Originally Posted by jace
Originally Posted by Mamaluke
My 2cents;

Things like this are formed at the top. So would any of us here rat? I think for MOST of us, it would depend. Lets say you were brought into this thing young. Your whole identity is formed around it. The people around you are stand up guys. They always have your back and do the right thing. You go away your family is taken care of. You get out, you're taken care of. Nobody rats on you, nobody rats on each other.

If you were brought into a strong, tight brotherhood like that you probably wouldnt rat [ unless you're just a weak, selfish coward ].

Now if you were brought into something thats dog-eat-dog? Guys stabbing each other in the back, bosses flipping, you go away your family starves, you come out and nobody has time for you....most people will be much more likely to flip under those circumstances.

So I would say guys ratting is not just about the guys who rat, its about the breakdown of the whole organization.



That's a good post. I will add that to me, one exception is the guys who are in a strong tight group, but rat anyway snd use the excuse that the group was not close or loyal. Every gang from bikers to Bloods, Mexican cartels, the Mafia, all have a rat or 2 regardless of how strong the group is. I get a feeling that the gangs in other countries are the strongest these days (I am in the United States)


I agree there is always a percentage of people that will sell anybody out to save their own skin. Even if they know they will be taken care of, they'll still rat. I would add to my original post that taking care of guys' families while they're away and taking care of them when they get out is HUGE but also, on the other side, you should be able to reach a rat and whack him.

There are two sides there, the stick and the carrot. The carrot meaning they know they will be taken care of if they stand up, the stick meaning they will be 'taken care of' if they flip. So you'd need an organization that is strong, far reaching, and honorable.

I also agree with Killingjoke, the state of the sentencing and prison system has alot to do with it. Doing time in many American prisons is a form of torture. If I were facing 50 years in the USA? The choice would be either rat or hang myself. There is no WAY I would ever do that kind of time here.