This article will discuss the issue of prison gangs that exists in our correctional system. It will list several powerful gangs that populate jail and prisons across the country. Descriptions of the gangs will be provided along with their history and the courses of action they take to maintain discipline within their culture. From a criminal justice perspective, the discussion will cover issues of safety, temptation and corruption that occur when dealing with various gangs. Finally, this article will propose some personal solutions that I think can help alleviate some of the problems that correctional officers and criminal justice system workers face on a daily basis. Prison Gangs: A University Profile Prison gangs that exist in the United States are one of the largest concerns for all those involved in the criminal justice system. From humble beginnings in the 1950s with the Gypsy Jokers Gang, to modern entities like the Aryan Brotherhood, gangs have grown into the tens of thousands and are sometimes out of control (Orlando-Morningstar, 1997) Through the use of aggression, corruption, intimidation and murder, gangs have become a powerful force in and out of prison. Law enforcement officers today have the enormous task of apprehending and maintaining discipline of these offenders once they are locked up in jail or prison. It is vital that prison officers tasked with supervising these criminals maintain standards and are strong-willed and trustworthy. The gangs inside have their own rules and laws that they abide by. Correctional officers must use the rules and laws that govern the system to maintain peace and order, because in this case chaos and anarchy will reign supreme. Gangs bring issues into jails and prisons that...are at the heart of the paper... ...cooperation with officials and blatant disrespect for the law perpetuate a life of violence, drugs and other activity criminals when they are incarcerated. Only through drastic changes that will require dedicated professionals in the corrections system can a difference be made. The economic factor plays a fundamental role in these changes because without money there will be no further assistance to change this culture and mentality. There will be no analysis of why this young man is in prison so he can be part of something that only cares about that next dollar. With the right specialist to examine and rebuild the lives of those who desire change, change can be achieved. Eliminating corrupt officials is urgent for any of these changes to occur. They are the point of connection with gang members and set the tone for those who may need a hand in turning their lives around.