The short answer to this question is, yes! Our text states that this is one of the reasons secure housing units where formed. “Secure housing units to isolate and control violent and aggressive gang members and operations.” (Allen, H. Ed. 14) The inmates that are housed in (SHUs) are considers as gang leaders and violent offenders. “In California most institutional threat group leaders are housed in the strongest controlled prison units, know as “special housing units” (such as the prison at Pelican Bay, California), where they are single-celled almost 24 hours a day.” (Allen, H. Ed. 14) If someone has little to no contact with anyone in prison and the outside world or little to no contact with others that have access to the outside world this will absolutely reduce their influence on gangs in prisons and gang members outside of the prison walls. However after doing more research solitary confinement leads to some devastating problems like intense anxiety, paranoia, depression, memory loss, and hallucinations. Psychiatrists call this cluster of symptoms SHU syndrome named after the security Housing Units. As well the cost of secure housing units that inmate are held in solitary confinement. “It cost about 78,000 to keep an inmate in federal solitary confinement, according to a report by the senate subcommittee.” This is three times more than the 22,000 it cost to house the average federal inmate. With this much cost to taxpayers I feel that we need to find other ways to reduces the influence of gang leaders in prison. “Mississippi recently reduced the number of prisoners it holds in solitary from 1,000 to about 150, and closed down its supermax unit. According to the ACLU, the refoms are saving Mississippi’s taxpayers an estimated $8 million a year.” In conclusion I feel that secure housing units reduce the influence that gang leaders have on gang activity in prison as well as the influence of gang members outside of prison. However at what cost is this to the American taxpayer.
