As Rev. Harmon M. Gehr once proclaimed: “Loyalty is a major force that promotes unity in all life, even in the existence of a civilization… It gives meaning and flavor, and above all meaning, to a life or to a culture” (“Reflections on the Affairs of Life). Likewise, incarcerated people experience this force of loyalty on their lives and how these loyalties chart the path of their lives in prison and later after release. However, this loyalty does not always have a positive influence on the prisoner; Additionally, Silja JA Talvi in ​​her book Women Behind Bars: The Crisis of Women in the US Prison System and Michael G. Santos in his book Inside: Life Behind Bars in America address the high frequency of negative allegiances, with the paucity of a few incidents of positive allegiance. Talvi and Santos suggest that loyalty guides the behavior and attitudes of many prisoners; however, the human will has the control to overcome these negative loyalties and convert to an allegiance to more positive influences. Above all, one of the most significant negative loyalties in the American prison system is the presence of gangs among prisoners. Whether prisoners became gang members inside or outside the prison walls does not diminish the strength of the bond between other members, as the following suggests: "Tank walks down the hall while Woo Woo stops the other members of the Crip to introduce him. They clench their fists and bump their fingers in greeting. Tank doesn’t know the others, but their Crip affiliation makes them family” (Santos 24). Their allegiance to each other is likened to that of a "family" showing the true strength of their loyalty to each other. These loyalties often get prisoners into trouble for gang-related reasons...... middle of paper ...... In conclusion, both positive and negative loyalties guide the way prisoners live in the American prison system. However, it is always possible that a prisoner will break from their current ways and choose a different path, whether better or not. Regardless of the prisoner's current situation, Santos' advice is essential: "I avoid activities that threaten my progress" (Santos 29). If all prisoners did like Santos himself, prisons would be safer and prisoners would be better prepared to face the real world after their release. Works Cited Santos, Michael G. Inside: Life Behind Bars in America. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2007. Print. Talvi, Silja JA Women Behind Bars: The Women's Crisis in the US Prison System. Emeryville: Seal, 2007. “Reflections on the Affairs of Life” print. Harmon M. Gehr: Thoughts and Quotes. Np, and Web. May 12 2014.