January 27, 2020: Multiple prisoners started fires in their cells at Miami Correctional Facility on January 27, 2020, according to prison officials. The prisoners allegedly used paper and toilet paper with the electrical outlet to light the fires.
2020
20
Jan
Hunger Strike at Central Prison, North Carolina
January 20, 2020 – ongoing: Sixteen prisoners went on hunger strike on MLK Day in solidarity with two hundred prisoners allegedly facing brutality in the prison’s mental health unit.
10
Jan
Attack on Guards at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, Massachusetts
January 10, 2020: According to state prison officials, a group of prisoners attacked guards, injuring three. Additional guards responded to the attack, and the prison was put on lockdown.
04
Jan
Five Prisoners Killed, Two Escape Amidst Violence in Mississippi Prisons
December 29, 2019 – January 4, 2020: A series of riots and fights between prisoners in the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) has resulted in the deaths of five prisoners and two escapes.
2019
24
Dec
Disturbance at Nebraska Diagnostic and Evaluation Center
December 24, 2019: At around 7:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve, at least 14 inmates attacked guards and destroyed property including a window, furniture, and surveillance cameras. According to a press release from the Department of Corrections, the incident started when “staff members confiscated food items as well as homemade alcohol” from inmates.
13
Dec
Hunger Strike at El Paso Processing Center, Texas
October, 2019 – ongoing: Three prisoners at the ICE-operated El Paso Processing Center began hunger strikes within the previous two months demanding their freedom and protesting denial of due process. ICE agents are force-feeding them using tubes forced in the nose and down to the stomach.
04
Dec
Two Prisoners Barricade their Cell at Marble Valley Regional Correctional, Vermont
December 5, 2019: Two prisoners at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility barricaded themselves in their cell and refused orders from guards, according to WCAX. The prison’s “special response team” was called in to end the standoff.
03
Dec
Detained Asylum Seekers Stage Protest at Winn Correctional Center, Louisiana
December 3rd, 2019: Detainees who are currently seeking asylum in Winn Correctional Center (WCC) refused to move back to their cells in a protest over their prolonged detention, some having spent over 8 months awaiting parole.
30
Nov
Four Prisoners Escape from Davidson County Juvenile Detention Facility, Tennessee
November 30, 2019: Four prisoners escaped from the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Facility by running out the front door while guards were distracted.
30
Nov
Majority of Prisoners Sign Petition at Nebraska State Penitentiary
Late November, 2019: 780 prisoners at the facility sign a petition addressed to the press, the ombudsman, and the ACLU to protest a range of issues from lockdowns to programming to food quality.
