Lockdown: Gang War
March 25, 2007Kathryn Wallace - Special Contributor
Before walking into Salinas Valley State Prison, a maximum-security men’s prison in California, my only perception of prison came directly from the movies. I envisioned my first day being something like the intake day in the prison classic, Shawshank Redemption, with cruel officers on watch and fearsome inmates hurling insults and trash at the crew and me. Entering the sally port for the first time – the double set of security gates that separate the free world from the world behind bars – I felt a sickening thud in the pit in my stomach when the second set of gates shut behind me, locking me in prison.
The reality, of course, is nothing like the movies. The correctional officers are some of the most decent people I’ve met, tasked with the impossible: feed, clothe, protect and rehabilitate a volatile population that could be making nice with you one second and swinging a homemade weapon at you the next. And the inmates? Well, it wasn’t quite the catcalling festival I’d been warned about. First stop on our tour of the prison was a dorm-like housing unit with 120 inmates. The inmates were on their bunks with eyes glued to a small television set propped up against the wall, and didn’t cast so much as a glance our way. The movie? The Longest Yard – the prison football remake with Adam Sandler. It was possibly the most surreal moment of my life.
Next stop was the most dangerous “Yard” – or housing unit – at the prison: C Yard. Here violent convicts and active gang members representing all of the prison race gangs worked out in what seemed to be peace, showing little awareness of our presence on the yard. It took the practiced eye of an officer to explain that the inmates were in fact aware of everything on the yard and the casual movements of the inmates covered a tense choreography. At Salinas, gangs are divided along race lines, and the races are often battling on this yard. In fact, the races migrate in a clump based on the movement of the other races on C yard.
I saw a group of white inmates – called simple “Whites” by both inmates and officers – move toward a particular table, prompting the “Blacks” to move toward the water fountain. A group of Southern Mexicans also headed to the same watering hole, but the Southerners as the clear majority on the yard gracefully yielded the fountain. A few Blacks took their turn at the fountain, while a few hung back, posted as guards in case the Southerners tried anything. The Southerners waited patiently. The officer pointed out when a slight change of posture from one of the Southerners – a leader in that group – signaled it was time for the Blacks to move along. And the Blacks, very slowly, moved away from the fountain.
The officer pointed out what areas of the large yard and what tables belonged to what group – and how one table in particular started a six-year long race war between the Northern Mexican group and the Whites, when the Whites tried to commander Northerner territory. The officers had learned to watch C Yard inmate’s movements carefully; when something didn’t fit – like one group taking space in another group’s territories, or a group out in jackets and shirts (the clothing the inmates call body armor) instead of being shirtless, officers became wary. Even just a change in the feeling on the yard put guards on alert. The officer commented that the yard felt a little “hot” that day. The officer was right. The next day, a Southerner was found with weapons, and the day after that a White was stabbed, prompting retaliation from the Whites a few days later. And the gang violence was just getting started on C Yard.
It’s easy to forget about the 2.2 million Americans locked behind bars, separated from our world. Inmates have created their own world behind prison gates with a set of complex and unspoken rules, with violence resulting from even just a slight infraction of those rules. When territory is reduced to just a bar of soap or a table on a yard, inmates will fight to the death to protect what’s theirs. The strangest part of this world behind bars? After just a few days, the routine of the inmates (not much different than a daily routine on the streets, actually) and politicking among the gangs began to feel normal and somewhat predictable to me. I never would’ve expected THAT from prison movies.
Comments (28)
i want to see videos
Posted by Jake Burton | March 26, 2007 11:39 PM
Watched the show and liked it. I didn't understand a couple of things though. First, why did the prison officials put the racial groups all in the same dorm when they knew about the tensions, especially between the Whites and the S. Mexicans? They waited until a clash broke out and THEN they moved the Whites. Second, why did the Whites get time added to their sentences when they were the ones that were attacked? They were put in a situation where their enemies outnumbered them 6 or 7 to 1. Do you get in trouble if someone attacks you?
Posted by MARK BETTIS | April 3, 2007 11:47 PM
I also don't understand why the inmates in this program were put at risk; in this case, the white men were known targets. How can that be allowed to happen? People who commit crimes should be obligated to spend time in prison and while I wouldn't suggest that they live in "resorts", I do believe that they shouldn't be blatently subjected to dangerous, potentially deadly environments. They are still human beings.
Not only did I fear for their safety during this show, I don't believe I saw a single guard in the converted gym during the interviews.
What happened to the two men that were to be transferred after the violence? One was John Barry(?), the other stopped speaking on camera. It doesn't seem fair that their times were extended, especially since they were in known danger and nothing pro-active was done to prevent what happened. Other than self- defense, what could they do?
My heart goes out to them. While there may be rules to follow in order to survive in prison, it seems to me that a little common sense would have gone a long way to protect the people I saw featured during this program. Segregation would be a good preventative measure, I'm thinking it isn't politically incorrect in PRISON.
Posted by Lisa | April 17, 2007 4:50 PM
I'm not commenting the blog i just wanna tell National Geographic how much I like LOCKDOWN. I've been locked up and I think people watching this will make people think twice. THANKS
Posted by Chris | April 29, 2007 11:02 PM
I have seen only a small part of the lockdown series and I would like to see the part on "Gangwar".
By the way, only those who were there will fully understand the politics and the way of life in prison. It's real easy to forget that 170,000 are locked up in a system that is only designed to house 100,000.
Posted by Ricky | May 16, 2007 11:30 PM
I watched it was good
Posted by Mayra | May 26, 2007 3:12 PM
Hello whoever reads these, my name is Jaimie Evanoff and my brothers name is Travis Evanoff and he was one of the guys on the show, I have yet to see it but I hear its good, regardless I have been trying to get a hold of the video as I havent seen it yet and would really like to see my brother as I havent seen nor heard from him since I was a little girl. Can someone please assit me with finding the video?? I just want to see him!
Posted by Jaimie Evanoff | June 11, 2007 1:11 PM
Hello whoever reads these, my name is Jaimie Evanoff and my brothers name is Travis Evanoff and he was one of the guys on the show, I have yet to see it but I hear its good, regardless I have been trying to get a hold of the video as I havent seen it yet and would really like to see my brother as I havent seen nor heard from him since I was a little girl. Can someone please assit me with finding the video?? I just want to see him!
Posted by Jaimie Evanoff | June 11, 2007 1:12 PM
Hello whoever reads these, my name is Jaimie Evanoff and my brothers name is Travis Evanoff and he was one of the guys on the show, I have yet to see it but I hear its good, regardless I have been trying to get a hold of the video as I havent seen it yet and would really like to see my brother as I havent seen nor heard from him since I was a little girl. Can someone please assit me with finding the video?? I just want to see him!
Posted by Jaimie Evanoff | June 11, 2007 1:12 PM
Helllo. First I want to say that I also enjoy watching this and all the lock down programs. But I to am concerned about the ratio of inmates in a racial gang war setting. The whites had to go through the Southern Mexican area to use the shower. Some how with there already being tense between the races that this altercation could have been prevented or at the least disciplined in a different manner to which the white race did not loose out over all. Having the least polulation, more time added to there sentence, and the abuse they suffered.They like all the other races that have to do there time for there crime should beable to do it without living in fear for there life simply because of there race or have the feeling they have to protect there race to simply wake up the next morning. God bless all the correction officers on lock down and elsewhere. Great show.
Posted by Melinda Hart | June 13, 2007 1:25 AM
this show was great!!! its so interesting, i think they should post things like this more often!!! i liked it alot!!! thank you national geographic
Posted by adriana | June 18, 2007 3:33 AM
this show was great!!! its so interesting, i think they should post things like this more often!!! i liked it alot!!! thank you national geographic
Posted by adriana | June 18, 2007 3:33 AM
this special video about real situation in prison; makes me remember the life in prison a few year ago..thanks to the national geographic channel coz it helps me a lot to treasure and think how lucky i am not to be kild in prison and go out completely.
Posted by charlie-demolay | September 7, 2007 8:57 AM
Theres a reason for all things that happen in prison
Posted by g | September 22, 2007 11:02 PM
I WANT TO ASK IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DO A DOCUMENTRY IN FLORENCE,AZ ON LOCK DOWN. THANK YOU
Posted by Harvey Armendariz .J.R. | November 24, 2007 7:16 PM
I'd like to express my gratitute to NGC for making such a series in the first place(it takes guts walking straight into understaffed prisons with a camera in hand and trying to talk to hardened criminals.),and for showing me the darkest side of prisons.
I mean If it were'nt for this, would I know what normal words like paintings, kites, piping, gassing, snitch and shank
may mean in a prison?
Probably not.
Also being an artist-cum-engineer,I think the stuff on National Geographic isn't only well-researched but well presented also(in terms of GFX/ illustrations).Do keep up the good work.
Sorry about your brother Jaimie(6 posts above),hope someone can help.:)
Posted by Suien | November 28, 2007 4:05 PM
Amazing series - is it possible to watch it anywhere on the net? Are NATG going to put in up on their site?
Thanks...
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I like http://www.cheap-discount-airfare.com but does anyone else have suggestions?
Posted by gllwng | December 14, 2007 8:03 PM
I saw the show man it was good national geographic you guys,got down with this show get another one but about gang wars on the fullest rawwww and uncesored
Posted by HUEROO | December 28, 2007 5:02 PM
I DID 3 NIGHTS HARD TIME ONCE AT THE PTOWN LOCKUP!
Posted by RICK | January 14, 2008 2:35 PM
If you really think the CO's at SVSP are nice people. They are rude and will almost do anything to stop family and love one's from visiting. "C" has been on a lockdown for Southern's since Feb 07 and for the rest of the population since Jun 07. There was no contact visit either. When there are no contact visit only 15 people can visit on Sat and Sun. They are finally getting some contact visit back but only for inmates (and only some) who have jobs. This puts a strain on everyones relationship except for the CO's. If you really want to know what it is really like someone needs to smuggle a camera in there and video a normal day.
Posted by Paula | January 15, 2008 5:19 PM
hello im heinze from holland.
srry but i cant spreak englich very well.
can you send me a video a bout gang wars?
i like that.
thank you very much
Posted by heinze | January 21, 2008 3:59 PM
Hey there first things first, I want to thank you for spending a little time in Salinas and show the public what really goes on, on the yard. I missed the show but i know first hand of all the events that happend since i was on C yard during your filming, I was in C gym during the whole event, and I would like to know how or where can i purchase that episode of lock up???
Thank you for your time
and I hope to hear from
you as soon as possible.
Posted by Jaime | January 22, 2008 4:12 PM
I work in a prison and its nice for ppl to see what we deal with on a daily basis
Posted by C.O, Pennsylvania | January 26, 2008 4:59 PM
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Posted by immocabon | January 26, 2008 11:38 PM
jeeeeeeeeeeeez 1st time watchin that episode, dammmmmmmn that was mad crazy scard at the same time but yh wot can i say thats how life goes on is hard but we have 2go throuth it. stay up peeeeeeeeeps
Posted by e.man | January 27, 2008 7:52 PM
I wanna watch the series can anyone tell me how i can get to watch it
Posted by Mark Jacobs | January 31, 2008 10:54 AM
i want to see some videos!!!!do a documentary my town Watsonville, ca. Cuz of it's gang history.
Posted by a.s | February 20, 2008 5:22 AM