Brazil's Universities Of Crime

Brazil's universities of crime: Inside the South American prisons where gangs fight for dominance in bloody massacres so they can recruit new inmates

Inside Brazilian prisons, ruthless gang leaders don't just recruit dangerous inmates but target the more than 250,000 prisoners who are in for lesser crimes to join their organizations. For years, Brazil's two most powerful gangs had a non-aggression pact. But that truce ruptured in October, for reasons experts say are still unclear, leading to riots in several prisons. 

At least 130 inmates have been killed in lockups nationwide since January 1. In two prisons in the northern Amazon region, extreme overcrowding and squalid conditions form the backdrop of gang recruiting. 

Guards, administrative prison staff and families of inmates of both prisons said gang leaders ordered newcomers to join killing sprees and dismember and behead the dead.