Assemblyman Dave Rible announced that he will meet with officials from the Department of Corrections to stress the need for reform in state prisons.

The meeting was scheduled in response to the recent revelation that alleged gang members are continuing to partake in illegal activities while in prison, according to a Dec. 18 press release from Rible's office.

Rible previously sent a letter to the chairman of the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee asking that the panel hold hearings to discuss reports of widespread gang activity in New Jersey prisons.

"We must ensure that our prisons are secure and that criminals are not growing stronger while in the corrections system," Rible said in the release. "Our goal is to eliminate gang related activities and we cannot accomplish this if our prisons are not properly supervised."

Rible said there is a need for stricter regulation of gangs in prisons. In addition to the meeting, he recently met with the union that represents the corrections officers to express his concerns.

"The corrections officers are the best defense against the problems taking place in state institutions," Rible said. "It is vital that they are provided with the tools to combat violence and minimize criminal activity taking place in prisons."

Rible is also working with Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno and the Monmouth County Gang Task Force to devise practical solutions to solve the issues. In addition, he recently held a meeting with state and local officials to strategize against gang activity and related crimes in Monmouth County.