Gang numbers in prisons rise
Gangsters make up an increasing portion of inmates behind bars and a former prisoner believes the trend will continue.
Corrections data released under the Official Information Act shows the proportion of gang members inside New Zealand prisons has steadily increased over the past 10 years,
In 2008 there were 897 prisoners or 11.4 per cent with gang connections out of a total prison population of 7868.
Fast forward to August 31 this year and 35.2 per cent of the 10,435-strong prison population were known to have gang connections.
It’s unclear exactly what’s causing the rise but Paora Raharaha, 25, believes it will continue.
He served a three and a half year sentence for assault, burglary and driving in a dangerous manner.
He went into jail as a patched Black Power member but on his release in May 2016, he decided that it wasn’t the lifestyle he wanted anymore.
He now has his own business as a personal trainer in Paeroa.
‘‘Some people don’t have families so they join the gangs and I think people that want to be part of a group feel like they want to be with a gang.
‘‘I think [gang numbers in prison] will carry on increasing.
‘‘They give men inside something to be a part of ... I also think gangs look attractive to young guys.’’
Nevertheless, not every criminal wants to be patched up.
‘‘The guys that turn away the idea of joining a gang, it’s normally because they know what they want and they probably have a good reason as to why they don’t want to join.
‘‘It’s probably because they haven’t been brought up in a gang or they know what gang life is like. And usually when you are in a gang you have to fight other gang members.’’
That’s part of the reason why they don’t offer the protection many people on the outside think they do, he said.
An inmate who joins the Mongrel Mob may feel safe in a yard where the gang is dominant, but he could be shifted a predominantly Black Power jail and his protection is gone.
And Raharaha doesn’t feel people are encouraged to avoid gang life inside.
‘‘I think if [Corrections
officers] knew you were part of a gang they just left you because it’s hard to turn people, especially with a gang mentality, but in saying that they didn’t really talk about not joining a gang.’’
However, the Department of Corrections said the recruitment of prisoners into gangs and any gang-related activity is discouraged and such activity may result in a misconduct charge being laid.
Gang-related drawings, carvings, clothing, posters or other gang paraphernalia isn’t permitted in prison. Inmates as well as visitors are not allowed to wear gang colours.
There are many ways in which an offender’s gang status is assessed, including observations, self-reports, thirdparty reports, and gang-related clothing, vocabulary, tattoos or insignia.
The top five gangs by number of associations were lead by the Mongrel Mob followed by Black Power, Crips, Killer Beez and Head Hunters MC. But the available data still has gaps, Waikato University senior lecturer of psychology Armon Tamatea said.
It’s too unreliable to make an informed response as to why there’s a large rise in gang connections in prison. Tamatea is currently studying gang recruitment in NZ prisons and suspects the prison recruitment rate will be different than that in the community, if only because the environment and proximity to gang members are more overt in jail. He said the reason behind people gravitating to gangs depends on an individual’s circumstances.
‘‘Lifestyle options, peer influence, family/whanau issues such as abuse, neglect, negative attitudes to social institutions, existing attitudes towards gangcentred lifestyles and involvement with gang community, et cetera. It’s hard to generalise given we don’t know all that much about these communities without resorting to stereotypes.’’
Tamatea thinks stopping inmates joining gangs may not be feasible for many, especially if emotional and familial needs are being met as part of a gangcentred lifestyle.
‘‘Nor is it necessarily the issue – reducing harmful behaviour is a more realistic and pressing priority where family harm, drug distribution, and crime are concerned.’’