We usually think juvenile detention centers should be a place of counseling and reform where troubled youth are given the rehabilitation tools to rebuild their lives, however, the reality inside many juvenile facilities is far more troubling. One of the often overlooked issues inside these facilities is the presence of gangs.

Gangs are not just confined to street corners and bad neighborhoods. They often follow the young members into detention facilities. Once inside, the gang affiliations that were started on the streets can become even more serious. Gangs provide a sense of protection, identity, and belonging; especially in an environment where inmates think they need the safety and trust more than ever. Inside these facilities, gangs can replicate the same hierarchy seen on the outside. They have their leaders, initiates, codes of conduct, and often violence against other gangs. Youth may feel pressured to join a gang for protection or to maintain ties that started on the streets. Refusing it can mean becoming a target, just like on the streets.There are several reasons young people become involved in gangs while incarcerated:

• Protection: Juvenile facilities can be violent, and gangs offer safety in numbers.
• Belonging: Many youth come from fractured families and unstable home lives. Gangs offer a replacement for family and a sense of friendship.
• Status and Power: In a setting where freedom is limited, gang affiliation can provide influence over others.
• Identity: For some, gang membership is tied to their personal identity. They may have been raised in gang families or neighborhoods and know nothing else.

The presence of gangs inside juvenile detention significantly hinders rehabilitation. These facilities are meant to provide structure, education, counseling, and support. Gang members often start fights or target other gang members inside facilities. A member’s loyalty to a gang may supersede respect for staff or rules in the facility. Also, many youth may reoffend when they are released because they feel like incarceration will be their only future and they have nothing to lose. 

Addressing gang activity in juvenile detention facilities requires everyone in the system working together. Specialized programs like cognitive behavioral therapy, mentorship, and conflict resolution can help youth separate themselves from gangs, both inside and outside a facility. Correctional officers, juvenile probation officers, and counselors need specialized training to identify and manage gang dynamics. Reentry programs should involve families and agencies that support youth to leave gang life behind.

If we are truly committed to giving young offenders a second chance in life, we must address the gang culture that thrives inside the institutions.  Recognizing, identifying, and tackling juvenile gangs behind bars, is the first step in a juvenile justice system that heals rather than creates lifelong offenders. Gangscope/Intelscope can be formatted to include juvenile gang members and to identify various gangs inside each facility.

The GangScope Team

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GangScope™ is an intelligence database that helps capture, analyze, search and share intelligence on criminals, gangs, and more. GangScope acts as a first-tier, internal database that manages data on known and suspected criminals and gang members. Intelligence is collected per incident and can include qualifiers, associates, acquaintances (points of contact), witnesses, images, and documents. GangScope’s collection of detailed information aids in investigations, analysis and ultimately solving crime. The software complies with standards outlined by federal (28 CFR) policies. While complying with standards, GangScope™ boasts usability through simple yet extensive data mining via search, reports, profiles, and watches.

The overall goal of GangScope™ is to provide law enforcement personnel/ crime analysts/ correctional officers/prosecutors with maximum data through a friendly user interface while remaining cost-effective.  

A non-gang version – IntelScope is also available if needed.

To learn more or to schedule a full demo of our system – request a demo here. We would welcome the opportunity to show you how Gangscope can help your department organize and store your data in a secure and compliant way.