Gangs run the contraband and their mouths. I often interviewed gang members and they would say the Officer so and so better watch how he acts or he could get it. I would then tell him that if that Officer gets it, he and 3 of his buddies get it.

Inmate gangs run the inmate population and any of them will always tell you they run the whole compound but at the end of the day regardless of heart, staff shortage, we are the biggest gang in the prison. We will always be the biggest gang for the simple fact we got radios, toys, and they keys! Stay safe brothers and sisters

“get em before they get you”

I was told once by a great Sgt/friend/mentor that " It takes a thousand rights to make up for one wrong we do in our profession".
The public has a very good memory for anything we do that’s wrong and seem to forget and hardly see all the good stuff that we do.

Plus our employers are the same way if you look at it, They have a file on all the misdeeds you have done but do they have a GOOD file?. (NO)

Just my 2 cents..

Oh. and by the way I work for the State of Ohio and it is a good place to work. I have seen other states and agencies and some of what goes on there WOW. I mean we don’t have sissy inmate here by no means and sometime we do have the pucker facture to deal with but they are not in the same category of some that you see at Rikers island or some Calif. Institutions to name a few.

cjarnold62 you should be grateful that we are not like those others. I could go out on a limb and say that maybe it is the way we deal with the Inmates as officers or the programs that are offered here but to me I think it’s a Society/Cultural difference that make those inmate angry?? and to go out on that limb as I just did would be disrespectful to those other agencies, But on the other hand they don’t know who I am, so I guess I can say that. LOL

They are not running the prison but they definitely have a great deal of influence in the ebb and flow of things that happen within the walls and it is due largely to the lack of moral, ethics and professionalism by a few staff members.

To CJ,I have only read the forums, stayed up rather late most nights, however this is one i feel strong about. No matter what type of facility you work in or have a relative/loved one calling “home” for any length of time you still must realize some things… If it is your loved one incarcerated-they either committed the crime or have one hell of a poor view on their life to want to admit to something they did not do, this being said if they committed the crime then hopefully they will take the lock-up time to better themselves and change and if you wish to blame what they did on bad friends, well the ones they meet while being locked up are absolutely no better, they do not house you with “like minded” people. Now for the part that irritates me the most!!!!! NOT all Correctional Officers are bad or crooked, those of us who took our positions to assist in the betterment of society, who are morally strong and who have a heart/conscience are of a special make from something done right in our upbringing. Of course you will never hear from your loved/locked up one about the C.O who talked to them, who listened to them, who took them from the unit before the other inmates saw the tear fall so they were not picked or beat on for being soft. You will only hear of the time the big bad C.O. told them NO (which is something most of them should have heard more of growing up). So please, the next time you wish to trash someone for doing the thing you couldn’t bring yourself to do (taking care of someone else life) just think twice! OH and, the reason for us Officers: Your so willing to let us know he has sooooooooooo much money, which leads me to think he lets all of his cellies know too, so if we were not there to keep him alive, the other inmates with less money, more muscle and more chances to a shank would have already taken his $$$$$$! YOU’RE WELCOME.

Here is a one of the most recent information about the colors use by the gangs on USA so you can up date your information an get the most recent information obout gangs:

Ø Atlanta Braves: People- initial “A” for Almighty
Ø Boston Celtics: Spanish Cobras – Colors – Green/Black
Ø British Knights: Crips – initials “B” & “K” for Blood Killers
Ø Burger King: Crips – initials “B” & “K” for Blood Killers
Ø Charlotte Hornets: 4 Corner Hustlers – initials “C” & “H”
Ø Charlotte Hornets: Imperial Gangsters – Colors – Black/Pink
Ø Chicago Bulls: Vice Lords, Latin Counts, and Mickey Cobras -colors – Black/Red
Ø Chicago Bulls: Black Peace Stone Nation – “Bulls” stands for “Boy You Look Like Stone”
Ø Chicago Black Hawks: Vice Lords – Colors – Black/Red
Ø Chicago Cubs: Spanish Cobras – initial “C”
Ø Cincinnati Reds: 4 Corner Hustlers – put a “4″ next to the “C” and an “H” inside of the “C”
Ø Colorado Rockies: Simon City Royals – sometimes place a white “S” in front of the “C”
Ø Columbia Knights: Bloods – initials “C” & “K” for Crips Killer
Ø Converse All Star shoe: People – five point star in the logo of label Ø Dallas Cowboys: People – five point star
Ø Denver Broncos: Black Disciples switch “DB” for initials “BD”
Ø Detroit Lions: Gangster Disciples – Colors – Black/Blue
Ø Detroit Tigers: Folks – initial “D” for Disciples
Ø Detroit Tigers: Gangster Disciples – Colors: Black/Blue
Ø Duke: Folks – Colors – Black/Blue; “Duke” = “Disciples Utilizing Knowledge Everyday”
Ø Georgetown: Folks – initial “G” for Gangster
Ø Georgetown Hoyas: Gangster Disciples – Colors: Black/Blue; “Hoyas” stands for “Hoover’s On Your Ass” (Larry Hoover)
Ø Georgia Tech: Folks – initial “G” for Gangster
Ø Indiana University: Imperial Gangsters – initials “I” & “U” overlapping appear to make the shape of a pitchfork showing “Folks” affiliation
Ø Kansas City Royals: Folks – Colors: Black/Blue
Ø Kansas City Royals: Simon City Royals – “Royals”
Ø LA Dodgers: Gangster Disciples – initial “D” for Disciples
Ø LA Kings: Latin Kings – “Kings”
Ø LA Kings: People – “Kings” stands for “Kill Inglewood Nasty Gangsters”
Ø Los Angeles Raiders: Folks – “Raiders” stands for “Ruthless Ass Insane Disciples Running Shit”
Ø Los Angeles Raiders: People – “Raiders” stands for “Raggedy Ass Iced Donuts Everywhere Running Scared”: used to “Disrespect” Folks
Ø Louis Vitton Cap: Vice Lords Initials “LV” reversed
Ø Miami Hurricanes: People – Color -Orange
Ø Michigan: Initial “M” for Maniac Latin Disciples
Ø Minnesota Twins: Initial “M” for Maniac Latin Disciples
Ø NY Yankees: Gangster Disciples Colors – Black/Blue/White
Ø North Carolina Tar Heels: Folks – Colors – Black/Blue
Ø Nike: Folks – Colors – Black/Blue
Ø Oakland A’s: Ambrose – initial “A” for Ambrose
Ø Oakland A’s: Orchestra Albany Initials “O” & “A”
Ø Oakland A’s: Spanish Cobras – Color – Green
Ø Orlando Magic: Folks – “Magic” stands for “Maniacs and Gangsters in Chicago”; Colors – Black/Blue represents numerous “Folks” gangs
Ø Philadelphia Phillies: People – initial “P” for “People”
Ø Phoenix Suns: Black Peace Stone Nation – initials “P” & “S”
Ø Pittsburgh Pirates: Colors – Black/Gold for Latin Kings; Bloods – Initial “P”; for Pirus (Bloods)
Ø San Francisco Giants: Folks – switch initials for “Super Gangster Folk”
Ø San Francisco Giants: Future Stones Initials “S” & “F” spelled backwards San Francisco (Any) Stone Freaks Initials “S” & “F”
Ø St. Louis Cardinals: Spanish Vice Lords – red-colored hat
Ø Starter Symbol: Folks – crack the five-point star to disrespect the “People”
Ø Starter Symbol: People – five point star
Ø Texas Rangers: People – initial “T” looks like pitchfork pointing down
Ø University of Illinois: Folks – initials “U” & “I” together appear to be a pitchfork pointing up
Ø University of Nevada at Las Vegas: (UNLV) -Vice Lords Colors: Red/Black; “UNLV” backwards stands for “Vice Lords Nation United.”

I hope this help you little bet to identified gangas and colors use by them, could be one next to your school or neighborhood or in corrections you can be wanderred.

cjarnold62 said “Hes not a criminal or he wouldnt have turned him self in.”

If he’s not a criminal, what need would he have had for turning himself in? I don’t see too many innocent, law abiding citizens rushing to the police station or sheriffs office to confess to random crimes they didn’t commit.

CJ. Mudflap is right.
You are defending you Man and that commendable. But it doesn’t alter the facts. As Prznboss has said inmates DO lie to their families. And It doesn’t have to be about money. They will lie about a verity of things. For example how the nasty CO’s treat him. It is a control game they play. Elicit sympathy from those that are most likely to believe them. Whether you like it or not inmates are masters of manipulation. And if he is not a criminal why is he in Prison. He may have given himself up but that does not make him innocent. And as for never going back I sincerely hope that is true and not you just living in hope.

Wow, CJ. There is a lot of anger in your posts. Why do you hate a bunch of faceless people that you don’t even know? Your blanket statements that nobody cares and everyone is crooked are way off base.

Your contact with Ohio DRC staff must have been very limited as well as unsatisfactory, but if you approach staff with the same attitude you have here I can understand why.

Well for one thing he doesnt have to lie. He has enough of his own money. Hes not a criminal or he wouldnt have turned him self in. So iI guess u dont know what u are talking about. U must be another crook in the prison system. Ive talked to alot of co’s and theyve quite due to the co’s are worse than the inmates. Im sorry I dont have to be lied to he has plenty of his own money. Im pretty proud of him for for putting all this behind him and he’ll be the only one come out of there with a GOOD ENDING and wont be back here.Believe me the Govener needs to start doing something about these prisons.Why do they need the co’s the inmates run the show.The state of Ohio is throwing money away.I guess I know more than u think I DO.

So let me guess, cjarnold, are you an inmate’s girlfriend or mother? Look into the whole story some time, not just what the inmate’s telling you. I know, I’ve talked to plenty of inmate girlfriends and mothers over the years to tell you that you’re not getting the truth. Has he used the one on you yet that he has to attend a treatment program and has to pay for it himself so you need to send him the money or he’ll be in prison forever? If not, it’s coming.

Yes they are and the judges and state could care less. They are extorting prisioners and if they tell it will only be harder on them. These co’s get paid good money for what? There’s inmates killed every day because gangs.What happened to the the legal system.I understand there is very bad people out there but there making the ones that try to do the right thing and they are treated like murders.Theres Co’s that are as crooked as the inmates.Where does it stop? Why isn’t something done.The people that can do something about it doesn’t. They don’t care unless it was one of there family members.It’s sad to see how many real crooks that work in these prisions. Ohio Prisions are bad.Like I was told by a man that worked in the Ohio State Prision years ago your just a number to them.I’m glad these Judges can sleep good at night sense they’ve never made a mistake in their life.

They don’t run the facility that I work at simply because a few of us refuse to let it happen.

They are running the prison i work at simply because there is not enough “heart” to deal with them

Gangs do run alot of what goes on at the prisons sadly. It’s a numbers game and they have the advantage there. You have unintelligent individuals willing to do anything to feel like they a part of something important, they get mislead into believing they will get the love and attention from the gang that they never got at home. If parents took care of buisness at home, and raised their kids properly, these violent street/prison gangs wouldn’t be nearly as prevelant, and neither would inmates.

Mick, I noticed that you’re with the Irish Prison Service. We’re profiling corrections departments around the world and could use your help by talking to you or someone else in your agency. Can you email me your contact info, so we can discuss this idea more. I’m at editor@corrections.com. Thanks for all of your commentary on the boards too. Jim

They would like to think that they are. But at the end of the day we are the biggest and most powerful gang in the yard.

Are gangs running our prisons?