The Santa Fe prison riots, the most violent riots in the United States history, happened on February 2-3, in 1980. The riot was a predicted event considering the prison conditions. Prisoners experienced overcrowding in unsanitary dormitories, and they were provided with the lowest quality food, which meant the frequency of intestinal diseases. Rehabilitative and educational programs were canceled, leading inmates to develop feelings of discontent, resulting in increased violence. In addition to the poor communication between the officers and inmates. On February 2nd, a group of inmates was intoxicated by their brewed liquor, leading them to angrily vent about the living conditions and make plans on how they will take over the place. |
The Attorney General's Report
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They planned to jump the guards, and so they did. They overpowered the officers as they locked the dorm doors and held four officers’ hostages during the count. They escaped the cell and destroyed the other officers. The other officers informed that the prisoners escaped the cells fled the prison. The inmates were in total control of the jail after breaking into the control center. Gangs of the most dangerous inmates started to form, and prisoners began seeking revenge on other inmates. |
*TRIGGER WARNING* Inmates got a hold of a blowtorch and used it for 5 hours trying to melt the bars of Cell Block 4, where informants prisoners (or snitches) were. They managed to cut through each cell, where they would torture prisoners, hang them, burn them alive. Some would have their limbs cut off or would be thrown off of the balcony to face their fate. A pile of dead human bodies was stored in the gymnasium, where it was then set on fire that burned through the roof. Prisoners broke into the pharmacy and got a hold of the drugs there, and it was then used and passed to the other inmates, which resulted in the death of some inmates over drug abuse. The records office had been completely set on fire, leaving no documents as evidence against prisoners. The prison was under the inmate’s control for 36 hours, and the repair of the damages cost over 100 million dollars. 33 prisoners died, and there were over 200 other injured. The riots ended after the raid of heavily armed police officers, and order was only fully restored after a few days. |
References
1980 New Mexico State Penitentiary prison riot - documentary. (2011, May 26). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M-hPpuAqwQ
40 years later: Former inmate reflects on infamous prison riot in Santa Fe. (2020, February 17). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wfAmUIkAVE
Colvin, M. (1982). The 1980 New Mexico Prison Riot. Social Problems, 29(5), 449–463. https://doi.org/10.2307/800395
Gallagher, M. (2020, January 26). Revisiting the nightmare: The 1980 prison riot and its legacy. Albuquerque Journal. https://www.abqjournal.com/1413470/revisiting-the-nightmare-the-1980-prison-riot-and-its-legacy.html
Haywood, P. (2020, February 1). Devastating penitentiary riot of 1980 changed New Mexico and its prisons. Santa Fe New Mexican. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/devastating-penitentiary-riot-of-1980-changed-new-mexico-and-its-prisons/article_be64a016-31ae-11ea-a754-fb85e49fca77.html
Haywood, P. (2021, March 8). Former prisoner made it out of penitentiary alive, then changed his life. Santa Fe New Mexican. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/former-prisoner-made-it-out-of-penitentiary-alive-then-changed-his-life/article_7da8b498-3188-11ea-9dfe-47c09ff8ea81.html
Landin, E. C. (n.d.). True Consequences. Spreaker. https://www.spreaker.com/show/true-consequences
Morris, R. (1988). The Devil’s Butcher Shop: The New Mexico Prison Uprising (Reprint ed.). University of New Mexico Press.
New Mexico Office Of The Attorney General Address111 Lomas NW, Santa Fe, NM 87102, United States. (1980). New Mexico - Attorney General’s Office - Report on the February 2 and 3, 1980 Riot at the Penitentiary of New Mexico - Part One - The Penitentiary, The Riot, The Aftermath | Office of Justice Programs [Dataset]. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/new-mexico-attorney-generals-office-report-february-2-and-3-1980
Victoria629. (n.d.). SANTA FE - OCTOBER 18: The iconic New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot of February 2 and 3, 1980 buildings. The buildings and grounds record the heinous remnants in Santa Fe, New Mexico. [Photograph]. Adobe Stock. https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=%22new+mexico+prison+riot%22
40 years later: Former inmate reflects on infamous prison riot in Santa Fe. (2020, February 17). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wfAmUIkAVE
Colvin, M. (1982). The 1980 New Mexico Prison Riot. Social Problems, 29(5), 449–463. https://doi.org/10.2307/800395
Gallagher, M. (2020, January 26). Revisiting the nightmare: The 1980 prison riot and its legacy. Albuquerque Journal. https://www.abqjournal.com/1413470/revisiting-the-nightmare-the-1980-prison-riot-and-its-legacy.html
Haywood, P. (2020, February 1). Devastating penitentiary riot of 1980 changed New Mexico and its prisons. Santa Fe New Mexican. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/devastating-penitentiary-riot-of-1980-changed-new-mexico-and-its-prisons/article_be64a016-31ae-11ea-a754-fb85e49fca77.html
Haywood, P. (2021, March 8). Former prisoner made it out of penitentiary alive, then changed his life. Santa Fe New Mexican. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/former-prisoner-made-it-out-of-penitentiary-alive-then-changed-his-life/article_7da8b498-3188-11ea-9dfe-47c09ff8ea81.html
Landin, E. C. (n.d.). True Consequences. Spreaker. https://www.spreaker.com/show/true-consequences
Morris, R. (1988). The Devil’s Butcher Shop: The New Mexico Prison Uprising (Reprint ed.). University of New Mexico Press.
New Mexico Office Of The Attorney General Address111 Lomas NW, Santa Fe, NM 87102, United States. (1980). New Mexico - Attorney General’s Office - Report on the February 2 and 3, 1980 Riot at the Penitentiary of New Mexico - Part One - The Penitentiary, The Riot, The Aftermath | Office of Justice Programs [Dataset]. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/new-mexico-attorney-generals-office-report-february-2-and-3-1980
Victoria629. (n.d.). SANTA FE - OCTOBER 18: The iconic New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot of February 2 and 3, 1980 buildings. The buildings and grounds record the heinous remnants in Santa Fe, New Mexico. [Photograph]. Adobe Stock. https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=%22new+mexico+prison+riot%22