Gang Members So Feared They’re Left To Run Their Own Prison

The Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) from El Salvador is so feared the gang has been left to run its own prison, with guards only patrolling the outside. There are 2,500 members locked up in Penas Ciudad Barrios and in 2013, London photographer Adam Hinton was given unprecedented access to their home to document them.
Their tattoos tell the stories of the crimes they’ve committed and the loved ones they’ve lost during their time in the gang.
Adam said: ‘The men stand around aimless with nothing to do except kill what seem like an infinity of minutes, hours and days.
‘The vast majority of the inmates from the Barrios or slums. In El Salvador this is a place without hope or opportunity and the gang is the only real option.
‘If the authorities catch you, this is the place they literally dump you and forget about you – every inmate is made to feel just like that.’
Their crimes range from drug dealing to murder.
Despite the large number of members locked up, gang crime is still rife in El Salvador.
In August this year there were more than 900 murders – with 52 taking place on one day.
Source – Metro