Current Issues in Criminal Justice

One major issue in corrections is racism. What is racism? A belief that usually involves an idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. We see this everywhere. When is it going to stop? Not sure, but we need it control it in the prisons before it becomes something bigger than it already is. With racism in prisons we have gangs, riots, and not just the inmates are raciest but the staff members. The most conmen gangs in prisons today are the Neta, Aryan Brotherhood, Black Guerrilla Family, Mexican Mafia, La Nuestra Familia, and Texas Syndicate. All in which hate each other and are divided by race. The Neta, established in 1970 and are made up of Puerto Rican-American and Hispanic. The Aryan Brotherhood, made in 1967.   Which are made up of white men. The Black Guerrilla Family, founded in 1966. This gang is made up of the black race. Mexican Mafia, formed in the late 50s with Mexican-American and Hispanic. La Nuestra Familia, originated in the mid 60s, made with Mexican-Americans and Hispanic. And the last one is the Texas Syndicate also made up of Mexican- American and Hispanic. This gang was made in the early 70s. As you can see all these gangs are all separated by race. None in which have one of each race. Like I said, it's not just inmates that are racist but the staff members also. Not all of them but same. For an example two white Correction officers are dismissing groups of inmates to take showers but do not let any of the fore Latinos get there showers. Or if a Black Corrections officer only treats the black inmates with respect and is more lenient. But then treats other races more strictly and calls them names. This is unfair treatment and is display racism. In the criminal Justice Statistics by Peter Wegner in 2000 shows only two races blacks and whites. Only a little over 35% of African- Americans said that they felt like they were treated fairly and fewer than 70% of whites said that they felt like they were treated fairly by...