Yakuza (Criminal Gangs) in Japan: Characteristics and Management in Prison

Abstract

The Yakuza, organized criminal gangs in Japan, engage in stimulant-drug traffic, illegal gambling, prostitution, and extortion. Suppression has increased their share of the prison population from 21 percent in 1975 to 30 percent in 1986. This article outlines the nature and subculture of the Yakuza, distinguishes their characteristics from those other inmates, and analyzes their management by the prison administration in the Japanese style. © 1990, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.