I Was the Rikers Island Gang Intel Boss | Theresa Ramos

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 743 Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 98 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Theresa Ramos started her career at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office before becoming the Director of Gang Intelligence at Rikers Island, one of the most notorious jails in America. In this interview, Theresa breaks down the truth about gangs inside Rikers, how violence really starts, and what the public gets wrong about the facility. She opens up about recruiting informants, managing gang intelligence, and what changes are needed to make Rikers safer — both for staff and inmates. #RikersIsland #PrisonStories #GangIntelligence #TrueCrimePodcast #CorrectionalOfficers #PrisonDocumentary #LockedInPodcast #NewYorkPrisons Connect with Theresa Ramos:Email: theresaramos@vanguardcrimestrategies.com Thank you to BLUECHEW & PRIZEPICKS for sponsoring this episode: Visit https://bluechew.com/ and use promo code LOCKEDIN at checkout to get your first month of BlueChew & pay five bucks for shipping. Prizepicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/IANBICK and use code IANBICK and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop Timestamps: 00:00 The Truth About Rikers Island 02:00 Who Is Teresa? From Bronx DA Office to Gang Intel Director 07:00 Growing Up in the Bronx: Survival, Culture & Grit 10:00 Family Influence, Discipline & Early Struggles 13:00 Rebellious Teen Years & Moving to Puerto Rico 21:00 Failing Forward: College Setbacks & Finding Direction 28:00 Discovering Criminal Justice & Real-World Impact 34:00 Working Homicide Cases & a Shocking Family Secret 45:00 Climbing the Ladder: From Admin to Gang Analyst 47:00 First Major Gang Investigation & Breaking Down Intel Work 54:00 Gang Structures, Violence Trends & NYC’s Street War Data 01:03:00 How Gangs Operate in New York: Codes, Power & Rank 01:12:00 Inside Rikers: Corruption, Chaos & Survival Tactics 01:17:00 Recruiting Informants: Strategy vs. Loyalty 01:23:00 Recidivism, Violence & Why the Cycle Continues 01:26:00 Dropping the Flag: When Gang Members Want Out 01:30:00 Can Rikers Be Fixed? Misconceptions vs. Reality 01:33:00 Criminal Justice, Society & What Needs to Change 01:37:00 Final Reflections & What Teresa Learned From It All Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Then when I get there, it's, okay, is it as bad as people say?
0:04.0	Is it as dirty and grimy? And yes, some facilities. Who are the major gangs in New York City? Over 90% of the violence that happens on Rikers Island is done by under 30% of people that are on Rikers Island and it's gangs. Now, I've interviewed some of these guys that have served time at Rikers and they say so casually, how they would cut each other and slice each other and slash each other.
0:23.6	What do you think about that? Now, I've interviewed some of these guys that have served time at Rikers, and they say so casually how they would cut each other and slice each other and slashed each other.
0:23.6	What do you think about that?
0:24.6	Teresa Ramos started at the Bronx DA's office and rose to become the director of gang intelligence
0:29.5	at Rikers Island, one of the most dangerous jails in America.
0:33.3	Today, Teresa Ramos reveals the truth about gangs, violence, informants, and what really
0:38.3	needs to change inside Rikers.
0:43.5	Teresa, welcome to Lockton.
0:45.5	Thanks so much for coming out here today.
0:47.0	I've been chasing you down all week to get you here.
0:49.3	Thank you for having me.
0:50.5	We talked about doing this in the beginning of the year.
0:52.8	And then you thought I forgot about you.
0:55.0	And then you had DM me this week about something. And then I was like, oh, wait, we have to get this episode in because you finally retired.
1:02.8	And we made it happen. So I didn't retire officially, but I did leave the agency that I was last that when we spoke. So yeah.
1:10.5	Well, you're able to
1:11.5	finally do an interview. Yes. Because I remember when you told me about what your job was,
1:15.5	it was like a tease. You were like, oh, I have this awesome job, but I can't do the interview yet.
1:20.9	But you're our first female, I would say, from Rikers Island, besides that Justina episode we did, who worked in the psychological unit. Okay. But you're the first, I would guess, correctional officer type. I know that wasn't your exact role, but in that area of Rikers Island. So, yeah, I was the former director of the Correctional Intelligence Bureau. So I would be considered a civilian boss.
1:44.5	Okay. But working with the correctional officer there?
1:47.1	Yeah, absolutely. Awesome. Well, everyone on the show, the word that has come on the show
	...

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