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Very troubling, but not surprising. Look up the other racialized fights and riots at Yuma/Dakota, Tucson/Santa Rita, Tucson/Whetstone, and Kingman since Jan Brewer's man Chuck Ryan took over AZ Department of Corrections.
AZ DOC Director Charles Ryan
Hate and fear are rampant, too many officers are corrupt or indifferent, and racialized gangs are running those places, making a killing of of their own prison drug trade. Almost no one is given any kind of access to substance abuse treatment, despite the widespread heroin addiction and Hep C epidemic behind AZ bars. In fact, get busted with drugs in prison - or seek protection after being beaten down five times for owing a debt or flushing the drugs the gang threw in your bed during a search - and I guarantee that "help" for your problem will not be forthcoming - you can just look forward to sitting in the hole and losing contact with loved ones.
Not offering critical care for addictions is one of the ways that Corizon stands to profit from their AZ DOC prison health care contract, of course. Unfortunately, while judges seem to think they're doing some folks a favor by getting them off the street to where they supposedly get three meals a day and "help" for their problems, addicts are among the most vulnerable people we throw in prison just to become collatoral damage and target practice for the bad guys on both sides in the battle for power between the DOC and the gangs...
Sorry, folks I don't know who was injured or how badly - contact ASPC-Lewis if you are concerned about your loved one. Check out Prison Talk for the chatter from families of those imprisoned there. And please contact me now or a year from now if you have more information about what went down here (Peggy Plews 480-580-6807 or PO Box 20494 PHX 85036 or arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com)
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Several inmates injured after fight at Arizona prison
Video report by Steve Ryan
Posted on February 20, 2014 at 5:45 PM
Updated
yesterday at 10:50 PM
BUCKEYE, Ariz. -- Several inmates were injured Thursday after a fight broke out at the state prison in Buckeye.
Arizona Department of Corrections spokesman Doug Nick said fewer than 100 inmates at the Stiner Unit of the Lewis complex got into a fight about 4:15 p.m.
"This was because of some racial tensions that had been recently exposed and ... came to a boil," Nick said.
Ten inmates were taken to local hospitals, one of whom had critical injuries, according to Nick.
Authorities said the fight in the medium-security dormitory area was quickly brought under control with the help of distraction devices.
"Those distraction flashes ... are non-lethal rounds," Nick said. "They are very disturbing and they get people's attention very quickly."
No prison staff members were injured trying to break up the fight.
The prison was on lockdown Thursday night and the Stiner Unit will remain on lockdown until at least next week, according to Nick.
He also said the investigation is ongoing, and any inmates identified as instigators will be moved to a higher level of custody. They could also face additional charges.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
