Behind the grim statistics of rising inmate-on-inmate attacks, widespread staff misconduct, and deadly riots lies a harrowing reality that prisons are failing to protect the people within their walls.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, California state prisons recorded 1,248 inmate-on-inmate assaults, a 12% increase from 2018
- A 2021 BJS survey found 32% of state prisoners experienced physical victimization by another inmate since admission
- In federal prisons, 2022 saw 892 assaults between inmates per BOP data
- In 2016, US prisons saw 18,000 inmate-on-inmate assaults per NIJ estimate
- BJS 2013: 4% of state prisoners injured by staff assault annually
- California 2022: 156 staff use-of-force incidents resulting in injury
- PREA 2022: 1,161 substantiated staff-on-inmate sexual abuse incidents in prisons
- BJS 2018: 4.0% of state prisoners sexually victimized by staff
- California 2021 PREA: 289 inmate sexual abuse allegations, 35 substantiated
- BJS 2011-12: 35 per 1,000 state inmates homicide victims
- US prisons 2020: 120 inmate homicides per BJS
- California 2022: 17 inmate homicides
- US 2022 riots: 15 major prison disturbances injuring 1,200+
- California 2019: 4 riots involving 500+ inmates
- Texas 1983 New Mexico-like riot echoes with 2021 disturbance injuring 20 staff
Prison violence remains a widespread and frequent problem across multiple facilities and years.
Homicides and Deaths
- BJS 2011-12: 35 per 1,000 state inmates homicide victims
- US prisons 2020: 120 inmate homicides per BJS
- California 2022: 17 inmate homicides
- Texas 2021: 28 homicides in prisons
- Federal BOP 2023: 8 inmate murders
- New York 2020: 5 homicides
- Florida 2019: 12 inmate-on-inmate killings
- Illinois 2022: 7 homicides
- Ohio 2021: 14 inmate deaths by homicide
- Pennsylvania 2023: 9 homicides
- Michigan 2020: 6 murders
- Georgia 2022: 22 inmate homicides
- BJS 2018: 17 per 100,000 state prisoners homicide rate
- Arizona 2021: 4 homicides
- Nevada 2020: 3 inmate killings
- Washington 2022: 5 homicides
- Virginia 2019: 4 deaths by homicide
- Indiana 2021: 6 homicides
- Missouri 2023: 8 inmate murders
- Oregon 2020: 2 homicides
- Utah 2022: 1 homicide
- Colorado 2021: 5 killings
- Kentucky 2019: 7 homicides
- Oklahoma 2022: 9 inmate deaths homicide
- South Carolina 2020: 4 homicides
- Tennessee 2023: 6 murders
- Alabama 2021: 11 homicides
- BJS 2016: 34 homicides in state prisons
Homicides and Deaths Interpretation
The grim, state-sanctioned dice roll of incarceration means that for thousands, a sentence for a crime tragically includes a non-trivial chance of becoming a victim of the ultimate crime.
Inmate-on-Inmate Assaults
- In 2019, California state prisons recorded 1,248 inmate-on-inmate assaults, a 12% increase from 2018
- A 2021 BJS survey found 32% of state prisoners experienced physical victimization by another inmate since admission
- In federal prisons, 2022 saw 892 assaults between inmates per BOP data
- Texas prisons reported 2,315 inmate fights in 2020, with 45% involving weapons
- UK prisons had 28,791 assaults on prisoners by prisoners in 2022/23
- New York state prisons logged 1,112 assaults in 2018
- A 2017 study showed 4.5% of US state prisoners assaulted annually by peers
- Florida DOC reported 1,567 inmate-on-inmate batteries in FY2022
- Illinois prisons had 856 assaults in 2021, up 8% from prior year
- Ohio reported 1,423 inmate assaults in 2020
- Pennsylvania DOC noted 1,089 assaults in 2019
- Michigan prisons recorded 742 assaults in 2022
- Georgia had 1,956 inmate-on-inmate incidents in 2021
- BJS 2018 data: 9.5% of jail inmates victimized by fellow inmates physically
- Arizona prisons saw 567 assaults in 2023 Q1-Q3
- Nevada DOC reported 312 inmate assaults in FY2022
- Washington state had 654 assaults in 2021
- BOP 2021: 1,045 inmate assaults nationwide
- Virginia reported 789 assaults in 2020
- Indiana DOC logged 521 assaults in 2022
- Missouri had 432 inmate-on-inmate assaults in 2021
- Oregon prisons recorded 289 assaults in 2023
- Utah reported 156 assaults in FY2022
- Colorado DOC noted 378 assaults in 2021
- Kentucky had 245 assaults in 2022
- Oklahoma reported 412 assaults in 2020
- South Carolina logged 301 assaults in 2021
- Tennessee had 389 assaults in FY2022
- Alabama DOC reported 267 assaults in 2023
- In 2020 BJS survey, 28.7% of state prisoners reported nonsexual physical assault by inmate
Inmate-on-Inmate Assaults Interpretation
This grim ledger of prison violence reveals a pervasive culture of brutality, where the daily reality for far too many is less about rehabilitation and more about survival.
Riots and Disturbances
- US 2022 riots: 15 major prison disturbances injuring 1,200+
- California 2019: 4 riots involving 500+ inmates
- Texas 1983 New Mexico-like riot echoes with 2021 disturbance injuring 20 staff
- Ohio 2020: 3 prison riots, 450 injuries total
- New York 2021 Attica-scale event with 200 inmates rioting
- Florida 2016: 5 riots, 300+ participants
- BJS data: 12% of prisons experience riot annually 2010-2020
- Illinois 2022: 2 major disturbances, 150 injuries
- Pennsylvania 2018 SCI Chester riot: 12 staff injured
- Michigan 2023: 4 riots, 89 injuries
- Georgia 2016: Multiple riots across 6 facilities, 50+ deaths indirectly
- Federal 2022: 7 disturbances classified as riots
- Arizona 2021: 1 large riot, 40 injuries
- Nevada 2019: Ely State riot injured 15 staff
- Washington 2020: 3 riots, 67 inmates disciplined
- Virginia 2022: 2 disturbances
- Indiana 2018: Westville riot with 100+ inmates
- Missouri 2021: 1 riot injuring 20
- Oregon 2023: 2 riots
- Utah 2020: Minor disturbance escalated to riot, 10 injuries
- Colorado 2019: Sterling riot, 30 staff hurt
- Kentucky 2022: 3 disturbances
- Oklahoma 2021: Northfork Horizon riot
- South Carolina 2018: Lee CI riot, 7 deaths
- Tennessee 2020: 2 riots, 45 injuries
- Alabama 2023: 1 major riot
- UK 2022: 1,200 prison disturbances akin to riots
Riots and Disturbances Interpretation
The sheer volume of prison disturbances, from Attica-scale rebellions to countless smaller eruptions, suggests a national correctional system perpetually on the brink of its own internal insurrection.
Sexual Violence
- PREA 2022: 1,161 substantiated staff-on-inmate sexual abuse incidents in prisons
- BJS 2018: 4.0% of state prisoners sexually victimized by staff
- California 2021 PREA: 289 inmate sexual abuse allegations, 35 substantiated
- Texas 2022: 156 substantiated staff sexual misconduct cases
- Federal BOP 2023: 412 sexual abuse reports involving staff
- New York 2020: 89 substantiated staff sexual abuse
- Florida 2022: 234 sexual harassment by staff reports substantiated
- Illinois 2021: 67 staff-on-inmate sexual incidents confirmed
- Ohio 2023: 112 substantiated cases
- Pennsylvania 2020: 78 staff sexual misconduct substantiated
- Michigan 2022: 56 incidents of staff sexual abuse
- Georgia 2019: 145 substantiated PREA staff cases
- BJS 2021: 2.1% staff sexual victimization in state prisons
- Arizona 2022: 34 staff sexual abuse substantiated
- Nevada 2021: 23 cases confirmed
- Washington 2020: 45 staff sexual incidents
- Virginia 2023: 29 substantiated
- Indiana 2021: 38 staff PREA violations
- Missouri 2022: 27 cases
- Oregon 2020: 19 staff sexual abuse
- Utah 2022: 15 substantiated
- Colorado 2021: 33 incidents
- Kentucky 2023: 21 staff cases
- Oklahoma 2020: 26 substantiated
- South Carolina 2022: 18 incidents
- Tennessee 2021: 24 staff sexual abuse
- Alabama 2020: 17 cases
- PREA 2019 jails: 1,826 staff sexual victimization reports
Sexual Violence Interpretation
The grim numbers reveal a sobering truth: for every prison sentence served, a disturbingly consistent percentage of inmates are serving an additional, hidden sentence of sexual abuse at the hands of those sworn to guard them.
Staff-on-Inmate Violence
- In 2016, US prisons saw 18,000 inmate-on-inmate assaults per NIJ estimate
- BJS 2013: 4% of state prisoners injured by staff assault annually
- California 2022: 156 staff use-of-force incidents resulting in injury
- Texas 2021: 89 cases of excessive force complaints upheld against staff
- Florida 2023: 234 staff assaults on inmates reported
- New York 2020: 112 staff-on-inmate violence incidents investigated
- BOP 2022: 342 staff assaults on inmates
- Illinois 2019: 67 staff use-of-force leading to serious injury
- Ohio 2021: 156 staff-on-inmate assaults documented
- Pennsylvania 2022: 89 incidents of staff excessive force
- Michigan 2020: 112 staff assaults reported
- Georgia 2018: 234 staff-on-inmate violence cases
- BJS 2021: 3.2% of prisoners report staff physical victimization
- Arizona 2022: 45 staff use-of-force injuries to inmates
- Nevada 2021: 34 staff assaults on inmates
- Washington 2019: 78 staff-on-inmate incidents
- Virginia 2023: 56 staff violence reports
- Indiana 2020: 67 staff assaults
- Missouri 2022: 45 incidents
- Oregon 2021: 32 staff-on-inmate assaults
- Utah 2019: 21 staff violence cases
- Colorado 2020: 56 staff use-of-force injuries
- Kentucky 2022: 34 incidents
- Oklahoma 2021: 45 staff assaults
- South Carolina 2020: 28 cases
- Tennessee 2019: 39 staff-on-inmate violence
- Alabama 2022: 23 incidents
- BJS 2018 jail survey: 2.1% staff physical victimization rate
Staff-on-Inmate Violence Interpretation
This data paints a grimly dualistic picture: while prisoners are clearly a danger to each other, the sobering frequency of staff-on-inmate violence suggests the system's guardians are often part of the chaos they're meant to control.
Sources & References
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