LOCKDOWN: GANGLAND (PELICAN BAY PRISON) 3 OF 3

Nuestra Familia (Our Family) was organized in the Soledad, California Correctional Training Facility in 1968. Inmates were tired of the abuse and victimization at the hand of the Mexican Mafia. Most of the original members of the NF were from Northern California and Central California. As the NF and Mexican Mafia engaged in a bitter prison war, new prisoners from Northern California were recruited into the NF while Southern California inmates joined the Mexican Mafia. By the late 1970s, after numerous prison riots and murders, an official dividing point emerged between the gangs in Bakersfield, California.

The Aryan Brotherhood, (the AB or The Brand) is a prison gang numbering about 15,000 members in and out of prison. In March 2006, four leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood were indicted for numerous crimes, including murder, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and racketeering. The FBI has stated that the gang is responsible for up to 20% of murders in the federal prison system.

La Eme - The Mexican Mafia. "Eme" is the letter "M" in Spanish. The Mexican mafia are composed mostly of Hispanics, although some black and caucasian members exist. The Mexican Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood are allies and work together to control prostitution, drug running, weapons, and "hits" or murders. Originally formed in the 1950s in California prisons by Hispanic prisoners from the southern part of that state, Eme has traditionally been composed of US-born or raised Hispanics and has retained ties to the Southern California-based "Sureños".

Most African-American prison gangs retain their street gang names and associations. These commonly include Rollin' sets (named after streets, i.e. Rollin 30's, Rollin' 40's, etc.) that can identify with either Blood or Crip affiliations. The Black Guerilla Family represents an exception, as an originally politically-based group that has a significant presence in prisons and prison politics.