The shocking true story of how a small group of inmates created America's most dangerous criminal syndicate-and why six decades of law enforcement efforts have failed to stop them.
In 1964, a handful of white inmates at California's San Quentin State Prison formed a defensive alliance in response to prison desegregation. What began as a reaction to changing prison demographics would evolve into something far more sinister: the Aryan Brotherhood, a sophisticated criminal empire that has become the most violent and enduring prison gang in American history.
With fewer than 20,000 members nationwide-less than 1% of the prison population-the Aryan Brotherhood is responsible for 18% of all prison murders. Their influence extends far beyond correctional walls, orchestrating drug trafficking operations, contract killings, and criminal enterprises that generate millions in revenue. Despite decades of federal prosecutions, maximum security confinement, and the conviction of hundreds of members, the Brotherhood not only survives but continues to expand its reach across America.
From the author comes the definitive account of:
The Origins: How prison desegregation in the 1960s created the conditions for the Brotherhood's formation and the early leadership that transformed defensive inmates into criminal mastermindsThe Evolution: The organization's transformation from racial ideology to profit-driven enterprise, including their pragmatic alliances with rival gangs like the Mexican MafiaThe Operations: Inside the Brotherhood's sophisticated hierarchy, communication networks, and criminal enterprises spanning drug trafficking, murder-for-hire, and extortionThe Prosecutions: Major federal cases including the landmark 2002 RICO prosecutions that sought the death penalty for 21 leaders-and why these efforts ultimately failedThe Legacy: How the Brotherhood's influence shaped modern prison culture and inspired countless imitator organizations across the United StatesPerfect for readers of:
True crime and organized crime historiesBooks about the American prison system and criminal justiceStudents of criminology and law enforcementAnyone seeking to understand the darker side of American correctionsThe Aryan Brotherhood reveals uncomfortable truths about American society and raises urgent questions about our approaches to punishment, rehabilitation, and public safety. This is the definitive account of how a prison gang became a criminal empire-and why it continues to thrive despite everything we've thrown at it.