies in gaining new employees. Academy Lessons Much of Florida’s initial corrections officer training is conducted at one of more than forty regional criminal justice academies. Given the volume demands of a system the size of the FLDOC, training can occur at centers co-located at many of Florida’s prisons. In either case, all training conforms to the curriculum established and regulated by the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC). Academy training includes a comprehensive section on criminal street gangs and extremist groups. With the knowledge that 300 or so gangs operate in Florida, such training rightly receives substantial attention from the Commission. Important to any new (or veteran) officer is an ongoing focus on officer safety, interpersonal skills, and the intertwined relationship of the two. While the next article will focus on officer safety issues when dealing with gang-affiliated inmates, some comments on awareness and communication skills are important to note for officers at any level of experience. Reinforcing the principle of firm and fair in dealing with inmates, gang members will see lenient or preferential treatment as signs of weakness on an officer’s part. Attempts to intimidate members may very well lead to confrontation and violence as the inmate is “forced” to save face. Likewise, bargaining with members to achieve anything gives them recognition that will cause further problems within the facility. As with other officers in criminal justice, one of the CO’s most important skills is the use of discretion, which is based on many factors. An officer must work within the law and agency policy. Discretion is further developed by experience, training, education, and vicarious learning through observing other officers. When dealing with security threat groups one must ask; ‘am I using sound judgment, appropriate discretion, and providing a correct role model for officers with less experience?’ In upcoming articles: officer safety with gang members, juvenile gangs, intelligence gathering. Richard Hough teaches criminal justice at the University of West Florida in Pensacola. He also teaches at the local corrections and law enforcement academy, online for other universities, and provides consulting on use-of-force and correctional management. For more information contact him at rhough@uwf.edu Related Resources: National Institute of Corrections Correctional Security Network on gangs and STGs |
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