Descent into Madness:

The New Mexico State Prison RiotMark Colvin

Most horrific prison riot in history36 hours33 inmates killed by other inmates200 inmates severely injured – beating,

stabbing, rapeOD’s from drugs from the pharmacy

12 corrections officers taken hostageNone killedSeven beaten, stabbed, sodomizedSome guards protected by inmatesSome helped to escape riots by inmates

Prisoners risked their own livesTo keep others from harm

20 million dollars damage

200 million in response costs and aftermath

Methodology

300 in-depth interviewsPrisonersGuardsOfficials

History of the prison is important to understand what happenedNot always violent and disorderlyBig change in three to four years prior to riot

Background

At Attica,

A few hours of rioting turned into organized protest of prison conditions

No more deaths until authorities retook prison

At New Mexico riot,

Huge disorganizationMany inmate on inmate killingsExceptionally brutal

1976

Reduction of privileges and programs leads to Peaceful, organized protestResponse – new era – more coercion and

violence

Strike broken with violence

TeargasGauntlet – axe handlesLeaders identified, transferred out of stateInmate leadership – provided social cohesion –

now gone“Hole” – solitary reopened and usedSegregation for discipline more common

Lots of turnover in state leadershipSimilarly, at local level,five wardens in five yearsAdministrative confusion – conflicting policiesClique of administrators running show, virtually

unaccountable to anyone

Growing inconsistencies in security and disciplineIn a prison, consistency and routine are hugely

importantNow, inmates can not calculate punishment for

different behaviorsSeen by inmates as harassmentPrison officers get caught up in “harassment

game” – prisoners go to hole

The “snitch game”

Privileges for telling on othersPunishment for not cooperating with guards“hang a snitch jacket” on someone –Guards threaten to tell other inmates that you

are a snitch, even if you aren’tCertain cellblock used for “protection”

History of little inmate to inmate violenceGives way to murder, and routine fights and

sexual assaults

Social order had been disturbedForces that held back disorder dissolvedInmate leadership removedSmall, self-protective cliques emergeNew inmates arrive into a volatile atmosphereViolence not imported from outside

New inmates face tough choicesSubmit to othersBecome a snitchFight other inmates – “don’t mess with them”

Submission

Labeled “morally weak”Won’t stand up for yourselfPC’d up -protective custody- also weakSnitch – weakest of the weak

Competition for violent reputationsLeads to increased violence – daily

occurrencesAnglo vs. Chicano fightsAnglo cliques emerge

All these forces

Lead to a fragmented prison societyWhich finally explodes in 1980

Overview of the riot

pp.201-207

Summary

Explosive episode had its roots going back much further

Lack of organization of the riot and inmate to inmate violence make it notable

Violence caused by a few cliquesCliques emerge due to organizational changes

and control policy changes