The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System

by David Skarbek

Book Overview

When most people think of prison gangs, they think of chaotic bands of violent, racist thugs. Few people think of gangs as sophisticated organizations (often with elaborate written constitutions) that regulate the prison black market, adjudicate conflicts, and strategically balance the competing demands of inmates, gang members, and correctional officers. Yet as David Skarbek argues, gangs form to create order among outlaws, producing alternative...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199328501
• ISBN13: 9780199328505
• Release Date: July 2014
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.1"