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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 7 January 2020
Foretold "uprising" hits cash-starved Mississippi prisons

By JEFF AMY and EMILY are the ones that fashion
WAGSTER PETTUS weapons out of metal ...
Associated Press So, I would say look to the
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — inmates."
The leader of Mississippi's But others say it's the state's
underfunded prison sys- responsibility to keep pris-
tem was pleading with oners safe.
lawmakers for money to "The Mississippi Department
hire more guards and pay of Corrections needs to be
them better in 2012 when responsible for this massa-
he warned, "I see trouble cre," said Malaika Canada,
down the road." a prisoner advocate whose
Christopher Epps, a long- son is incarcerated at East
time Mississippi Department Mississippi Correctional Fa-
of Corrections employee, cility near Meridian.
would later go to prison After violence Thursday,
himself for collecting $1.4 guards and state troopers
million in bribes. But during marched some prisoners
budget hearings in Octo- at Parchman into Unit 32, a
ber 2012, he said keeping cell block closed in 2011 as
salaries for guards the low- part of a lawsuit settlement.
est in the nation would only In July 2007, the American
work "as long as we don't Civil Liberties Union told a Gov. Phil Bryant discusses with reporters, his concerns about the recent violence at the state peni-
have an uprising." federal judge that Unit 32's tentiary in Parchman, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, in Jackson, Miss.
The uprising arrived last living conditions were "as Associated Press
week when five inmates bad as anywhere in the
died at the hands of fellow country." remain rife with drugs. At guards are involved. Some with harm.
prisoners and two of the Bryant said Monday that Central Mississippi, which low-paid guards have "When they're on lock-
state's largest prisons were "inmates' needs are being in part takes in prisoners been indicted for smug- down, if they can't keep
rocked by what correc- met." just sentenced, 72% of tests gling illegal drugs and cell- people safe, we've got
tions officials called "ma- "Bottled water was brought showed drugs. At South phones to prisoners. Bribes some administrative issues,"
jor disturbances" between in this morning," the Repub- Mississippi, 30% of drug tests to guards may come from said Scott Colom, a district
gangs. Some observers lican said. "Food service came back positive. money extorted from pris- attorney in northeast Mis-
called them riots. has intensified to make sure Drugs and violence at pris- oners' families. Past reports sissippi. "They're on lock-
Now, with a new governor's that we could get the nec- ons that were supposed have shown relatives send- down," said Canada. "You
inauguration looming and essary food to them. We to be locked down raise ing cash cards after impris- can't get out of lockdown
a new prison chief to be talked earlier today about questions about whether oned kin were threatened without keys."q
selected, Mississippi leaders any prescription medica-
face choices. They could tion that the inmates may
pump tens of millions more need."
dollars into a prison budget Two prisoners escaped
that already strains financ- from Parchman during the
es in the nation's poorest uproar. Both have been re-
state. They could try to re- captured.
sume stalled progress to- Dillion Willams was caught
ward letting people out of Monday in a wooded area
prison in a state with one of near Rossville, Tennessee,
the highest incarceration by officers from multiple
rates in the world. Or they agencies.
could try to put a Band- Statistics reveal stress at
Aid on the current crisis the three prisons directly
and keep locking people run by the state. At Parch-
up without spending more man, Central Mississippi
money. Correctional Facility in
Phil Bryant, Mississippi's out- Pearl and South Mississippi
going governor, on Mon- Correctional Institution in
day blamed gangs operat- Leakesville, only about half
ing inside the prison system, of security posts were filled
saying prisons are difficult in the budget year ending
to manage "under the best June 30, 2019, according
of circumstances." Bryant to documents the Correc-
spoke specifically about tions Department submit-
the infamous Mississippi ted last summer to budget
State Penitentiary at Parch- writers. More than 1,000
man. times, prison employees
"Someone asked earlier, had to work a double shift
who's responsible for what's because there was no one
happening at Parchman? to take their place.
The inmates," Bryant told While Mississippi provides
reporters. "The inmates are plenty of inmate alco-
the ones that take each hol and drug rehabilita-
other's lives. The inmates tion opportunities, prisons