Reviewed on: April 20,2026
Prison Violence

What to Do When an Inmate Is Threatened by a Gang?

My son is afraid for his life. He was robbed last week by some gang members, one of them had a shank. Some of the other inmates stopped what was happening, and he got most of his property back. But now he is afraid they will get someone to get him back. My son is not affiliated with any gang, he has been in prison for almost 10 years. He has never had any sort of write-up against him. What can I do?

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do from the outside but complain to the institution.
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Answered by a former federal inmate · 14+ years advising families
✓ Verified answer July 28,2015 · Prison Violence
1

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do from the outside but complain to the institution. This could have a double-edged result, though. Letting someone in the administration know of these details will certainly shake things up there for a while. They will do shake-downs trying to find the shank. But these things never stay quiet and he could end up having more problems from you saying something than if he just lets it go. It sounds like your son has a group that helped him through this incident and it might serve him well to stay close to those guys and just avoid the people he had a conflict with. Usually, these incidents are done to test an inmate. Since there was a pushback, the people who harassed him might look for another victim who won't push back. These things usually die down quickly.

Accepted Answer Date Created: July 28,2015
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About this answer: This response was prepared by InmateAid’s editorial team in consultation with former inmates who have direct experience with the federal correctional system. InmateAid has served families of the incarcerated since 2012. This is general information only — not legal advice. Last reviewed April 2026.