Putting Out Fires: Understanding the Developmental Nature and Roles of Inmate Gangs in the Philippine Overcrowded Jails

Abstract

Utilizing intensive interview data from inmates in one of the most overcrowded and underresourced jails in Metro Manila, Philippines, this article explores the origins and roles of inmate pangkats (a derivative of gangs) in jail management. Responding to institutional deficiencies, such as police misconduct and court case delays, and structural shortages, such as lack of space, operational resources, and personnel, this article investigates how the pangkats supplement jail management and help keep the jail operations afloat. Specifically, this article documents how the pangkats put out fires: their intricate roles in mitigating pains of imprisonment, conflict mediation, order maintenance, and instilling discipline among their members. This article also details the emergence of a give-and-take relationship that develops between and among the pangkats and jail officials that are reflective of the Philippine sociocultural realities. Implications to theory on prison community and policy on gang management in a developing country context are discussed.

Fanning the Flames: Understanding Gang Involvement Among Philippine Prisoners

“…In line with previous research (Narag, 2005; Narag & Lee, 2018), over half of pangkat participants (60%) indicate that their desire for safety was an important reason for joining. Notably, safety primarily concerned physical protection from both inmates and guards.…”

“…This study finds that pangkat membership and querna nonaffiliation are much more complex than previous works have recognized (Narag, 2005; Narag & Lee, 2018). While the descriptive insights gained from the emergent major themes are important, a theoretical interpretation of the participants’ experiences afford a deeper and more holistic analysis of prison gang membership.…”

“…Notably, the absence of safeguards for one’s personal safety and security from victimization constitute the denial of positively valued goals and removal of positively valued stimuli (Agnew, 1992, 2009). Indeed, in this extremely underresourced facility, there are serious issues with proper supervision, which often contributes to conflicts not only among inmates and pangkats but also between inmates and staff (Narag & Lee, 2018). This reality undoubtedly contributes to participants’ sense of fear, which enhances one’s likelihood of joining a pangkat as a means to cope with these deprivations.…”

“…While quernas can also organize themselves in self-help groups and provide their members with several benefits similar to those afforded by the pangkats , their groupings are fleeting and nonpermanent. Unlike the pangkats , the quernas do not have institutional history; they do not have symbols and tattoos that signify memberships (Narag & Lee, 2018). Borrowing from Klein’s (1995) notion of “tipping points” on street gangs, the quernas are not committed toward a criminal purpose.…”

“…In addition, most of the penological policies crafted in the Western world are usually exported to developing countries with the assumption that these best practices will work in different settings. The strict and repressive policies on prison gangs, for example, are exported to developing countries, with the assumption that these are equally applicable (Narag & Jones, 2017; Narag & Lee, 2018). These assumptions are rarely challenged.…”