Fun facts
How did inmates break through the "bulletproof" glass surrounding the control center?
They smashed through it using a nearby fire extinguisher?
What was one main cause of the riot?
Poor conditions, inhumane treatment, or lack of action.
How many guards were killed during the riot?
0
How much money was put in rebuilding the prison after the riot?
Forty millions dollars
Were any negotiations made by inmates during the riot set in motion?
Yes, officials agreed to 11 demands which addressed the prison's food, discipline policies, and overcrowding.
What was the first place many inmates ran to after being set free during the riot?
The pharmacy to find drugs
In 1979, what was the ignored court order for?
Improved living conditions
How many inmates were killed during the riot?
33
What did the riot expose?
The inadequate and mismanaged prison system
What was a big part of gaining better conditions for inmates?
Public support
Who started the riot?
A couple of drunk inmates
What riot influenced the one in New Mexico?
The Attica Prison Riot
What date did the riot start on?
February 2, 1980
How many guards took courses at the newly instituted academies?
About 700
How has the riot affected prisons today?
It has set new standards for what prison-living should look like and allowed more freedom for prisoners.
What allowed free movement around the prison during the riot?
Unlocked doors because guards normally skipped this daily precaution out of fear of the inmates.
What % capacity was the prison operating at before the riot?
150%
How long did the riot last?
36 hours
What was the prison like a few months after the riot?
It was like a riot in "slow-motion" and there was a new element of fear
What is one reform made because of the riot?
Reforms include: providing a minimum of five hours a day of meaningful activity, plus one hour of exercise for those in maximum security, meeting standards for education and recreation programs and staff, access to law libraries, food service, medical care, and inmate classification.
Where did the inmates get alcohol from right before the riot?
They made it themselves from food provided for them from the cafeteria
What did the new administration lack?
Effective leadership
Who were the targeted killings in the riot?
inmate informants "snitches"
What was the name of the lawyer who represented inmates accused of crimes in the riot and who overheard lieutenants and captains ordering newly-trained guards to forget what they learned at the new academies and to disregard what was said in the court order instituted to improve every aspect of life for prisoners?
Mark Donatelli
What did the poor living situations inmates had to live through in the New Mexico State Penitentiary in 1980 prove?
It proved that inmates needed to be treated as humans and given decent food and care.