Fanning the Flames: Understanding Gang Involvement Among Philippine Prisoners

Abstract

Utilizing intensive interview and observational data from inmates in one of the most overcrowded and underresourced jail in Metro Manila, Philippines, this study presents the first in-depth analysis of the factors associated with pangkat (prison gangs) and querna (nongang affiliation) membership. The results suggest that inmates join pangkats to ensure their safety and survival. In contrast, those who remain unaffiliated do so given their negative perceptions of the pangkat, sufficient access to social support, and desire to maintain their preprison identity. Furthermore, these major themes are situated within a modified general strain framework, which integrates traditional models of inmate adjustment, namely, deprivation, importation, and coping perspectives. In light of these findings, several implications for future research and policy are advanced, including the continued application of traditional criminological theories for understanding incarcerated populations and the formal integration of pangkats to jail administration given the lack of current reform strategies for addressing structural and institutional deficiencies.

Understanding Filipino Jail Detainees’ Self-Harming Behavior: A Grounded Theory Explortion

“…Enduring this long wait for a court sentence has taken a toll on their mental health, deepenimg the "pains of imprisonment" (Narag & Lee, 2018). This results in aggressive and deviant behaviors (Lee & Narag, 2019), such as self-harming, resulting from the detainees' low positive cognition.…”

“…In the worst-case scenarios, some are even termed "decader inmates" for having spent 10 years or more in custody while remaining unconvicted (Macaraig, 2021). Alarmingly, Philippine jails are considered the most crowded facilities globally (Lee & Narag, 2019); facilities intended for ten inmates are occupied by as many as 200 (BJMP, 2018), violateing the United Nations standard of 4.7 m 2 of space for each inmate (Ayalin, 2018). As well, overcrowding carries interrelated problems of unsanitary living conditions, poorly ventilated accommodation, and unbalanced diets (Jones et al, 2015).…”

Behind Locked Doors: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons Deprived of Liberty in Detention and Correctional Facilities

“…In contrast, those who remain unaffiliated do so gave their negative perceptions of the pangkat, sufficient access to social support, and desire to maintain their pre-prison identity. [13,14,15]…”

Understanding the Self-Harming Behavior of Filipino Male Detainees (32–58 Years Old): A Descriptive Phenomenology

“…Alarmingly, jails intended for 280 are occupied by 3,000, registering a congestion rate of more than 1000% (Narag & Lee, 2018), far from the United Nations standard of 4.7 square meter space for each inmate (Ayalin, 2018). Such statistics make the Philippine jails the most crowded correctional facilities globally (Lee & Narag, 2019). Undoubtedly, this overcrowding exacerbates not just the physical but also the mental health of inmates (MOE, 2014) and carries with it interrelated problems of inhumane and sub-standard living (Narag & Lee, 2018) which defies sanitary and health conditions (Gaillard et al, 2016).…”

“…Furthermore, disgracefully showing the slow and unjust judicial system are the so-called "decader" inmates who have spent 10 years or more behind bars while on trial (Macaraig, 2021) and the pitiful daily food allowance of PhP55.00 (US$ 1.10) (Narag & Lee, 2018) and daily medical assistance of PhP5.00 (US$ 0.10) (Gaillard et al, 2016). Indisputably, these deplorable conditions lead to the "pains of imprisonment," which trigger aggressive and deviant behaviors (Lee & Narag, 2019), such as SHB. Unfortunately, most research on mental health issues in the penal setting was concentrated on high-income countries (Baranyi et al, 2019).…”