Prison riot
A prison riot is an act of concerted defiance or disorder by a group of prisoners against the prison administrators, prison officers, or other groups of prisoners.
Academic studies of prison riots emphasize a connection between prison conditions (such as prison overcrowding) and riots,[1][2][3] or discuss the dynamics of the modern prison riot.[4][5] In addition, a large proportion of academic studies concentrate on specific cases of prison riots.[6][7][8] Other recent research analyzes and examines prison strikes and reports of contention with inmate workers.[9]
Prison conditions
[edit]In the late 20th century, the analyses and conclusions presented to account for prison disturbances and riots began to shift and change based upon new studies and research. Initially, prison riots were considered irrational actions on the behalf of the prisoners. Nevertheless, there has been a shift in the form of explanation as external conditions like overcrowding are promoted by authorities as possible sources of causation.[10]
List of notable prison riots
[edit]The list does not include prisoner-of-war camps.
Event | Date | Location | Death toll | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1929, October 3 | Colorado State Penitentiary, Cañon City, Colorado, United States | 13 (5 inmates, 8 guards) | A majority of the physical plant was destroyed during the riot. | [11] | |
Battle of Alcatraz | 1946, May 2–4 | Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, Alcatraz Island, United States | 5 | ||
Kingston Penitentiary riot | 1954, August 14 | Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston, Ontario, Canada | 0 | Two-hour riot involving 900 inmates. Breakout attempt was foiled. Several buildings set on fire. $2 million in damages. 160 troops and a squad of police responded. | |
1954, September 22 | Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City, Missouri, United States | 4 inmates | 29 injured, including 4 guards | [12] | |
Montana State Prison Riot | 1959, April 16–18 | Montana State Prison, Montana, United States | 3 | ||
1958, July 31 | Shita prison, Harod Valley, Israel | 13 (2 jailors and 11 inmates) | The most deadly prison riot in the history of Israel. The prisoners, most of them were Palestinian Fedayeen, assaulted the prison's duty officer, took control of the armory, and fought against the police reinforcements who arrived to the scene in order to suppress the rebellion. | [13][14] | |
Pulau Senang prison riot | 1963, July 12 | Pulau Senang, Singapore | 4 prison officers | [15] | |
Kingston Penitentiary riot | 1971, April 14 | Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston, Ontario, Canada | 2 inmates | ||
1971, August 10 | Idaho State Penitentiary, Boise, Idaho, United States | 1 inmate | 2 buildings destroyed, in March 1973 another riot that left multiple buildings destroyed. | [16] | |
San Quentin 1971 riot | 1971, August 21 | San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California, United States | 6 | Riot between Black Guerrilla Family and Mexican Mafia | |
Attica Prison riot | 1971, September 9–13 | Attica Correctional Facility, Attica, New York, United States | 43 | ||
1973, July 27 | Oklahoma State Penitentiary, McAlester, Oklahoma, United States | 3 inmates | 21 injured, 24 buildings were damaged and only 4 buildings were left usable. Over $25 million in damages | [17] | |
August Rebellion | 1974, August | Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, Bedford Hills, New York, United States | 0 | Prisoners held 7 guards hostage and controlled parts of the prison for 2.5 hours. Twenty-five women were injured and twenty-four women were transferred to the Matteawan Complex for the Criminally Insane. | [18][19] |
New Mexico State Penitentiary riot | 1980, February 2–3 | Penitentiary of New Mexico, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States | 33 | Over 200 injured | |
Welikada prison massacre | 1983, July 25+27 | Welikada Prison, Sri Lanka | 56 (53 inmates and 3 officers) | ||
Fremantle Prison riot | 1988, January 14 | Fremantle prison, Fremantle, Australia | 0 | Prisoners created a fire and 5 officers were taken hostage. The fire caused $1.8 million in damage and unintentionally prevented the planned escape | |
1988, July 20 | Centro Penitenciario, Michoacán, Mexico | 10 inmates | 13 injured | [20] | |
Atlanta prison riots | 1987, November | United States Penitentiary, Atlanta and Federal Detention Center, Oakdale, United States | 1 | 250 injured | |
1989 Davao hostage crisis | 1989, August 13–15 | Davao Metrodiscom, Davao City, Philippines | 21 (5 hostages and 16 prisoners) | ||
Leopoldov prison uprising | 1990, March | Leopoldov Prison, Leopoldov, Slovakia | 1 inmate | 40 injured (11 prison officers, 29 inmates) | [21] |
1990 Strangeways Prison riot | 1990, April 1–25 | Strangeways Prison, Manchester, England | 1 inmate | 194 injured (147 prison officers, 47 inmates), 25-day prison riot | |
Carandiru massacre | 1992, October 2 | Carandiru Penitentiary, São Paulo, Brazil | 111 | ||
1990, June | Robinson Correctional Institution, Enfield, Connecticut, United States | 0 | 300 to 400 inmates set fire to the mess hall and gymnasium | [22] | |
1993, Easter Sunday | Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Scioto County, Ohio, United States | 10 (9 inmates, 1 officer) | |||
1994, July 12 | Robinson Correctional Institution, Enfield, Connecticut, United States | 2 inmates | 37 injured (35 inmates, 2 correctional officers) | [22] | |
Prison Six rebellion | 1997, August 9 | Prison Six, near Atlit, Israel | 0 | The most famous case of a military prison riot in Israel, started by three imprisoned soldiers who demanded more humane treatment from the staff. The rebellion changed the military police's approach to its prison service sector and led to improvements in the physical structure of military prisons, as well as in conditions for both jail instructors and prisoners. | [23] |
Kalutara prison riots | 1997, December 12 | Kalutara, Sri Lanka | 3 | ||
Bindunuwewa massacre | 2000, October 24 | Bindunuwewa, Sri Lanka | 26 | ||
2001, May | Centro de Cumplimiento Peniteciario, Iquique, Chile | 28+ | 150 injured | [24] | |
2002, January 2 | Urso Branco prison, in Porto Velho, Brazil | 40 | [25] | ||
2003, April 5 | El Porvenir prison, La Ceiba, Honduras | 69 | [26] | ||
2004, May 16 | El Porvenir prison, La Ceiba, Honduras | 86 inmates | [27] | ||
2004, May 29–31 | Benfica prison, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 38 | [28] | ||
2004, August 19 | La Esperanza prison, San Salvador, El Salvador | 31 | 24 injured | [29] | |
2004, December 17 | Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Kabul, Afghanistan | 8 (4 inmates, 4 guards) | [30] | ||
2005, January | Camp Bucca, Umm Qasr, Iraq | 4 inmates | 6 injured | ||
2005, March 15 | Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, Philippines | 23 (22 inmates, 1 officer) | Almost all Abu Sayyaf members who rose up, including several leaders, were killed | [31] | |
2005, August | Pavón Prison / Granja Pino Canada / El Hoyon, Guatemala | 35 | [32] | ||
2006, February | North County Correctional Facility, Castaic, California, United States | 1 inmate | 100+ injured | ||
2006, February 26 | Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Kabul, Afghanistan | 7+ | [33] | ||
2007, January 7 | Apanteos jail, near Santa Ana, El Salvador | 21 | [34] | ||
2007, December | Santa Ana prison, San Cristobal, Tachira, Venezuela | 30 inmates | |||
2008, March 28 | Federal Correctional Institution, Three Rivers, Live Oak County, Texas, United States | 1 inmate | 22 injured | [35] | |
2008, April 20 | United States Penitentiary, Florence High, Florence, Colorado, United States | 2 inmates | A large scale race riot erupted between white supremacist inmates and black inmates, resulting in 2 deaths and 5 serious injuries. | [36] | |
2008, October 20 | Cedes prison, Reynosa, Mexico | 21+ | 8 injured | [37] | |
2009 Ciudad Juárez prison riot | 2009, March 4 | CERESO state prison, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico | 20 | 15 injured | |
2010, May 5 | Santa Ana prison, San Cristobal, Tachira, Venezuela | 8 | 3 injured | [38] | |
2011, October 15 | Matamoros prison, Matamoros, Mexico | 20 | 12 injured | [39] | |
Altamira prison brawl | 2012, January 4 | Cereso de Altamira, Altamira, Mexico | 31 | 13 injured | |
Apodaca prison riot | 2012, February 19 | Apodaca, Mexico | 44 | 12 injured | |
2012, May 20 | Adams County Correctional Facility, Natchez, Mississippi, United States | 1 guard | 7 injured | [40] | |
Yare prison riot | 2012, August 20 | Yare Prison near Caracas, Venezuela | 25 | 43 injured | |
2012 Welikada prison riot | 2012, November 9–10 | Welikada Prison, Sri Lanka | 27 | 40 injured | |
2013 Uribana prison riot | 2013, January 25 | Uribana prison, Barquisimeto, Venezuela | 61 | 120 injured | |
2013 Palmasola prison riot | 2013, August 23 | Palmasola, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia | 31 | 37 injured | |
Kaohsiung Prison riot | 2015, February 11–12 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | 6 (suicide) | ||
Topo Chico prison riot | 2016, February 10–11 | Topo Chico prison, Monterrey, Mexico | 52+ | 12 injured | |
2016, July 19 | Pavón Prison, Fraijanes, Guatemala | 13 | [41] | ||
2016 New Bilibid Prison riot | 2016, September 28 | New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa, Philippines | 1 | 4 injured | |
Agricultural Penitentiary of Monte Cristo riot | 2016, October 16 | Agricultural Penitentiary of Monte Cristo, Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil | 25 inmates | ||
2017, January 1 | Anísio Jobim Penitentiary Complex, Amazonas, Brazil | 60+ | [42] | ||
2017, January 2 | Prison Unit of Puraquequara, Manaus, Brazil | 10 | [43] | ||
2017, January 6 | Agricultural Penitentiary of Monte Cristo, Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil | 37 | [44] | ||
2017, January 8 | Desembargador Raimundo Vidal Pessoa jail, Manaus, Brazil | 4 | [45] | ||
2017, January 15 | Natal State Prison, Natal, Brazil | 27 | 9 injured | [46] | |
2017, February 1 | James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, New Castle County, Delaware, United States | 1 officer | [47] | ||
2017, May 15 | Buimo prison, Lae, Papua New Guinea | 17 | [48] | ||
2017, June 7 | Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, Philippines | 2 | 17 injured | [49] | |
2017, July 6 | Las Cruces prison, Acapulco, Mexico | 28 | [50] | ||
2017, August 11 | Cedes prison, Reynosa, Mexico | 9 | 11 injured | [51] | |
2017, October 11 | Cadereyta prison, Nuevo León, Mexico | 13 | [52] | ||
Lee Correctional Prison Riot | 2018, April 15 | Lee Correctional Institution, Bishopville, South Carolina, United States | 7 | [53] | |
2019, May 20 | Vahdat prison, Vahdat, Tajikistan | 32 | [54] | ||
Acarigua prison riot | 2019, May 24 | Police station cellblocks in Acarigua, Venezuela | 29 | 19 injured | |
July 2019 Cameroon prison riots | 2019, July 22–24 | Kondengui Central Prison and Buea prison, Cameroon | Unknown | Unknown | |
2019 Altamira prison riot | 2019, July 29 | Centro de Recuperação Regional de Altamira prison, Altamira, Brazil | 62 | ||
2019, December 23 | El Porvenir prison, La Ceiba, Honduras | 18 | |||
Cieneguillas prison riots | 2019, December 31 | Cieneguillas Regional Center for Social Reintegration, Cieneguillas, Mexico | 16 inmates | 5 injured | |
Cieneguillas prison riots | 2020, January 2 | Cieneguillas Regional Center for Social Reintegration, Cieneguillas, Mexico | 1 inmate | 5 injured | |
2020, March 8–9 | Sant'Anna prison, Modena, Italy | 8 inmates | According to Modena's magistrature, all 8 deaths were caused by methadone and benzodiazepine overdose. The substances were looted from Sant'Anna's pharmacy.
Modena's Procura requested the dismissal of all deaths on 3 March 2021. |
[55] | |
Bogotá prison riot | 2020, March, 22 | La Modelo prison, Bogotá, Colombia | 23 | 90 injured | [56] |
2020, March 30 | Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz, Iran | 18 | [57] | ||
2020, March 31 | Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz, Iran | Unknown | [58] | ||
Guanare prison riot | 2020, May 1 | Los Llanos prison, Guanare, Venezuela | 47 | 75 injured | [59] |
February 2021 Ecuadorian prison riots | 2021, February 24 | Regional & Penitenciaría del Litoral, Guayaquil; Cárcel de Turi, Cuenca; Centro de Rehabilitación Social Sierra Norte Cotopaxi, Latacunga, Ecuador | 79 | Coordinated riot as a result of a drug turf war. Eighteen beheadings and at least one prisoner had his heart cut out. | [60] |
September 2021 Guayaquil prison riot | 2021, September 29 | Penitenciaría del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador | 118 | Coordinated riot as a result of a drug turf war. | [61] |
November 2021 Guayaquil prison riot | 2021, November 13 | Penitenciaría del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador | 68 | 25 Injured | [62] |
2022, January 25 | Social Rehabilitation Center (Cereso) Colima, Mexico | 9 | [63] | ||
Battle of al-Hasakah (2022) | 2022, January 20–30 | Al-Sina'a prison, Al-Hasakah, Syria | 507 | Large-scale Islamic State attack and prison riot aimed at freeing arrested fighters of the Islamic State. | |
Tuluá prison riot | 2022, June 28 | Tuluá prison, Tuluá, Valle del Cauca, Colombia | 52 | [64] | |
2023, January 1 | CERESO state prison, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico | 14 (4 inmates, 10 guards) | [65] | ||
2023, February 9 | Hatay Closed Prison, Hatay Province, Turkey | 3 | Three inmates were killed and 12 more injured after soldiers opened fire during a riot. The prisoners were demanding to see their families affected by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. | [66] | |
Támara prison riot | 2023, June 20 | Women's Center for Social Adaptation, Támara, Honduras | 46+ | A conflict presumed to be between MS-13 and Barrio 18 killed 46 people, after a riot caused a major fire. | [67] |
Gulag uprisings
[edit]- Norilsk uprising, May 1953 – strike
- Vorkuta uprising, July 1953 – 66 killed
- Kengir uprising, May 1954 – 37 killed (official Soviet figure), 500–700 killed (prisoner provided figure)
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Bidna, Howard (1975-03-01). "Effects of increased security on prison violence". Journal of Criminal Justice. 3 (1): 33–45. doi:10.1016/0047-2352(75)90097-5. ISSN 0047-2352.
- ^ Ellis, Desmond (Sep 1984). "Crowding and Prison Violence: Integration of Research and Theory". Criminal Justice and Behavior. 11 (3): 277–308. doi:10.1177/0093854884011003003. ISSN 0093-8548.
- ^ Gaes, Gerald G. (1994). "Prison Crowding Research Reexamined". The Prison Journal. 74 (3): 329–363. doi:10.1177/0032855594074003004. ISSN 0032-8855.
- ^ Useem, B. (1985). Disorganization and the New Mexico prison riot of 1980. American Sociological Review, 50 (5). 677–688.
- ^ Newbold, G. (1989). Punishment and Politics: The Maximum Security Prison in New Zealand. Auckland: Oxford University Press.
- ^ Colvin, M. (1982). The 1980 New Mexico prison riot. Social Problems, 29 (5). 449–463.
- ^ Useem, B. and Kimball, P. (1987). A theory of prison riots. Theory and Society, 16 (1). 87–122.
- ^ Dinitz, S. (1991). Barbarism in the New Mexico state prison riot: The search for meaning a decade later. In Kelly, R. and MacNamara, D. (eds.). Perspectives on Deviance: Dominance, Degradation and Denigration. Cincinnati: Anderson Publishing Company.
- ^ "Maintenance | Cairn International".
- ^ Ellis, D. (1984). Crowding and prison violence: Integration of research and theory. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 11 (3). 277–308.
- ^ "Prison outbreak worst in history". coloradohistoricnewspapers.org. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "The 1954 Riot at Missouri State Penitentiary". missouripentours.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ "Palestinian inmate badly wounded in northern Israel prison fire". jpost. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ The full story of Shita's prison riot, A scan from the Israeli newspaper Davar saved in National Library of Israel, August 8 1958 (in Hebrew)
- ^ "A Forgotten Past – 'Prison on Fire' at Pulau Senang". remembersingapore. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Idaho inmates riot: destroy 2 buildings". NYTimes. 11 August 1971. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ "The Story Behind This Oklahoma State Penitentiary Riot Is Truly Disturbing". onlyinyourstate. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Metropolitan Briefs - 45 Women Inmates in Disturbance". The New York Times. 30 Aug 1974. Retrieved 13 Jul 2021.
- ^ "Nor Meekly Serve Her Time: Riots and Resistance in Women's Prisons". newpol.org. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
- ^ "Inmates at a prison in central Mexico took guns..." upi. 21 July 1988. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Vzpoura vězňů v Leopoldově před 20 lety: plamenomety a barikády ve věznici". iDNES.cz. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Robinson Correctional Institution Profile and Valuable Information". golookup. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ Gili Cohen, 20 Years After Infamous Military Prison Revolt, Reform Still Proves Hard Sell in Israeli Army, Haaretz, September 13th 2017
- ^ "At least 28 die in Chile prison riot fire". CNN. 21 May 2001. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "40 believed dead in Brazilian prison riot". The Guardian. 3 January 2002. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ "Honduras rioters back in prison". CNN. 7 April 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Honduran Prison Riot Leaves 86 Dead". CNN. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "38 dead in Brazil in brutal prison riot". cbc.ca. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ "El Salvador prison riot kills 31". news.bbc.co.uk. 19 August 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "8 Are Killed as Inmates Try to Escape Kabul Prison". The New York Times. 18 December 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ Punay, Edu (16 March 2005). "Troops storm jail; 23 dead". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "The Worst Prison Riots of All Time". worldatlas. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Inmates riot in Afghanistan prison". CNN. 26 February 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "El Salvador jail rioters kill 21". news.bbc.co.uk. 7 January 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Gang riot at Three Rivers prison leaves inmate dead". Chron. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Racist Prison Riot on Hitler's Birthday". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
- ^ "At least 21 dead in Mexico prison riot". chinadaily. 20 October 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Venezuela's Santa Ana Prison riot leaves eight inmates dead". news.com.au. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Mexico prison fight kills 20 in Matamoros". BBC. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Guard killed, several others injured in riot at Mississippi prison, officials say". CNN. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Thirteen Killed in Guatemala Prison Riot: Reports". news18. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "Dozens killed in prison riot in Brazil city of Manaus". aljazeera. 2 January 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "10 die in new Brazilian prison riot". gantdaily. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "In Brazil, prison riots and killings expose the structural failures of mass incarceration". penalreform.org. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "New Brazil prison clash leaves at least four dead in Amazon region". reuters. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Death toll from Brazil jail riot at 27, nine injured". reuters. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "16 inmates charged with murder in Delaware prison riot". 6abc. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Seventeen killed in mass prison break in Papua New Guinea". BBC. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "2 inmates dead, 17 wounded in riot during protest over power outage in Camp Bagong Diwa jail". interaksyon. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Mexico violence: 28 dead in prison fight in Acapulco". BBC. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "9 inmates killed in Reynosa prison riot". mexiconewsdaily. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Mexico prison riot leaves 13 dead". BBC. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "Who are the seven inmates killed at Lee Correctional Institution?". wistv. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Islamic State prison riot in Tajikistan leaves 32 dead". telegraph.co.uk. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "8 morti in rivolta a Modena, chiesta archiviazione" [8 dead in Modena riot, dismissal requested]. ANSA (in Italian). 3 March 2021.
- ^ "Riot in Colombia prison leaves 23 dead: government". thejakartapost. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Dozens Killed In Iran Prison Riots, Local Reports Say". iran-hrm. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Inmates' families kept in the dark following prison riots in southwest Iran". iran-hrm. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Venezuela prison riot death toll rises to 47, report NGO and official". malaymail. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Ecuador Raises Death Toll From Prison Riots to 79; Police Chief Warns of New Riot". usnews.com. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 27 Feb 2021.
- ^ "(En vivo) Presidente Guillermo Lasso ofrece rueda de prensa sobre situación carcelaria tras masacre en Penitenciaría del Litoral". El Universo (in Spanish). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ "Dozens of inmates killed in latest Ecuador prison clashes". Al Jazeera. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "9 dead, 7 injured as inmates riot inside Mexican prison". ABC News. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Death toll rises to 52 in southwestern Colombia prison riot". thelocalread.com. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ "14 killed in attack on prison in Mexico border city".
- ^ "Three inmates killed in prison riot in Turkey's quake-hit Hatay". duvarenglish.com. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "Honduras prison violence: At least 41 killed in women's jail riot". BBC News. 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2023-06-20.