Prison officials: 2000 inmates involved in prison disturbance (Raymondsville, Texas)
Source: Valley Morning Star
RAYMONDVILLE Willacy County sheriffs deputies, Raymondville police, DPS troopers, Border Patrol and every other available law enforcement agency in the region is at the federal prison in Raymondville for what appears to have escalated into a riot.
Willacy County Sheriff Larry Spence said several tents at the facility were set on around 1:30 p.m. The prison compound is made up of massive tents commonly known as a "tent city."
In a news release Management and Training Corporation, which runs the prison, said the problems started this morning when inmates refused to eat breakfast and complained about medical services at the facility.
MTC says several inmates broke out of the housing units and made their way to the recreational yard.
Read more: http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_b650fb84-b933-11e4-96ba-2b83cc287c42.html
Prison officials say they used tear gas to try to bring the situation under control. The Dallas Morning News is indicating that it is a privately run immigration detention center.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)TexasTowelie
(112,220 posts)About 2,000 inmates housed at the Willacy County Correctional Center were rioting late Friday afternoon in protest of medical services, according to officials.
Two officers and one inmate reportedly received minor injuries in the violent demonstration that officers were working late into Friday eventing. The facility houses immigrants convicted of federal crimes.
http://www.chron.com/news/local/article/Officers-working-to-resolve-riot-at-south-Texas-6092832.php
Android3.14
(5,402 posts)"The warden and other facility leaders met with the offenders to attempt to resolve their concerns and provide a resolution. The facility was put on lock down at 12:15 p.m."
TexasTowelie
(112,220 posts)By 12:15 p.m., the facility was placed on lockdown as officers met with offenders to try and resolve the conflict. About 45 minutes later, many offenders broke out of the housing structures and went to the recreation yard.
Inmates set fire to three of the 10 prison tents, causing minor damage, according to the news release. The facility is made up of 10 Kevlar domes that went up in a whirlwind of construction in summer 2006, and is commonly referred to as a tent city.
ohnoyoudidnt
(1,858 posts)Of course, the way prisoners are treated and the fact that we have the highest prisoner population per capita on the planet (indicating that some probably shouldn't be there in the first place) is also an issue.
TexasTowelie
(112,220 posts)JimDandy
(7,318 posts)until the week's news cycle was ended. Interesting what private prisons are effective at and what they're not...
TexasTowelie
(112,220 posts)the private prison industrial complex doesn't want any bad publicity. See the other updates that I provided.
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)Private prisons have investors such as Dickless Cheney, who had $80 MILLION invested in them.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)That says a lot right there.
Divernan
(15,480 posts)Hah! Fat chance!
Yet another innovation on corporate welfare!
every other available law enforcement agency in the region is at the federal prison in Raymondville
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)marble falls
(57,097 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)"privately run" immigration detention center charges the state and federal taxpayers 24k per prisoner and stuffs them in tents to maximize 'private profits.' was some hope of change in 2009 but the stocks show the hunt for undocumented has increased profits.
Trillo
(9,154 posts)Coming together and protesting their conditions, "... the problems started this morning when inmates refused to eat breakfast and complained about medical services at the facility."
We have seen so many instances of cops on the street escalating civilian encounters to the point of death. I guess in jail they call it a riot followed by a lockdown.
annm4peace
(6,119 posts)are there any links to outlets from the prisoners themselves ?