In prison South Carolina erupted in violence on Sunday night and early Monday morning, turning into what officials call a “mass casualty” event.
A total of seven inmates died and at least 17 were seriously injured, reports the associated Press. The prisoner told the AP that the body was “literally stacked on top of each other”, claiming that prison guards are unable to stop the violence between inmates. Most fatal injuries were the result of blows or cuts, although some prisoners may have been beaten to death. No prison guards were injured.
The riot was the worst in American prison for a quarter century, according to the AP.
Officials said that the dispute over whether the correctional facility that holds people convicted of some serious crimes in the state over money and territory. The prisoner told the AP that fighting was gangs.
He also noted that a lock cell doors were broken before the riot, allowing the inmates to roam freely, and perhaps contributing to the chaos.
“It took more than two hours, but not because [the guards] replied to this unit and not health workers attempted to render any assistance,” the prisoner writes the AP. “Because I never even tried to help or suppress the indignation. They were just sitting in the bladder control, name the problem, and then sat on their Asses.”
The violence erupted around 7:15 p.m. Sunday, covers three residential units. Officers are unable to contain the violence within a few hours, restoring order at 2:55 a.m. on Monday, the Department of corrections of South Carolina said in a statement on Facebook.
While the incident was especially bad, it’s also part of the problem of violence in American prisons in a wider sense — a problem that, at least in South Carolina seems to be getting worse.
Violence is a growing problem in the prisons of South Carolina
Violence is a very big problem in American prisons. According to a study published in 2009 in the journal of correctional health care, about 21 percent of inmates in men’s prison for six months physically attacked, and between 2 and 5 percent sexual violence.
But the problem seems to be getting worse in South Carolina in particular. The investigation John monk of the state newspaper and South Carolina, found that the number of prisoners died in prisons “more than doubled in 2017 compared to the previous year and four times from two years ago.”
John bacon and Tim Smith in USA today reported on recent incidents at the Lee correctional institution:
Lee County Coroner Larry Logan told AP that most of the prisons of South Carolina were trying to find enough workers, indicating that understaffing makes it difficult to keep these places under control. The South Carolina Department of corrections Director Bryan Stirling has previously acknowledged the problem of shortage of staff and the dangers it causes too.
Following the reports of rebellion, sterling was also blamed for the presence of mobile phones in prisons, which, according to him, disputes over “real money and territory” to continue in prison. He tried for many years to obtain Federal approval, so that government officials can block the mobile phone signals in the room.
Some lawmakers are already demanding action. South Carolina house minority leader Todd Rutherford (d) is that the riot was “unacceptable” and “symptom” in the broad deficiencies in the criminal justice system.
“The incident with mass casualties in the correctional institution is simply unacceptable,” wrote Rutherford. “Security — for inmates, SCDC employees, and the public — should be a priority. Riots as a symptom of our criminal justice system is broken and needs reform now.”
Sourse: vox.com
