Title: Recognizing and Controlling Security Threat Groups
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Content: It is more important than ever to implement security threat group awareness. The institution must recognize a gang problem and/or potential gang problem exists. Corrections personnel also must be aware of reasons why inmates join these security threat groups. These can consist of protection, viewing the gang as family, a need to belong and/or be accepted, means of support, want to control their environment, etc. This is part of the ongoing security threat group awareness process. Institutions face many challenges when dealing with the security threat groups. If these challenges are not dealt with timely, then these challenges will only escalate and lead to more serious problems. Institution administration and staff must be focused and recognize who the gang members are. The major security threat groups within a prison will vary from state to state. Classification, as you know serves several purposes.