Most inmates ARE NOT violent. Take the blinders off people. There are TOO many people in prison! What happened to “Attrition of Cases”? If you don't know what that means you probably don't have your degree in Corrections like I do. A large part of the prison population should be on the streets under supervision being made to be productive. Truth is people want to lock everybody up for anything and everything. Yet, no one wants to pay for it. The primary goal of ANY class one peace officer is TO GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY! So, If two inmates are killing each other with an observing inmate croud and I'm on the other side of the grill… they can kill each other… cause I'm going home. If you haven't lived it, don't comment on it.

So you know, most of the time, if you treat an inmate like a person he will respect you. If you treat him like the number he wears, you will have a very long hard life in your career. I've seen CO's abuse inmates but I've also seen CO's who do their jobs correctly. The difference… usually EDUCATION! Raise the bar and facilities will be run better. It's not about muscle… I'm a woman and I get more respect from males inmates than some of the guys.. cause it's not about power trips… we're out numbered. Bottom line.

And by the way, I have loved ones in prison… maybe that's why it's easier to be fair… or it is that I know what civil liability is??? Hmm…

Please always remeber that Lethal Force is always the last result for a Law Enforcement Professional, If and when your time comes to second guess them. Please keep it in the courtroom, Unless you have worked behind a wall or a Fence!  In that enviroment if the Officers acted to late there would have been more than 2 dead.

They make weapons….they make hooch…..they try to sneak drugs in……AND THEY KILL PEOPLE!  Yea..while they are in prison!!  Staff are not always there to stop it, prevent it, or even know it has happened sometimes. The truth is: WE LACK STAFF!! WE LACK FUNDING!!  Everyone want tho put them in prison and throw away the key, but nobody want to admit how much it costs.  200,000 plus inmates in the federal system……$10-$20K a year to hold ONE inmate!!  That is more than some people MAKE in a year! Now do the math!  Yea, bad things happen in prison.  And I'm sorry to say….but yea, I would rather it happen to the inmates, then to staff!!

Keep in mind, a correctional officers union local at the complex won arbitration regarding the bureau's “mission critical” staffing cuts in 2005. According to staff, there aren't enough people to check units for homebrew operations, there aren't enough to be informed about possible gang disputes, and there aren't enough people to quell a major riot on the ground. This is why there were the towers. I'm not sure at this point how much of the ammo was live or composed of other “non-lethal” substances.

Unfortunately, staff have been predicting something like this to happen for a long time now, as was said by one Supermax correctional worker in our Inside Supermax series:

“Either a CO's going to have to get hurt or an inmate's going to die before it gets corrected,” the officer says.

Also, I was always under the impression, apparently false, that the purpose of live fire guns was mostly to prevent escapes.  Hundreds of rounds fired in the midst of a riotious crowd of inmates doesn't sound like a very intelligent use of force or method of maintaining discipline.

Prisons, in which inmates generally do not have long range weapons, should be optimal locations for the class “less lethal” weapons like tasers, rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas and the like.

There has got to be middle ground between lockdown/supermax treatment and having a large uncontrollable mob in an exercise field greatly outnumbering staff who only intervene when it is too late.  The guard to inmate ratio at a medium security prison is pretty low.

It sounds like this prison, maybe the whole complex, needs a new warden.

On April 20, 2008, at approximately 12:30 p.m. an inmate disturbance occurred at the United States Penitentiary at Florence, Colorado, involving approximately 150-200 inmates.  Staff responded quickly and effectively to the disturbance and did an excellent job of bringing the situation under control.

The disturbance, which appears to have been racially motivated,  was contained within the recreation compound.  Inmates were armed with various home made weapons to include; rocks, sharpened metal, plastic, and wood.  As groups of inmates engaged one another, correctional officers activated the verbal warning system and discharged multiple tactical distraction rounds.  In response to continued escalating violence the tower officers discharged lethal munitions. 

Two inmates were pronounced dead; Brian Scott Kubik, Register Number 66176-065, and Phillip Lee Hooker, Register Number 13358-045.  Inmate Kubik was serving a 180-month sentence for Ex-Felon in Possession of Firearm – Armed Career Criminal.  Inmate Hooker was serving a 25-year state sentence for Armed Robbery.  Preliminary results indicate the cause of death in both cases was due to gunshot wounds.  Autopsy results are pending. 

The quick and effective response by staff  prevented further loss of life.  At no time was the safety of the community in jeopardy.  There are no staff injuries reported at this time and the institution remains on lockdown status while an investigation into the incident continues.

On April 20, 2008, at approximately 12:30 p.m. an inmate disturbance occurred at the United States Penitentiary at Florence, Colorado, involving approximately 150-200 inmates.  Staff responded quickly and effectively to the disturbance and did an excellent job of bringing the situation under control.

The disturbance, which appears to have been racially motivated,  was contained within the recreation compound.  Inmates were armed with various home made weapons to include; rocks, sharpened metal, plastic, and wood.  As groups of inmates engaged one another, correctional officers activated the verbal warning system and discharged multiple tactical distraction rounds.  In response to continued escalating violence the tower officers discharged lethal munitions. 

Two inmates were pronounced dead; Brian Scott Kubik, Register Number 66176-065, and Phillip Lee Hooker, Register Number 13358-045.  Inmate Kubik was serving a 180-month sentence for Ex-Felon in Possession of Firearm – Armed Career Criminal.  Inmate Hooker was serving a 25-year state sentence for Armed Robbery.  Preliminary results indicate the cause of death in both cases was due to gunshot wounds.  Autopsy results are pending. 

The quick and effective response by staff  prevented further loss of life.  At no time was the safety of the community in jeopardy.  There are no staff injuries reported at this time and the institution remains on lockdown status while an investigation into the incident continues.

Also, I was always under the impression, apparently false, that the purpose of live fire guns was mostly to prevent escapes.  Hundreds of rounds fired in the midst of a riotious crowd of inmates doesn’t sound like a very intelligent use of force or method of maintaining discipline.

Prisons, in which inmates generally do not have long range weapons, should be optimal locations for the class “less lethal” weapons like tasers, rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas and the like.

There has got to be middle ground between lockdown/supermax treatment and having a large uncontrollable mob in an exercise field greatly outnumbering staff who only intervene when it is too late.  The guard to inmate ratio at a medium security prison is pretty low.

It sounds like this prison, maybe the whole complex, needs a new warden.

Keep in mind, a correctional officers union local at the complex won arbitration regarding the bureau’s “mission critical” staffing cuts in 2005. According to staff, there aren’t enough people to check units for homebrew operations, there aren’t enough to be informed about possible gang disputes, and there aren’t enough people to quell a major riot on the ground. This is why there were the towers. I’m not sure at this point how much of the ammo was live or composed of other “non-lethal” substances.

Unfortunately, staff have been predicting something like this to happen for a long time now, as was said by one Supermax correctional worker in our Inside Supermax series:

“Either a CO’s going to have to get hurt or an inmate’s going to die before it gets corrected,” the officer says.